StickerYou Blog

The good news is there are ways to cleanly remove stickers from your bike frames without damaging the surface. Here are our top methods.

Scraping

The first course of action is to try scraping the stickers off. For this, you can use a credit card or other dull, plastic object. Do not use a knife, razor blade, or metal scraper on your bike to avoid damaging the frame or chipping the paint.
Start scraping along the edges of the custom vinyl sticker, peeling off as much as you can while being careful not to scratch the frame. While this method may be able to help peel the sticker off, it might leave a sticky residue on the bike that’s difficult, if not almost impossible, to scrape. In this case, you’ll want to give the other methods below a try.

Heating

There’s a reason why stickers should be protected from too much heat exposure — heat can loosen up the adhesive and make it less sticky. When trying to get stickers off of any surface, heat becomes your best friend.
Grab a steamer or hair dryer and set it to low or medium heat, depending on how stubborn the adhesive is. Point the nozzle directly toward the sticker and blast heat onto it for a few seconds to a minute.
While the sticker is hot, grab a plastic scraper and slowly peel the edges off. If you encounter resistance, heat the sticker again and resume peeling. Continue heating and peeling in sections until the sticker is fully removed.

Nail Polish Remover

If scraping or applying heat to the sticker isn’t cutting it, then it’s time to try working with chemicals. Nail polish remover contains harsh chemicals that can help break down sticker adhesive, softening it enough for you to be able to peel the sticker off.
Apply a small amount of nail polish remover to the surface of the sticker and let the solution soak for a couple of seconds. Then, use your fingernails to peel the sticker off the bike frame. You can also use cotton wool or a microfiber cloth to help you remove the sticker and its adhesive residue.
For stubborn stickers, use a plastic scraper or razor — just be careful not to scratch the frame when using the latter.

While you may be able to get the sticker itself off your bike frame, you might find yourself left with an annoying sticky residue that just won’t come off. Scraping the adhesive might help to a certain degree, but it can take up hours of your time — and it can’t remove the adhesive as cleanly as you’d like.

• To help you loosen up the sticky residue, try these steps first:
  1. Clean the sticker with warm, soapy water.
  2. Heat the adhesive with a hair dryer or steamer.
  3. Scrape the adhesive with a credit card or plastic scraper.
  4. If that doesn’t work, try adding water, rubbing alcohol, or using a nail polish remover. Let the solution soak for a minute before rubbing the surface with a soft cloth.

  If, after trying the steps above, there’s still adhesive residue on your bike frame, you need a stronger adhesive or glue remover, which you can purchase from your local hardware store. Products like Goo Gone or WD-40 can be highly effective at getting rid of sticky residue.

  • Before spraying the adhesive remover all over your bike frame, apply it in a small, non-visible area first to make sure it won’t damage the surface. Once you’ve deemed the product safe for your bike, spray the solution onto the frame, let it soak, and rub the adhesive off with a soft cloth.
  • Degreasers and lighter fluids may also work, but we don’t recommend these as they’re harsh products that can not only damage your frame but also be dangerous for you to work with.

If the sticker you’re trying to remove was attached by the manufacturer, it’s most likely varnished or lacquered to prevent it from peeling or fading over time. While this is great for protecting the sticker’s quality, it’s a pain when you’re trying to remove the sticker.

• Unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can do to remove varnished or lacquered stickers. You can try applying heat or soaking the sticker in nail polish, but these solutions may not work as well as you’d like. Your last resort would be to paint over the sticker and cover it up.