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I have removed the old tax disc holder from the inside of the car window. Anyway it has left some residue behind which I am trying to remove. Ignoring the fact that it is an awkward place to remove, I am struggling to remove it. I can't use a blade due to the shape on the windscreen, so I am left with trying to find a solvent. Any thoughts before I start going through the contents of my garage/shed? Ideally not looking to damage the windscreen (son no. 1 has suggested replacing the windscreen!)
Wd40
IPA is usually pretty effective.
You might also want to try heating the adhesive with a hairdryer or hot air gun.
Where are you going to put your National Trust/English Heritage parking sticker?
[i]GrahamS wrote:[/i]
IPA is usually pretty effective.
It certainly helps with ignoring the problem - though I find I need several bottles and then driving becomes problematic 🙃
if it's "just" glass with no special coating (e.g. anti-reflection if such a thing exists) then I doubt you have anything in your shed that'll do it damage - if you did, I expect you'd know enough about it not to use it
It's not the glass you need to worry about, it's the plastics used in the dash. Cover up well.
isopropyl probably your best shot, it's pretty effective and pretty inoffensive to other surfaces. WD40's solvent is pretty much the same as white spirit so it's pretty effective too. Petrol'll be faster, but smells of petrol.
Old credit card makes a perfect scraper btw
Acetone should be ok, easy to get, a quid for a bottle of nail varnish remover, make sure its 99%.
Otherwise IPA or thinners, but theyre hard to get in small quantities
Meths might do it, but best to use a hairdrier on it first
Citrus degreaser is orange terpenes and is also sold as sticky stff remover. Orange products are pricey though at the moment thanks to two years of bad harvests in Florida and mafioso sellers in Brazil.
Depends a lot on the solvent used in the original adhesive but I've been surprised in the past when baby oil has helped to shift stuff like that.
The trade wipes you can get at Toolstation and the likes usually get rid of most sticky stuff and you can then use the rest in your garage.
Be careful with acetone as any drips will likely leave a mark on any plastics in your car.
IPA will be safe for most plastics but might take off any text/markers if it drips on them. It would also be my choice if you have some. Just put some on a rag and hold it over the adhesive for a minute to soften, wipe and then repeat.
A bit of warm soapy water treated likewise should do similar tbh if you don't have any IPA. Or some vodka (ethanol so similar to IPA)
Hairspray
white spirit
I waited for a hot summers day before removing the holder, very little left in the way of residue.
Lighterfluid.
Bloody useful stuff.
Lighter fluid ftw
Sudocrem.
Or baby oil.
Gentlemen's relish.
Evo Stik Adhesive Cleaner works well too in my experience.
Available from B&Q, ScrewFix, Wickes etc in 250ml bottles for ~£5:
https://www.diy.com/departments/evo-stik-external-adhesive-cleaner-250ml/254737_BQ.prd
https://www.wickes.co.uk/Evo-Stik-Adhesive-Cleaner---250ml/p/227812
I'd either use Nitromors or failing that a small amount of napalm, or possibly some Agent Orange.
I'm not sure where you can buy them, but PF Solvent/ PF Solvent Wipes will clean off the nastiest, stickiest thick gloop you can find.
I think they are exclusively used for cable jointing preparation where they will clean off anything, including bitumen.
The solvent is not fast evaporating so it can be wiped over the adhesive and be left to work for a minute.
They even cleaned the horrible goo that halfords use on the stickers over their industrial toll cabinets...