Removing velcro adhesive from paint!

**hybrid240zxt** · 02-14-2007, 07:27 PM

I have a truck that has had Velcro around the bed for about 16 years. I have been attempting to remove the adhesive and residue. First, I took a heat gun to all of the velcro which took off all of the velcro but it left a lot of residue from the adhesive. I tried hitting it with the heat gun again, but the residue just seemed to smear. I then tried taking lacquer thinner, all-purpose cleaner, and goo gone to the residue and tried scraping it with a plastic scraper. The lacquer thinner worked the best, but only seemed to loosen it and smear it everywhere. Anyone have a suggestion on removal?

**Jngrbrdman** · 02-14-2007, 07:31 PM

You are pretty much doing the same thing that I would do to remove it. Sometimes I have to remove the double stick tape that holds body trim in place. I heat it with a heat gun and use goo gone and a plastic blade to scrape it off. It just balls up and makes a mess a little bit, but eventually it comes off. There isn`t a miracle product to remove that kind of thing. Just continue using adhesive remover and elbow grease.

**Poorboy** · 02-14-2007, 07:45 PM

You could also try a chemical polish that would break down the adhesive

**Beemerboy** · 02-14-2007, 09:03 PM

3M adhesive remover or graffiti removers...i got mine from local suppliers but they are available online

**Eliot Ness** · 02-14-2007, 10:15 PM

The last time I had to remove some bad adhesive residue I brought along several items to try. The only product that did a very good job was called Goof Off and I had bought it at Wall-Mart. That and a plastic putty knife made very short work of all the adhesive.

This wasn`t on a car finish, but it was a painted finish and it didn`t seem to bother the paint, and if lacquer thinner didn`t hurt your finish this stuff shouldn`t either.

John

**hybrid240zxt** · 02-14-2007, 11:26 PM

I tried using some Goo Gone today, which I believe is the same as Goof Off. It took some residue off the bumper from an old sticker nicely after a little soaking, but did almost nothing to the velcro.
I think Iâ€™m going to get some Goof Off as well and try it after I`ve heated it with the heat gun.

**Eliot Ness** · 02-14-2007, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by hybrid240zxt

I tried using some Goo Gone today, which I believe is the same as Goof Off. It took some residue off the bumper from an old sticker nicely after a little soaking, but did almost nothing to the velcro.
I think Iâ€™m going to get some Goof Off as well and try it after I`ve heated it with the heat gun.

I just went in the garage to double check on what I used, because it wasn`t similar to Goo Gone. Sorry, but the stuff I used is called OOPS!, not Goof Off...... but I did find it at Wal-Mart. My first choice was going to be the 3M adhesive remover, but I didn`t have time to find any locally. Anyway, the OOPS! worked really well:

Homax Products - Cleaners/Removers - OOPS! Multi Purpose Remover

This is one of those products that once I used it I knew I`d always have to have some of it around.

John

**hybrid240zxt** · 02-21-2007, 04:15 PM

Here`s a couple of pics that I snapped of the problem.

This is what it looks like on both of the sides:

This is a section that I took some lacquer thinner and goo gone to. As you can see, it mostly just smudges...

This is the tailgate section. The right side has had nothing done and on the left I used a heat gun, for a long time (2 or 3 times longer than the sides) and lots of lacquer thinner.

I`ll update with whatever ends up taking it off.

**Beemerboy** · 02-21-2007, 05:24 PM

I brought a graffiti remover much along the lines of the 3M adhesive remover...That took it right off....what I did was wipe someone the area then use a soft plastic scrapper to remove what was on the surface...Then came back with some chemical polish to make sure that it was clean.

You can see what the 3M product looks like here

Ships Store Torresen

**AL-53** · 02-21-2007, 05:30 PM

I would try Poorboys method....use a PC with a crappy pad with a chemical paint cleaner and work it....clean the pad of residue if you get build up..but between the cleaner and the moderate heat from pad it may cut it....

good luck...

Al

**black bart** · 02-21-2007, 06:00 PM

adhesive remover will work if you add one more ingredient and that would be
PATIENCE

**Pockets** · 02-21-2007, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by AL-53

I would try Poorboys method....use a PC with a crappy pad with a chemical paint cleaner and work it....clean the pad of residue if you get build up..but between the cleaner and the moderate heat from pad it may cut it....

good luck...

Al

If you have a PC (prob do) use the pad that it came with (if you still have it) b/c its junk anyway.