Is Goo Gone Safe On Car Paint? [Can You Use It To Remove Sticker Residue]

Sometimes dirt, stains, and grime are often hard to remove even regular washing might not help so much. Many people owning vehicles would generally spend more on car cleaning products to help remove the grime, duct tape residue, and so much more. 

We find Goo Gone is safe for your car paint. It’s formulated to help remove stubborn grime, dirt, decal residues, and more easily without damaging the car paint.

Simply apply Goo Gone to the surface and give it a few minutes to work into what you want to clean. Wipe it off and rinse the surface with soapy water. 

Will Goo Gone Hurt or Remove Car Paint?

Will Goo Gone Hurt Or Remove Car Paint

Thousands of vehicles get dirty and washed every day. Well, regular cleaning is simple, but your pressure washer will not be enough when you want to remove decals. That is why you get the Goo-gone Automotive products meant for vehicles to ensure you can remove the stubborn adhesive residues always.

Goo Gone has several products available for cleaning your vehicle. But, is goo gone safe for car paint?  We find that the products will not hurt or remove car paint. 

The brand has two main products you can use for your car. They include Goo Gone Automotive Spray gel and Goo Gone Automotive Goo & Sticker Remover

The Goo Gone Automotive spray gel is a good product that you can use to keep your car looking clean. It works on bumper stickers, tree sap, brake dust, asphalt, and gum. 

As for surfaces, you can spray them on glass, metals, and plastics. For this reason, Goo Gone works best for dashboards, bumpers, car paint, and more surfaces, as mentioned above. 

You can view and download the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) from the official website here to learn more:

As much as Goo Gone will not hurt your car paint, you should not use it on surfaces such as leather, suede, silk, unfinished wood surfaces, upholstery, and faux stainless steel. 

What Is The Main Ingredient In Goo Gone Automotive?

As much as we have claimed that Goo Gone Automotive is safe for car paint, anyone would want to know what makes it safe. This is where the ingredient list comes in.

What Is The Main Ingredient In Goo Gone Automotive

The company is transparent about what is in the product. This allows you to choose whether to use it or not for your car cleaning activities. 

The Goo Gone main ingredients include:

  • Petroleum distillates 
  • d-Limonene 
  • Aliphatic ether alcohol
  • Orange sweet extract 
  • Glycol ether 
  • Solvent orange 60
  • Polymer

As we can see, the product largely has solvents as the main ingredients to ensure they can get into the surface you want to clean and dissolve the adhesive or sticker.

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How to Use Goo Gone Automotive to Remove Sticker Residue 

Goo Gone Automotive product is what you generally need to ensure that some of those stubborn stickers and other dirt and grime are removed. We look at various scenarios where it can work for you.

1. To Remove Duct Tape From the Car

To Remove Duct Tape From Car

Maybe, for some reason, you had to use duct tape on your vehicle. So, how would you remove it and not get stuck with the usual duct tape residue?

If you have peeled off duct tape from any surface, then you know that it tends to leave behind residues. It is important to invest in the Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel on the surface with duct tape residue to remove it.

Here is a step-by-step process for removing duct tape from the car without damaging the paint:

  1. Clean the area around the duct tape with soapy water to remove as much dirt and grime as possible. Wipe it dry once you are done.
  2. With a heat gun or a hair dryer, heat the duct tape surface until it is hot to the touch
  3. With a plastic scrapper, try to peel off the tape gently. In case there is still too much resistance, reheat and try again
  4. Once the tape is removed, spray the remaining residue with the Goo Gone Automotive product. Let it sit for five minutes, and then gently wipe away the residue in a circular motion.
  5. Since the residue is now removed, clean the surface with warm soapy water. You can rewax it if necessary. 

2. To Remove Decals from the Car

To Remove Decals from Car

Decals like bumper stickers are also fun to have on your vehicle. However, removing them might sometimes be challenging.

Here are ideas on using Goo Gone to remove decals from the car:

  1. Start by cleaning the area around the decal with enough soapy water and wipe it dry to remove dirt and grime.
  2. A heat gun or hair dryer would be essential for heating the decals to soften them before peeling them with a plastic scraper.
  3. In case the decals leave residues, then you can spray Goo Gone on the residue to remove them. Let Goo Gone soak for five minutes before wiping it off. Repeat the process until all the residue is removed.
  4. You can now clean the surface using warm soapy water and rewax as needed. 

3. To Remove Bumper Sticker

To Remove Bumper Sticker

Bumper stickers can be a way to have a fun time decorating your vehicle. However, what happens when you want to clean the stickers and it seems the adhesive left behind just makes things worse?

When it gets to the point you have to remove the bumper stickers, then we recommend that you stick to quality products such as Goo Gone Automotive for proper cleaning. The product is designed to break down the sticker and any residue left behind without damaging the car paint.

No need to keep picking at the sticker, but rather do the following:

  1. Spray the Goo Gone Automotive product onto the sticker and give it five minutes to work into the sticker
  2. With a soft plastic scraper or even your fingernails, peel the sticker edges to remove it, as it should be loose by now.
  3. Repeat the process until you have removed the sticker plus any other residue
  4. Wash the bumper with soapy water for additional cleaning
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Here is a video explaining how you would use Goo Gone to remove bumper stickers:

YouTube video

4. Debadging a Car with Goo Gone

Debadging a Car with Goo Gone

Car emblems help you know which type of vehicle it is; however, there are times when you just want to de-badge the car, and you are afraid of the adhesive that remains behind. 

The Goo Gone Automotive is a good product for removing the adhesive residue left behind by removing the car emblem:

  1. You should start by loosening the emblem adhesive with a hair dryer
  2. Now use a fishing wire and pull it underneath the emblem to remove the emblem
  3. With a towel, pour the Goo Gone product onto it and rub it in circular motions on the adhesive to remove it.
  4. Repeat step 3 until all the residue is removed, and wash the area with soapy water to have a clean surface. 

5. Removing Bird Poop with Goo Gone

Removing Bird Poop with Goo Gone

Bird poop is not something you can entirely avoid. This is because they can happen at any time. Well, it is good to have the bird poop on the car rather than your head. 

The worst part is usually when you leave the bird poop on the car for too long that it cakes on the car paint. It becomes problematic to remove with just soap. That is why Goo Gone can be good for removing bird poop.

This mess can be removed using Goo Gone Automotive Goo and Sticker Remover products. Here is how to do it:

  1. Spray the Goo Gone product to the region on the car with bird droppings 
  2. Give it a few minutes for the product to begin working 
  3. Proceed to wipe the area with a clean cloth to remove the Goo Gone product 
  4. Clean the area now with water and soap 
  5. Wipe to see if the bird poop is removed or repeated until the car paint is clear 

6. Removing Tar from the Car

Removing Tar from Car

You would generally enjoy driving on smooth asphalt, but at times you might end up with stubborn tar on the car. It does not just stick to the wheel wells but also to the lower side of the doors and so much more.

When you do not clean the tar off the car, you will end up with car paint that will never seem to look clean each time to wash the vehicle. 

If you want to remove tar from the car paint, make sure that you get the Goo Gone Automotive Goo & Sticker Remover. Using the spray gel is hassle-free and you should be ready to start using it today. 

Here are ideas on how to remove the tar from car paint:

  1. Apply the Goo Gone product on the area with tar
  2. Give the product enough time to work into the tar
  3. Wipe off the tar with a clean cloth to see if there is still tar on the vehicle
  4. Use soap and water to remain clean car paint
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Follow the video below for removing tar from car paint:

YouTube video

How to Remove Goo Gone Residue

If you have noticed with the processes mentioned above, we always finish the cleaning process with soapy water. So, when you want to remove Goo Gone from your car paint, clean it with warm soapy water after you have removed the different residues. 

By rinsing the surface, you should be able to reduce the chances of ending up with a product that damages the car paint. As always, you should continue using the product as recommended on the label. 

Goo Gone Automotive Vs. Regular: The Same One?

While you are on the Goo Gone website, you are likely to notice several products available for sale. 

The good thing is that Goo Gone has categorized the different products based on their application so that you know how best to use them. 

Goo Gone Automotive Vs Original

You may have noticed the Goo Gone Original and the Goo Gone Automotive. But, is regular goo gone safe on car paint? Looking at their applications, you find that they can both work well with removing adhesive, gum, glue, and crayon from surfaces, but the ingredients are slightly different

If you want a safe product for your car paint, then stick with using Goo Gone Automotive rather than the Goo Gone Original. 

Below is a table highlighting the different Goo Gone products and how best to use them.

Goo Gone Product

Best For

Goo Gone Original 
  • Cleaning clothing, dinnerware, and tables 
  • Removing stickers from gifts and cars
  • Removing tape from the surface 
Goo Gone Latex Paint Clean Up
  • Cleaning paint spills, splatter, brushes, and more 
Goo Gone All-purpose Cleaner
  • Removes messes on various surfaces including dirt, grease, and general goo 
Goo Gone Pro-Power Goo & Adhesive Remover Spray Gel
  • Removing silicone caulk, sealants, wet paint, adhesive, wax, tar, soot, grease/oil, ink, and markers 
Goo Gone Automotive Goo & Sticker Remover
  • Removing bumper stickers, bird droppings, asphalt, brake dust, and spray paint 
Goo Gone For Use On Skin 
  • For removing temporary tattoos, wax, sticky substances in hair, stamps, gum, body glitter, bandage, and more.

What are the Alternatives to Goo Gone Automotive?

Goo Gone Automotive, on its own, stands out for what it can potentially do when it comes to removing stickers, decals, emblems, and so much more. However, what if you put it head-to-head with other similar products? How will it do?

Below, we look at how Goo Gone compares to Goof Off and WD-40 Adhesive remover to see which one you would rather get. 

  • Goo Gone vs. Goof Off: Is Goof Off Safe for Car Paint

is goof off safe for car paint

Both Goo Gone and Goof Off have several products in their lineups. We have already seen what Goo Gone can offer you from the table above. What about Goof Off?

Goof Off also have products in different forms, including liquid, spray, wipes, tablets, powder, and aerosol. 

Some of the products of Goof Off include:

  • Heavy duty goof off
  • Professional strength goof off 
  • Goof off degreasers
  • Good off-rust stain removers 
  • Specialty goof off
  • Goof off rust stain removers 

Looking at the two brands, we can see that Goo Gone lacks a product for removing rust. However, we focus more on adhesive removers. 

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Goo Off will have products best suited for heavy-duty work settings, while Goo Gone is best for everyday messes, which can include bird poop cleaning. 

Looking at the ingredients of each company, we find that Goo Off has harsher ingredients compared to Goo Gone. As much as that is the case, we find them both a bit strong since non has plant-based ingredients. 

The biggest question someone would have would be which product to choose between the two for adhesive removal. 

Goo Gone will do a fantastic job in case of light-duty adhesive removal, whether it is in the house or on the car paint. However, if you have to clean heavy-duty messes and adhesives, you are better off using Goof Off.

Also, Goo Gone is great for gentle cleaning processes. You should not use Goof Off on plastics more often as it may dissolve them. This makes sense, considering how strong the Goof Off ingredients are. 

Check out this video for more details on the two:

YouTube video
  • Goo Gone vs WD-40: Is WD 40 Safe for Car Paint?

is wd 40 safe for car paint

For this section, we will look at how Goo Gone compares to WD-40 Multi-Use Product. Make sure that you are using the right WD-40 product to remove the adhesive residues or stickers. 

WD-40 has a deep heritage in terms of being used on cars compared to Goo Gone. For this reason, we find that the WD-40 would be more often recommended for car use than Goo Gone by mechanics.

Looking at the ingredients, we see that WD-40 also has petroleum distillates, just like Goo Gone. However, you will find Goo Gone has more solvents than WD-40, meaning it might be more hazardous than WD-40.

Other notable ingredients of WD-40 include petroleum base oils and Naptha.

As much as the manufacturer of WD-40 can recommend it for Adhesive removal, the main aim is to work as a lubricant, and penetrant, driving moisture out, and protecting the surfaces from corrosion.

Goo Gone is mainly created for removing grease, adhesives, glue, asphalt, brake dust, and other related materials. 

Understanding the uses of these products, we can see that more people would choose Goo Gone once they read the product descriptions before using them. 

Here is an additional comparison video:

YouTube video

FAQs

Does Goo Gone Automotive Remove Super Glue?

Goo Gone cannot remove super glue from the vehicle surface. This is because of how super glue can get far into the car paint. Also, Goo Gone is specially formulated for removing sticky residue from different surfaces, including metal, glass, and others. Super glue is not one such adhesive. 

Is Goo Gone Flammable?

According to Goo Gone SDS, it is a flammable liquid, so you are advised to keep it away from hot surfaces and flames. Of course, you should avoid smoking close to the product, and you should not breathe its vapor, mist, or fumes. As always, you should wear protective gloves, eye protection, and face protection while using Goo Gone. 

Goo Gone for Car Interior: Does it Work? Is It Safe?

No. It is not advisable to use Goo Gone on the interior of the vehicle. This is because it is not a safe product for leather, suede, silk, and upholstery. This is because it contains solvents that may be too harsh for the interior surfaces. You are advised always to use proper interior detailing products to avoid additional damage to your vehicle interior. 

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Does Goo Gone Damage Clearcoat?

No. Goo Gone will not damage the clearcoat since it is oil-based, and its solvents will not eat into the clear coat. That is how such a product would be good for removing tar or decals that might have been attached to the car paint without chipping it. 

Does Goo Gone Remove Paint Scratches?

Goo Gone is not meant for removing paint scratches. Its job is mostly to remove adhesives that might be sticking to the car’s paint. You can always try to buff out the scratches or have a repaint in case they are deep scratches. 

Do You Need Gloves For Goo Gone? Is Goo Gone Automotive Safe on Skin?

It is not a must, but because of the solvents in the product, sometimes it is precautionary to consider using gloves as you clear the adhesive from the car paint. Also, make sure to rinse off Goo Gone with plenty of water each time you accidentally spill it on your skin. 

How Do You Remove Goo Without Goo Gone?

You can consider canola oil or vegetable oil for removing goo from the car paint. Just like Goo Gone, make sure to leave the oil to soak into the residue for an hour then wipe it away. You could also try rubbing alcohol for a tougher clean. This should be followed by rinsing the surface with soapy water. 

Does Automotive Goo Gone Remove Car Wax?

Goo Gone may remove car wax because of the solvents in the product. Goo Gone will lift up the grease in the wax which in the end removes the wax. That is why you are advised to wax the car if needed after using Goo Gone to remove adhesives on the car paint. 

Can You Use Automotive Goo Gone on Tires?

Goo Gone can be used on tires mostly for removing tar. You should start by applying it to the tires and give the solution around five minutes to soak into the tire surface then rinse it off. This is then followed by cleaning the tires with soapy water leaving them quite clean. 

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