Undisputedly, a Paint protection film is the best way to protect your vehicle’s paint from damage. No matter how carefully you drive, your car is constantly assaulted by environmental factors like bug splatter, tree sap, bird droppings, road debris, acid rain, and industrial fallout. People search for “How to remove an old car paint protection film” when their car PPF gets damaged.
Wax is soft and doesn’t provide much protection for your car paint. Paint Protection Film is the only answer if you are serious about maintaining the health of your car paint. A protection film can take damage for several years. A PPF can last up to five to ten years. Once the film has given you all it can, it should be removed and replaced.
What is a car paint protection film?
A car protection film is an excellent investment for your vehicle. For one, it helps preserve your car’s paint job and makes it look brand-new every time. Paint protection films (PPFs) also deteriorate with time. In this case, you should replace it with professional 3M paint protection film installers, also called the “clear bra,”
It is a type of protective film applied to your car to protect its paint job. However, it becomes brittle as the years go by and can ruin your car’s overall appearance. You can remove it, but it may not be as easy.
The good news is that car protection film removal is possible – either by the steps below or hiring experienced paint protection film installers near you.
What you will need
If you decide to remove the car protection film by yourself, you will need the following materials:
- Plastic scraper or razor
- Adhesive remover (3M)
- Heat gun/ blow dryer
- Car wax
- At least three pieces of microfiber towels
Before proceeding with the removal, check the car bodywork protection film. You can polish it to restore its appearance if there are only a few questionable film areas. You can also hire professional auto experts to help restore the film. By doing this, you can save time and money on installing a new film.
If the film is beyond fixing, you have to remove the complete film. To do this, you will require the abovementioned materials.
Steps to Remove Car Paint Protection Film
If your car paint protection film requires replacement, then you should follow these steps to remove the car paint protection film:
- Do not simply peel off the film like turning a page from a book. Instead of doing this, you should find where the car and protective film separate the most and start the peeling process from there. If you’re unable to find the most visible peeled-off area, check the edges and see if the separation is already occurring. Park your vehicle outside to warm the surface and make the film removal process more accessible.
- You can scrape the film with a plastic scraper or a razor. If the film peels off easily, you may not use the heat gun or blow dryer. However, if the film comes off piece by piece, you may have to use the heat gun or blow dryer to remove the film more conveniently.
- Hold a heat gun or blow dryer on the peeled-off area for a minute or two. Make sure to hold the gun or dryer eight to twelve inches from the film; otherwise, it can burn. Also, it is essential to take extra caution when using such heating tools.
- After a few minutes of exposure to heat, scrape the film using the plastic scraper. By this time, the sticker should have come off easily. Otherwise, continue the scraping process carefully until the film comes off completely.
- After removing the sticker, remove the adhesive residue with a small amount of special adhesive remover.
- After removing the adhesive remains, dry the area using a microfiber towel. Apply wax on the surface for a shiny finish, and you’re good to go!
Why Should You Remove the Paint Protection Film from Your Car?
You should be thinking about why you need to remove paint protection film from your car and when you should attempt to remove it. We’ll not stretch this part; just give examples of when you should remove the PPF from your vehicle.
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Reasons you should remove a clear bra from your car:
- The Paint Protection Film has significant damage and needs to be replaced.
- The film’s color became yellowish or the glue beneath because of the oxidation.
- After a significant amount of time, you want to replace the film with a new one.
- You want to try other forms of paint protection, such as waxes, sealants, and ceramic coatings.
- You want to sell your car and want it to look like new.
- Cars’ paint beneath the protection film is damaged and needs to be fixed.
- You’re unsatisfied with the overall PPF or a specific PPF brand.
You should remove paint protection films from your car because of many reasons. That’s why it’s crucial to use high-quality PPFs from trusted brands in the first place. High-quality PPFs last longer, are resistant to damage and improve your car’s appearance.
Contact Us to Get a New Car Paint Protection Film
Bravo Protection Products provides services related to Clear Bra, Ceramic Coating, Car Window Tinting, Commercial Window Tinting, Residential Window Tinting, Safety & Security Window Tinting, and Boat Window Tinting services. We’ve discussed various methods to remove an old car paint protection film. You can fill out this form if you need further information on the following topic.
At Bravo, we have a team of experts with over 45 years of experience. You can contact us by calling at 952-476-7025 or writing us @ info@bravoprotection.com. We serve our customers in Edina, Minnetonka, St. Paul, Plymouth, Maple Grove, Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Eagan, Coon Rapids, and Woodbury. You can also visit our office by yourself, located at 14010 23rd Ave N, Plymouth, MN 55447.