Making Vinyl Stickers Stick
Applying my Happy Camper bumper sticker on car
A guide to applying a vinyl sticker to make it last
Peeling and applying a vinyl sticker might not seem like rocket science but there are some tricks and considerations to ensure a long-lasting application.
Your vinyl sticker destination will determine the type to use
Will your sticker be applied to an indoor or outdoor surface? Answer this question before you purchase your sticker so you know what kind of quality and material to look for.
For indoor surfaces, uncoated or paper-based stickers are great. These are a more natural looking sticker and are great for surfaces that won’t be exposed to water or heavy sunlight. Some examples being laptops, notebooks, gifts, or envelopes.
For outdoor surfaces, choose a coated vinyl sticker preferably with a UV coating and apply it to a surface that isn’t textured or heavily contoured. The coating protects your vinyl sticker (and artwork) from the elements, preventing it from fading away under the sun. The smoother the surface it is applied to, the better the stick. If there is any texture or curvature at all, this can allow moisture or dirt to get underneath and breakdown the adhesive.
Coated vinyl stickers are great for cars, boats, camper trailers, and waterbottles but can also be used for indoor surfaces – if you so choose.
Sticker adhesive will determine “stick”
The “stick” of every sticker varies from company to company. Most adhesives fall into these categories; Repositionable adhesive, semi-permanent adhesive, or permanent adhesive.
Repositionable means you can apply the sticker temporarily to a surface and remove it with no leftover adhesive to clean up. You could also readjust and reapply if needed. Keep in mind, these types of stickers can lend themselves to falling off, peeling, or curling over time and multiple reuse. They may also not reapply well to / from paper surfaces.
Semi-permanent means your sticker will be a little more difficult to remove than the repositionable sticker and might leave a bit of residue behind.
Permanent means they’ll stick REALLY well once adhered so choose the location wisely. Keep in mind, stickers with permanent adhesive will be more challenging to remove and will leave a residue behind. Don’t worry though. Residue is relatively easy to remove with the proper product.
Cleaning the surface to apply your sticker
Alright! You know exactly where your sticker is going, have purchased one you want to apply, and removed all the old ones that might be there already.
To apply your sticker:
1. Clean the surface with mild dish soap and warm water to remove dirt or grease.
2. Rinse and dry surface thoroughly.
3. Peel & stick.
Remove stickers
You might want to consider getting rid of old stickers that are so faded, cracked, and peeled, you don’t recognize them anymore. Or maybe you want to eventually remove the ones you purchase today, down the road.
Knowing how to remove them, will ensure the surface they’re on stays in tact and ready for the next set of fresh new stickers.
Before attempting the steps below, please test a small area first. Keep in mind these steps won’t work on softer or porous surfaces.
1. Warm up sticker by fanning a blow dryer 3” away, or by placing a hot, damp cloth over it for 1 minute.
“I have used the olive oil and baking soda mix on a number of surfaces and it seems to work quite well. There is a slight grit to the baking soda so do test it first to prevent scratches or damages.”
2. Once sticker has softened, pull up as best you can using your fingers or a plastic credit card.
Use a card to remove air bubbles and wrinkles as you apply your vinyl sticker
3. To clean remaining residue, use a 2-to-1 mix of olive oil and baking soda until you get a paste. Or try a “goo” removal product, ensuring you follow instructions.
4. Apply to residue and let stand for 1 minute.
5. Rub around on residue until it starts to peel up.
6. Clean area with mild soap and damp cloth to remove any remaining film.
7. Dry thoroughly.
Applying large stickers to a car or trailer
For large bumper stickers, apply the sticker from left to right (or visa versa) as opposed to the middle to prevent wrinkling or air bubbles. Use a plastic credit card to smooth and apply as you work your way down to the end.
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