Repair 7

How to Remove Painted Pinstripes

Sometimes a vehicle may be purchased with exterior art that you would rather have removed. Elaborate and ornate pinstripes were popular in the past and there still some people who add them to customized cars today. Painted-on pinstripes are rarer today, be sure to check that yours are actually painted on. Following these steps will remove several types of painted-on stripes.

Instructions

1

Wash your car, removing all dirt and dust from the exterior. Find a well-ventilated area to work in. Wear all safety gear including a chemical respirator. Add a dab of paint thinner to a cotton swab and apply to the pinstripe, beginning at one end of the stripe. Rub the paint thinner on a one- to two-inch section of the pinstripe for a few seconds and allow it to sit for a moment. Using the credit card, push/scrape against the pinstripe and see if it comes off; if not, reapply and try again.

2

Apply the oven cleaner to a cotton swab and repeat the same actions used in Step 1, if you still see remains of the pinstripe. Quickly follow the removal with a damp sponge, removing the oven cleaner before it eats into the rest of the vehicles paint.

3

Use the razor blade only if Steps 1 and 2 failed. Be sure to reapply paint thinner before using the razor blade. Drag the razor blade across the pinstripe at the steepest angle possible. This will minimize the chance of you digging into the vehicles paint.

4

Rewash the vehicle and buff/wax the area where the pinstripes were located to minimize paint variation.