How can we remove these dilapidated stickers from our inground pool without harming the fiberglass rim? It seems like what remains of the stickers is sun baked into the fiberglass. We've tried Goo Gone, 409, etc to no luck.
Removing Dilapidated Stickers from Fiberglass
- Thread starter kristof
- Start date
magic clean eraser may work, but it also may dull the surface. Try a test patch first.
- Jun 14, 2012
- 2,668
- Pool Size
- 13500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
Get new ones slightly larger and slap them on over the old ones!
- Sent using Tapatalk
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UnderWaterVanya said:
That was my first thought too.
Posted from my Droid with Tapatalk ... sorry if my response is short
- Jun 14, 2012
- 2,668
- Pool Size
- 13500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
Typically I would not recommend a sticker over a sticker for fear the old one would come off. But in this case the sticker may be around after the pool turns to dust!
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- Sent using Tapatalk
UnderWaterVanya said:
We want to go stickerless. The company that did our last liner replacement put them on without asking. We were not happy about it.
- Apr 6, 2012
- 123
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
Acetone/fingernail polish remover?
Car polish? Maybe polishing compound/rubbing compound first, then polish/wax to shine it up.
Good luck!
Car polish? Maybe polishing compound/rubbing compound first, then polish/wax to shine it up.
Good luck!
Use a hair dryer to warm the sticker and the sticky will start to loosen. Work from one corner to the far corner peeling it back and warming.
X-PertPool said:
We bought a Magic Clean Eraser and tried it. It didn't do a thing for the stickers but it did clean up the surrounding fiberglass nicely.
Karmann said:
We've been avoiding sharp and/or abrasive methods because we're afraid of damaging the fiberglass.
CUTiger78 said:
Is acetone safe for fiberglass?
CUTiger78 said:
Car polish sounds like a reasonably safe idea. I thought about trying buffing compound (aka "tripoli" aka "rouge") but I was worried about getting a bunch of it in the pool. Every time I use that stuff on my buffing wheel it gets everywhere. I'm covered with it and so is the shop.
ROB N said:
Good advice for stickers that are still stickers. My "stickers" are rock hard. There's no stickiness left in the adhesive. It's as if the adhesive has hardened into an epoxy or something. I've tried to pull up small pieces on the corners with my fingernail but I'm not able to lift any part of the sticker from the fiberglass. The "stickers" are really hardened on there. I've never seen anything like it in my life.
- Jun 14, 2012
- 2,668
- Pool Size
- 13500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
kristof said:
Make a "clean room" type cover with plastic drop cloths and holes for your arms. Use some type of wire or maybe spring fiberglass tent pole to hold the bubble open.
I don't think a little buffing compound in the pool will hurt anything. Careful with electricity around the water though!!
- Jun 14, 2012
- 2,668
- Pool Size
- 13500
- Surface
- Vinyl
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- CircuPool Edge-40
- Jun 20, 2012
- 439
ROB N has it right, however a hair dryer might not get hot enough. A heat gun and a razor blade (to start it lifting), followed up with "goof off" then polish. It will work.
I second the heat gun. I've never seen an adhesive, however old, that could not be heated to removal.
I'll try the heat method next. I have a hot air station that I use for electronics. The temperature is adjustable from 100F up to about 800F. Does anyone know the maximum safe temperature for fiberglass?
Good question...the glass itself would be fine, but I bet you can start burning the gelcoat somewhere in the 300 degree range, or even lower. Perhaps the manufacturer of your pool would know.
- Apr 6, 2012
- 123
- Pool Size
- 21000
- Surface
- Plaster
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Jandy Aquapure 1400
I REALLY think a razor blade and some WD-40 to soften the adhesive would be less risk at damaging the surface than the heat gun would.
I've used a razor blade on cherry wood furniture before to get up stickers without a single scratch, just go at it with the right angle and you're good to go.
Maybe you can try something like this stuff below, it looks like it would do the job pretty well also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jILw0WcZxMU
I've used a razor blade on cherry wood furniture before to get up stickers without a single scratch, just go at it with the right angle and you're good to go.
Maybe you can try something like this stuff below, it looks like it would do the job pretty well also.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jILw0WcZxMU
BE VERY CAREFUL WITH ACETONE OR PAINT THINNER. The print on your liner is only ink, if you get that stuff on vinyl the print will come off as if it was printed with a dry erase marker. Acetone is what is used in special circumstances where the print is damaged on the vinyl and you use the acetone to transfer the print from once piece of the vinyl to the damaged area like a stamp.