# How to get Silicone sealant off my paintwork



## danj (Apr 7, 2011)

Hi all,

the person i bought my car off has been an idiot and stuck the rear number plate on with a very flexable silicone sealant. i tried to swap my plates over as ive just got the private plate through and its now like this.










i then very very carefully tried to pick it off and this happened.










i have got some matched paint so i will spray this back up and as long as i do a good job it will be fine and covered up quite well.

anyway i need to take this stuff off and was hoping someone who would know something that would help. i have tried a toffee wheel attachment on my drill but this isnt working as the silicone is just to soft. i want something thats not going to wreck the paint. also i dont think the paint is very think on the boot as well it just doesnt seem that tough.

any help would be great.

thank you

dan


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## Shug (Jul 13, 2007)

Have you tried tar and glue remover?
You can buy silicone sealant remover for bathrooms but I've no idea what that'd do to car paint.


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## PrestigeChris (Nov 17, 2009)

maybe worth trying to warm it up a bit with heat gun and see if it will seperate from paint? worth a go before you put chemical on it?


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## Ingram (Dec 26, 2010)

Just why the hell would anyone do that?


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## StephenJ (Jul 17, 2010)

Should have used a bit more i think! 

Wouldn't fancy warming it up myself, think it'd just melt and probably go everywhere rather than being controlled. Think tardis would be my first call to atleast see where that gets you.


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## danj (Apr 7, 2011)

i dont think heating is going to do the job as sealant will have a much higher heat resistance that paint. also the paints quite thin on the boot so i just couldnt trust it.

im looking for some sort of remover but one which isnt going to kill the paint.

i dont mind the paint coming off but its the primer i want to keep on. i can just paint it.


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## PrestigeChris (Nov 17, 2009)

No worries mate just an idea.


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## apmaman (Jun 8, 2010)

Pressure washer pretty close to it?


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## Derick-sport (Nov 15, 2010)

if im honest mate i wouldnt even touch it, just put the new plate ontop with numberplate screws i know it doesnt solve your problem but i think the only way you will get that off is by damaging the paint


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## Pezza4u (Jun 7, 2007)

Ingram said:


> Just why the hell would anyone do that?


It's how I fix mine on as well cos those sticky number plate pads are useless and fall off. I do only put a small blob where the screw holes would normally be though, not as much as that!!! :doublesho


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## stantheman (Dec 23, 2010)

You could gently scrape it off using a paint scraper (the ones that use a stanley knife blade) and if you're extra careful you may get away without damaging the paintwork.


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## CraigQQ (Jan 20, 2011)

Derick-sport said:


> if im honest mate i wouldnt even touch it, just put the new plate ontop with numberplate screws i know it doesnt solve your problem but i think the only way you will get that off is by damaging the paint


have to agree here..


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## shaun1410 (Mar 9, 2011)

Wd 40 gets it off tiles you could try a hair dryer to warm it and soften it or if you no anybody with a air gun that connects to a compressor you could try and blow high pressure air under the edge to try and help seaperat it from paint


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## dalecyt (Nov 16, 2010)

credit card? heat gun.


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## Ingram (Dec 26, 2010)

Would IPA or anything high in alcohol tackle it?


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## Mr Yellow (Apr 30, 2009)

I am a bit shocked it lifted the paint!!

The big issue you have is that you have carbon chemistry and you have silicon chemistry. One is a porsche and one is a ferarri - and you cannot use the same parts when the clutch needs changing. Being honest, I am not sure of an answer. I wouldn't bother trying to dissolve the sealant in chemicals because it is very likely that anything strong enough to do it (with the exception of niche silicon based solvents) would do more damage to the paint. I would be trying to get a bit of silicone oil at it and hoping that would be enough to get under the edges of the sealant and allow you to gently work it off the surface.

As I began, I worry about it lifting the paint like that - doesn't say much for how well the paint is stuck to the car!!


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## robtech (Jan 17, 2011)

there stuff in B&Q thats is for removing silicone you paint it on and off it comes,occasionally aldi and lidl have it to but easiest place is your local diy superstore,its not cheap though 

heres a link

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=11348642&fh_location=//catalog01/en_GB/categories%3C{9372013}/categories%3C{9372031}/categories%3C{9372100}/specificationsProductType=sealants&tmcampid=4&tmad=c&ecamp=cse_go&CAWELAID=809736551


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## Mr Yellow (Apr 30, 2009)

That turns out to basically be parrafin and a bit of surfactant. Didn't honestly think that would have worked...


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## David (Apr 6, 2006)

ive used it before and heated it up and used fishing line behind it - almost as though you are de-badging a car


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