Although a car wrap may appear to be difficult to remove, the process will not damage your car as long as the wrap is not left on too long (5 years in most cases).

Also, if you want to remove a car wrap right after your car is painted, you should wait at least three weeks. In all other cases, your wrap can be removed without damage to the paint.

Wrap removal entails three phases, or heat, detailing, and clean-up. The heat phase of the removal process basically involves using a blow torch in most cases. The technician begins at a seam or edge until the vinyl car wrap is lightly heated with the flame. The auto wrap is then pulled from the vehicle. After most of the vinyl wrap is removed, phase two, or detailing, is undertaken to remove the remaining, or smaller pieces of the wrap.

Generally, films with low-tack or changeable adhesive can be removed without the use of heat for a specific time period. For any 3M™ vinyl car wraps that require heat, the heat is normally applied at a low angle to prevent splitting of the adhesive. Surfaces are then reheated as needed.

Phase three of the removal process involves using a specialized solvent to remove the adhesive and remaining residue. In many cases, the heat application in phase one has already dissolved most of the glue. Once this step is accomplished, your car will be as shiny and clean as the day when it was originally wrapped.

Fortunately, a car wrap is entirely reversible and will not ruin an OEM manufacturer’s paint job. In fact, some lease companies like to wrap your car as the covering protects the finish from the sun’s harmful UV rays, which causes the paint to fade. The wrap also keeps the car free of nicks or scratches. While you can remove a wrap yourself, it is better to leave the job to professional wrap technicians.