How to Remove Old 3M Invisible Paint Protection Film (Clear Bra) from a Car

Reviewed by Jason Shackelford

Last Updated: October 12, 2024

This tutorial will instruct you on how to remove 3M invisible paint protection film that has become brittle over the years and does not peel off in nice easily manageable strips. With a few easily attainable tools and a lot of patience, one can make take the film off making it look like it was never there.

1

Test an area of the film with the scraper.

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Stick the edge of the scraper underneath the edge of the film. Then, push against the film to see how easily it will come off. You can also use auto trim tools that are made of poly/nylon and are safe for the paint surface.
- Be sure not to use a metal scraper as it could scratch the paint finish.

2

Heat up a small section of the film.

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Do not get the heat gun too close to the car, 8–12 inches (20.3–30.5 cm) works best. Hold the heat gun on the section for about a minute or two. If the film comes off fairly easily and in large strips, a heat gun may not be necessary but would help.^{[1]
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3

Use the scraper to push underneath the film.

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Gently push underneath the heated film to remove bigger strips. It’s perfectly normal not to get everything off in each pass. Work in small sections at a time, repeating the process of heating then scraping. You will know when you need to heat again as the strips being removed will get smaller. This process will take some time so patience is a must!
- As long as you get the top layer of the film off the rest will come off easily with Goo Gone adhesive remover.

4

Use Goo Gone adhesive remover on the remaining adhesive.

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Spray Goo Gone on a microfiber towel and gently rub it over the adhesive. Work in small sections and spray more Goo Gone on the towel as needed. Rub over the areas until the adhesive has been removed. The plastic scraper can also help you remove any leftover adhesive.^{[2]
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- If you want to ensure you’ve removed all the adhesive, use a clay bar kit. Just spray down a small area and rub the clay bar over it.^{[3]
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- The clay bar will pull up the rest of the particles that are left and make a nice smooth finish.
- When all the adhesive has been removed, wipe the entire area down with another dry microfiber towel. Then, wax the entire area of the car where the invisible shield was.

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Question

What kind of heat gun do I use?

Community Answer

Any standard heat gun from your local hardware store will work, or even a hair dryer if you are desperate.

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Video

Things You'll need

Plastic scraper
Heat gun/blow dryer
Goo Gone
Wax
Clay bar kit
Freshly washed car needing an old invisible shield removed

Tips

Clay bar is an excellent way to pull all contaminants off the paint such as tar, baked on bugs, road grime. If used on the entire car before waxing, it will leave a very nice smooth surface. Use it at least once a year.

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Warnings

Use care when operating a heat gun, as it gets VERY hot. You do not want to hold it too close or for too long on the paint, just a minute or two and no closer than 8 inches (20.3 cm) away.^{[4]
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