Can You Use Goo Gone On Car Paint? The Do's and Don'ts of Using Goo Gone on Car Paint

Have you ever wondered how I get old stickers off my car? Or will Goof Off mess up car paint?

These are valid questions regarding proper car cleaning and maintenance, as no one wants to ruin the paint job on their vehicle.

You can use Goo Gone on car paint, as long as you use a product safe for painted surfaces, such as Goo Gone Regular Spray Gel or Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel.

You shouldn't, however, use Goo Gone Latex Paint Clean-Up Spray on your car's painted surface, as it will remove the paint.

Keep reading as we highlight different Goo Gone products on other car surfaces, how to remove spray paint with Goo Gone, and how Goo Gone affects surface-level car scratches.

Stick around to the end for answers to FAQs!

Is Goo Gone Safe On Car Paint?

According to Goo Gone's official frequently asked questions page on their website, Goo Gone Spray Gel (original formula) is safe to use on cars.

“Painted surfaces” and “metals” are also listed as safe surfaces for product application by Goo Gone.

To take extra precautions to protect your car's paint, though, take the following steps first:

• Test the Goo Gone on a small, less visible area of your car that has paint

• Confirm that the Goo Gone doesn't affect the paint in any way

• Wash off the Goo Gone with hot water and soap

Is Goo Gone Safe On Car Windows

Goo Gone is also safe to use on car windows, as glass is one of the primary uses for Goo Gone products.

When you use the Goo Gone Spray Gel, you can expect great results and a clean glass surface on your car's windows.

But remember that Goo Gone is not safe to use on rubber, faux stainless steel, or leather surfaces.

If your car's windows have rubber trims or faux stainless steel trim, you need to be careful about not spilling the Goo Gone on the trim.

Further, the same applies when cleaning the inside of your car windows if your car has a leather interior.

How Do You Use Goo Gone On Car Paint?

To use Goo Gone (Amazon Affiliate Link) on painted areas of your vehicle, take the following steps so that you don't cause unnecessary damage.

Before you begin, gather materials that you'll need:

• Goo Gone Spray Gel

• A clean, dry work rag or cloth

• A bucket of clean, warm water

• A water hose (if necessary)

1. Apply the Goo Gone to Your Car

Spray the Goo Gone Spray Gel (not a Goo Gone latex paint clean-up spray) on the area of your car you want to clean.

If you want to be extra careful, spray a test area of the car's painted part first and ensure the product doesn't damage the paint.

2. Let the Goo Gone Work

Next, be patient, as it could take several minutes for the Goo Gone to break down the residue.

This is especially true if you're dealing with a pesky adhesive stain from a decal you've just removed.

You may need to wait up to 5-10 minutes in total.

3. Wipe Away the Product

After letting the Goo Gone sit, you must remove the product.

Use your rag or cloth at first to gently wipe away the liquid, trying to remove as much residue as you can in the process.

Note that you might need to make multiple applications of the Goo Gone spray gel.

4. Mix Your Soap Water Solution

Next, you should mix your bucket of warm water with liquid soap or detergent.

Dawn dish soap is an excellent option because it's gentle and doesn't have harsh chemicals that will damage your car or paint.

Use as much soap as you need to, adjusting the ratio as you work.

5. Wash the Surface Clean

Now is the point where you may need to put in some elbow grease to clean your car's surface.

Use your soapy water solution and a rag to clean off the Goo Gone and residue gently.

It helps to use consistent, circular motions with even pressure to get adhesive substances off your car's surface.

6. Rinse the Surface Clean

Once the Goo Gone and residue are removed, and your car's surface is clean to your satisfaction, you can rinse away the soap water.

For this, you should rely on your water hose since it will provide a steady stream of clean, non-soapy water with adequate water pressure to clean off your car.

7. Dry the Surface

Finally, make sure to dry off the surface of your car that you just cleaned.

This will help you avoid streak marks from dripping water and other stains.

Make sure to use a new, clean, dry cloth with microfibers for this step so that you thoroughly dry the spot and don't cause abrasion.

Goo Gone Automotive Vs. Regular

Note that you have several options for using Goo Gone products on your vehicle.

In addition to using Goo Gone regular (Spray Gel), you can also safely use Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel.

The following table highlights some key differences and similarities when comparing Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel and Goo Gone Spray Gel:

Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel Vs. Goo Gone Spray Gel

	Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel	Goo Gone Regular Spray Gel
Price	$7.49	$7.49
Scented?	Citrus Power	Citrus Power
Safe on glass?	Yes	Yes
Safe on plastic?	Yes	Yes
Safe on metal?	Yes	Yes
Safe on leather?	No	No
Safe on faux stainless steel?	No	No
Safe on painted surfaces?	Yes (test first)	Yes

Furthermore, both the automotive and regular products are ideal for removing stickers, labels, and decals from car surfaces.

Will Goo Gone Remove Spray Paint?

Certain Goo Gone products will remove spray paint from certain surfaces.

The Goo Gone Graffiti Remover spray is designed to get off hard-to-clean stains from spray paint.

You can safely use Graffiti Remover on the following spray paint stained surfaces:

• Stucco

• Concrete

• Brick walls

To remove spray paint with Goo Gone Graffiti Remover, you need to spray the affected wall or applicable surface.

Then, you should wait up to 5 minutes for the Goo Gone to take effect on the stains.

Then, you'll have to use elbow grease to scrub out the spray paint stain with a brush (bristled works well).

You can also follow up with a soapy water scrub of the affected area.

Afterward, to remove the remaining residue, you'll need sufficient water pressure.

Use a pressure washer if you have one, but if not, a garden hose turned up will work just fine.

Note that you can't use the Graffiti Remover on surfaces with latex paint or non-colorfast materials.

Consider this before using Goo Gone Graffiti Remover on your painted car surface.

Can You Use Goo Gone On The Car Interior?

You shouldn't use Goo Gone products on your car's interior, as many surfaces inside a car don't mix well with the product.

For example, Goo Gone original spray isn't suited to use on leather, suede, rubber, or faux stainless steel.

These surfaces may exist on parts of your car's interior, especially if you have leather upholstery.

Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel also shouldn't be used on those car interior surfaces, and it's specifically advertised as unsuitable for use on upholstery.

Note that you can use Goo Gone on windows, but if you need to clean the inside side of your car's windows, be careful not to spill on other areas.

Can I Use Goo Gone On Leather Car Seats?

Again, it's not advisable to use Goo Gone products on leather car seats since most Goo Gone products are advertised as unsafe to use on leather surfaces.

This is especially true with Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel.

Is Goo Gone Automotive The Same As Regular Goo Gone?

Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel is similar to Goo Gone Regular Spray Gel, with a few notable differences.

They are sold at the same market price, and both work on metal, glass, plastic, and painted surfaces.

But Goo Gone Automotive Spray Gel is not safe to use on wood, carpet, fabric, ceramic/porcelain, or sealed stone surfaces like Goo Gone Regular Spray Gel is.

The regular formula is also ideal for cleaning glass, rugs, and walls, whereas the automotive formula is ideal for cleaning car bumpers and dashboards.

Does Goo Gone Remove Car Scratches?

Goo Gone on its own will not “remove” scratches on the surface of your car, as the product is not a polishing agent, wax, or abrasive designed to buff out blemishes.

However, it will temporarily mask the surface-level blemishes if they haven't gone deeper than the clear coat.

You may be wondering: is Goo Gone safe for car clear coat?

The answer is, yes, if you can put Goo Gone on paint, you can use it on the clear coat of a car's surface as well.

Conclusion

Hopefully, our guide has thoroughly answered your question can you use Goo Gone on car paint?”.

You can use Goo Gone Regular and Automotive Spray Gels on painted car surfaces to remove gunk, adhesive residue, and other hard-to-clean substances.

Stay away from Goo Gone's latex clean-up products, and be sure to make a test application on your car before following through with product use.

FAQ

Is Goo Gone Safe On Painted Walls?

You can safely use Goo Gone on painted walls and vertical surfaces, with a notable exception.

The original Goo Gone Spray Gel product will effectively clean and remove gunk from painted walls, whereas the Goo Gone Latex Paint Clean-Up Spray will remove the paint too.

What Is The Best Way To Remove Decals From A Car?

If you want to safely remove decals from your vehicle without messing up the paint or glass, you should clean the decal first.

Then, you should heat the decal with some kind of heated air, like a hair dryer.

The heat will loosen the decal so you can carefully peel it off, followed by cleaning off the adhesive residue with products like Goo Gone.

Will Goof Off Mess Up Car Paint?

Goof Off products are marketed as “safe” to use on automotive paint. However, it's advisable to test an inconspicuous area of the car before applying large quantities.