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evy's avatar
evy
Explorer
May 25, 2015

removing "Ghost lettering" left from removed decals on paint

Hi every one!

I was wondering if anyone knew a good way to remove "Ghost lettering" left from removed decals on the side of my van, it's hard to capture it in a picture but, my van was used by FedEx and in person depending on the lighting you can clearly see it on each sides and in the back.

But it's probably the same thing with RV decals that you remove, I guess the sun baked the rest of the paint and the decals protected the paint underneath? is there a way to get rid of them?

I'm converting it into a campervan and before I start permanently installing windows, vents etc... I want to address this issue.

Thanks!

6 Replies

  • rekoj71's avatar
    rekoj71
    Explorer
    May 26, 2015
    My suggestion would be rubbing compound, maybe even with a buffer, as it too gets down through the oxidation and too the base paint layer. But as also mentioned above if the decals were there long enough the paint around the decal may be so worn that the paint under the decal may actually now be thicker and then only lots of buffing or sanding will do the trick.
  • Padlin's avatar
    Padlin
    Explorer
    May 25, 2015
    Many years back I had painted a few vehicles that had decal ghosts on them, even paint didn't hide them, you could still see the outline, like it was a raised or recessed area. Wet sanding was the only fix, but that was a long time ago.
  • YamaDooed's avatar
    YamaDooed
    Explorer
    May 25, 2015
    Buff and hand polish as its not just removing oxidation as also the area under the decal has no scratches and they just need to be blended to hide as you'll never remove it completely.
  • evy's avatar
    evy
    Explorer
    May 25, 2015
    I already googled this issue and this is the most helpful article I have found :

    Get Rid of Ghost Letters

    As I mentioned, vinyl lettering or graphics left on an RV for any extended period of time will leave behind a “ghost sign” image when removed.

    You cannot remove these ghosts, since they are actually caused by the oxidation discoloring the area around them. You must remove the oxidation on the vehicle’s surface to match the color beneath the vinyl that has been protecting its surface area from oxidation.

    Ghost Off Oxidation Remover does the trick! This product will restore weather-exposed surfaces, eliminating ghost sign images from vehicle surfaces covered by graphics. Just spray Ghost Off onto the oxidized surface, wait about a minute and agitate the area with a soft brush. Rinse from top to bottom and watch the the oxidation flow away.

    Depending on how long the lettering has been applied that you are removing, you may need to repeat the application of Ghost Off—we had to do it a few times. That’s why I recommend getting at least a gallon!

    http://www.liveworkdream.com/2014/10/23/old-rv-vinyl-removal-tips/

    I know this article answers my question but I want to know if any of you ever had to deal with this issue and is this the only way to handle it?

    Thanks again!

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