At some point, you had the bright idea of putting a bumper sticker on your vehicle that proudly proclaimed whatever you believed in at the time.
But things have changed.
The belief you once cherished is now passe, embarrassing, idiotic or worse, provocative in a bad way.
Unlike a bad tattoo, you can probably remove the bumper sticker yourself.
But take heed, there are ways to do it wrong.
"Do not use razor blades," said Anthony Gabarino of AnthonyG's Auto Detailing, which serves Kitsap County and beyond. "That's what most people try and it will scratch your car."
The best way to remove a bumper sticker is to use a heat gun, which he says can be bought for about $15. Aim it at the bumper sticker, and let the heat do most of the work. Then, carefully work a fingernail under one corner and peel slowly.
"Sometimes they will come right off and sometimes they will be a bear," he said.
If you're loathe to buy a heat gun for a one-time job, Gabarino says you can also try a blow dryer. When using a hair dryer yourself, experts recommend keeping the heat source moving in a circular fashion a few inches from the bumper sticker to avoid damaging the paint in one area.
If there's a little gluey residue left, that can be removed with rubbing alcohol and a cloth.
If you absolutely can't get it off, and you can't live with it either, Gabarino concedes that you might be able to get a Band-Aid type of fix by covering it with a newer, less objectionable bumper sticker.
"I'm not suggesting it, but it would look better that the one that's cracking, peeling and bubbling up," he said.
His most important tip, however, is for next time.
"Don't put bumper stickers on your car," he said. "It's been a pet peeve of mine my whole life and when I see one on a painted bumper I just cringe."
Put them on your glass windows, instead, where they're a cinch to remove with a razor and Windex, he said.
