# Removing a Jesus fish **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 3, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266 "2004-10-03T01:25:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/21 "2004-10-03T22:50:41Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > The last time I had something unwanted stuck to my car (a huge sticker saying “This is not a public car park!”, a fact which, duh, I knew anyway, that’s why I was taking advantage of its leniency! ;)) I used White Spirit reasonably successfully. Dunno if that has a different name in the US, but whatever, it has better penetration than WD-40 and is a solvent rather than a lubricant. Mineral spirits, paint solvent, high flash naphtha, petroleum distillate fractions, Stoddard solvent, Varsol, etc. Allow area of emblem to set in warm sunshine and apply solvent to soften adhesive, Use dental floss to cut through adhesive in a see-sawing motion. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2004, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/22 "2004-10-03T23:00:26Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > Use dental floss to cut through adhesive in a see-sawing motion. Brilliant! Am committing that to memory. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/23 "2004-10-04T23:32:11Z")
One option that won’t involve chemicals that are potentially harmful to you and/or our environment hasn’t been mentioned: (if the emblem is on the lift-gate, this procedure is actually easier): remove the affected panel. Procure a replacement. Replace the removed, affected panel with the previously-procured replacement panel, such that it occupies the place of the just-removed, affected panel. Voila! ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/24 "2004-10-04T23:47:20Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > One option that won’t involve chemicals that are potentially harmful to you and/or our environment hasn’t been mentioned: (if the emblem is on the lift-gate, this procedure is actually easier): remove the affected panel. Procure a replacement. Replace the removed, affected panel with the previously-procured replacement panel, such that it occupies the place of the just-removed, affected panel. Voila! But, then, don’t you have the problem of over used land-fills, another environmentally sensitive area? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/25 "2004-10-04T23:47:31Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > One option that won’t involve chemicals that are potentially harmful to you and/or our environment hasn’t been mentioned: (if the emblem is on the lift-gate, this procedure is actually easier): remove the affected panel. Procure a replacement. Replace the removed, affected panel with the previously-procured replacement panel, such that it occupies the place of the just-removed, affected panel. Voila! You’re joking, right? Because you know that there’s _tons_ of potentially environmentally damaging chemicals involved in the manufacture and transportation of the replacement part, right? Way more than the number which would be involved in the manufacture of, say WD-40. You also realize that if it’s a late model Jeep there’s the strong possibility that it or parts of it are made in China, thus by buying those parts you’re supporting slave labor in a totally unnecessary manner. Not to mention that the OP could be potentially spending hundreds of dollars for your solution compared to a couple of bucks for the others. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/26 "2004-10-05T00:45:48Z")
All you need is a Motley Crüe shirt, a boombox blasting satanic music, several nubile goth-looking babes, and a 1920’s style death ray, and it will come right off. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/27 "2004-10-05T00:56:13Z")
You could always convert to Christianity, and then it won’t matter. But that’s a truly desperate option… ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/28 "2004-10-05T00:59:46Z")
You could swap the offending panel with somebody who has the same model and colour of vehicle and who wouldn’t mind the jesus fish. Preferably under cover of darkness. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/29 "2004-10-05T01:23:51Z")
If it’s on the back door, purchase larger tires so that the new spare tire covers the emblem. I can’t think of anywhere else on the back of a Wrangler that has actual panels, unless you’re talking about the plastic cladding over the tire wells. Assuming that it’s stuck to the body or the bumper, put some mud on it until you can spend some time working with some of the removal suggestions in this thread. (WD-40 has always worked great for me - one time I removed a six-year-old dealer decal from the back of a Jeep with no problem.) Off topic (I’m just curious!) - Is it a hard top or a soft top? YJ or TJ (what year)? ---
**Author:** ![Bromley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4da419/32.png) [@Bromley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bromley)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/30 "2004-10-05T01:25:11Z")
**Mr. Blue Sky** beat me to it, but I’ll supply a [link](http://www.evolvefish.com/fish/emblems.html). Just buy some silver paint and edit away: ---
**Author:** ![Iacob\_Matthew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Iacob\_Matthew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iacob_Matthew)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/31 "2004-10-05T01:43:43Z")
> [@Bromley](#): > > **Mr. Blue Sky** beat me to it, but I’ll supply a [link](http://www.evolvefish.com/fish/emblems.html). Just buy some silver paint and edit away: If I may make a [suggestion](http://www.evolvefish.com/fish/media/E-Procreate.gif)… ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/32 "2004-10-05T02:20:21Z")
Join the Freemasons, then call the local diocise to tell them. A priest will be along shortly… Seriously, call a body shop and ask them. My best guess would be to use a hair dryer to heat the backing and peel the emblem off, then use 3M adhesive remover to get rid of what’s left. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/33 "2004-10-05T11:03:12Z")
**Picunurse** and **Tuckerfan** : _whoosh!_ ---
**Author:** ![Reepicheep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@Reepicheep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reepicheep)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/34 "2004-10-05T12:06:46Z")
> [@Fionn](#): > > This weekend, I became the happy owner of a Jeep Wrangler. Wave ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/35 "2004-10-05T14:07:48Z")
It’s probably held on with double stick tape, like side door moldings. The best way to get those off is to use a heat gun to warm the tape and loosen the glue. Your hairdryer should also do the trick, use high heat and wiggle the fishie back and forth to work it loose. ---
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/36 "2004-10-05T16:04:43Z")
> [@danceswithcats](#): > > All you need is a Motley Crüe shirt, a boombox blasting satanic music, several nubile goth-looking babes, and a 1920’s style death ray . . . Heck, that’s all \*anybody \* needs, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Gotterfunken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/37 "2004-10-05T18:42:20Z")
> [@Fionn](#): > > what are the risks of permanent damage? [Hmm…](http://www.wga.hu/art/b/bosch/painting/triptyc1/delightr.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/38 "2004-10-05T19:30:29Z")
As someone who has debadged lots of cars, some people on here have it right. 1. Get a hairdryer. Apply heat to the emblem for about 45 seconds or so. 2. Using a length of dental floss or fishing line, saw behind the badge (or fish) until it is released. 3. You can then either use your fingers to “roll up” the remaining adhesive, or use a Goof Off-type adhesive cleaner to get it off. Clean with a milt detergent and water. It should honestly take you less than five minutes to complete this entire process. Be aware, however, depending on how long the vehicle has been out in the sun, despite low miles, the pain may be a darker shade underneath the badge than the rest of the body panel. In this case, you’ll have no choice but to buy a Darwin fish or something to replace it with. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/39 "2004-10-05T19:49:09Z")
Maybe with a cruci-fish? ---
**Author:** ![MelCthefirst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@MelCthefirst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MelCthefirst)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2004, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266/40 "2004-10-05T20:35:34Z")
Well, come on Fionn, don’t leave us hanging, did you get it off (the fish I mean) without damaging the paint job? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/removing-a-jesus-fish/267266.md?page=3)