Skip to main content
MaintenanceCar CareProtectionGuidesFeatured

How to Remove Spray Paint from Your Tesla If It’s Vandalized: We Tested 7 Methods

We recently had a Cybertruck owner ask us a very real, very concerning question: “What do I do if someone spray paints my truck?”

Unfortunately, vandalism is something that happens—especially to vehicles in the middle of political controversy.  So, we decided to tackle that question head-on.

This blog isn’t just theory—we tested a whole bunch of products and techniques on actual spray paint across different surfaces: stainless steel, Tesla paint, PPF, vinyl, and ceramic coatings. We even let the very generous amount of paint bake in the sun for four hours to simulate a worst-case scenario.

Here’s what we found, what worked best, and what to absolutely avoid.

🔧 The Surfaces We Tested

We tried removing spray paint from:

  • A silver 2018 Tesla Model 3 bumper

  • Avery Dennison vinyl (with and without ceramic coating)

  • Avery Dennison Supreme Defense PPF with and without ceramic coating

  • Gyeon Mohs Evo Ceramic Coating

  • Raw stainless steel plate

🧪 The Methods We Tested

In order from basic to aggressive, here’s what we threw at the paint:

1. Pressure Washer (1800 PSI)

  • Result: Mild success.

  • Best for: Removing larger blobs of paint on PPF and vinyl.

  • Watch out: Too much pressure can damage your paint. We used a 35–45° nozzle. Don’t go more than 2100 PSI.

2. Soapy Water + Microfiber (or Scrubby/Magic Eraser in Extreme Cases)

  • Result: Works a little on ceramic-coated surfaces, barely at all on steel or paint.

  • Pro Tip: Never use a scrubby on regular paint unless you’re in “do-or-die” mode as it can scratch it.

3. Clay Bar with Soapy Water

  • Result: Surprisingly effective on PPF and ceramic-coated vinyl.

  • Note: Make sure to knead the clay frequently. It’s time consuming, but it gets the job done.

4. Waterless Wash

  • Result: Mildly effective, yet most effective if applied immediately after vandalism.

  • Reality: You’ll still need to scrub. Think of this as a paint-safe lubricant more than a remover.

5. 70% Isopropyl Alcohol

  • Result: ⭐ Winner.

  • Why: Broke down the paint fast and clean, especially on coated surfaces. Just spray, let sit, and wipe. It transferred right away to the microfiber, so keep several handy for that project.

  • Note: 70% was more balanced than 90%, which may be too harsh for some finishes. Put it in a spray bottle for the most effective cleaning job.

6. Adhesive Remover (a.k.a. “The Pink Stuff”)

  • Result: Meh.

  • Conclusion: Great for removing adhesive residue, but not great for spray paint.

7. DA Polisher with Compound

  • Result: Excellent—but definitely the nuclear option.

  • Best For: Shops or detailers. Works on steel, PPF, and even vinyl if you’re careful.

  • Heads-Up: You’ll go through a lot of pads, especially on raw steel. Most expensive option.

🧼 Time Is Everything

The sooner you tackle the vandalism, the better your results. We let ours sit for 4 hours in the sun and still got most of it off where we scrubbed—but some methods would’ve worked way better if we had jumped on it right away.

Don’t use extremely harsh chemicals like acetone or hard bristles on your paint.

🛡️ Ceramic Coating Helps. A Lot.

Across the board, ceramic-coated areas were noticeably easier to clean. It acts as a barrier that spray paint struggles to cling to. Whether it was paint, vinyl, or PPF, ceramic-coated surfaces outperformed untreated ones every time.

💡 Final Takeaways

Here’s our quick cheat sheet if this ever happens to you:

Method Effectiveness Best Use Case
Pressure Washer ⭐⭐ Fresh spray, large blobs
Soapy Water ⭐ Only helps with recent paint
Clay Bar ⭐⭐⭐ Great with lubrication
Waterless Wash ⭐⭐ OK for fresh vandalism
Alcohol (70%) ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Most effective overall
Adhesive Remover 🚫 Skip it
DA Polisher ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best for pros or really tough spots

🎁 If It Happens to You—We’ve Got Your Back

If your TESBROS wrap or PPF kit gets vandalized, don’t stress.

We’ll replace the damaged panel—100% free, you just pay shipping. We’re all about taking care of our community, even when unfortunate stuff happens. Learn more about our vandalism protection program here. 

✌️ Final Thoughts

Spray paint vandalism sucks—but you have options. With a little effort (and ideally, some isopropyl alcohol and a clay bar), you can usually clean it up. Worst case? Peel and replace the panel if you’re using vinyl or PPF.