How To Remove Car Tint

              How To Remove Car Tint

All window film (tint) will with age and sun exposure will lose it ability to adhere to the window and will need to be removed or replaced. You can see this in an example of bubbling, waviness, or discoloration. All film is made of non-metallic dyes, which causes the discoloration. The best way and most effective is to have a professional to install new tint to replace the ill-effective one.

However, if you choose to do the removal yourself to save some money or if your just a do-it-yourselfer by nature, there are several ways you can accomplish this task. The following is a few ways to get it done.

Caution:When removing tint from rear windows please you extreme caution not to scrape the defroster lines with razor or razor scrapers. This will damage them and possible cause them to not work at all.

        Sun and Ammonia Method

Tools you’ll need for the procedure.

Two black trash bags plan

Soapy water mix

Ammonia

Very fine steel wool

Glass Cleaner

Respirator mask

Protective gloves

 HOW TO

This procedure requires a dry sunny day. If you live where you think there might not be enough sun or it’s not warm enough outside to heat the window than you may need to consider alternative procedure listed below.

Warning:This procedure requires the use of ammonia; please take precautionary measures, i.e. respiratory mask and protective gloves when using this chemical.

•Step One

Cut two black garage bags in roughly the shape of window. Spray soapy water mix on the outside of the window, and cover with one of the cut trash bags. Smooth plastic from middle outward until all plastic is smooth.

•Step Two

Protect all inside surfaces with a towel or plastic protective tarp.

Once everything including rear light is protected, spray undiluted ammonia over entire window. Ammonia fumes may be very strong it is recommended to keep all doors open to help ventilate the fumes out of the car.

•Step Three

Before the ammonia dries, trap ammonia against the window with the other trash bag. Once this is done park the window where the sun can heat the outside. This will cause the ammonia to actively cause the adhesive to loosen or become inactive. This will take approximately half-hour to hour.

An alternative to this step is to use a hair dryer or heat fan on high speed, once you have sprayed the window, and to continue spraying ammonia until the tint is loose.

•Step Four

Try to remove car tint in one piece, beware some tint is multileveled. Loosen the tint from the corner, this can be down with a finger nail or you may use a razor blade. Pull off slowly as not to leave residue on glass. Try to keep tint moist when removing it.

•Step Five

Once you have removed car tint entirely spray a light mist of ammonia on window and use fine steel wool and remove any residue left behind and wipe of window before the ammonia dries. Remove outside trash bag and clean window inside and out with glass cleaner. If any residue still remains repeat this step until window is free of residue.

  Soapy water and Newspaper Method

Tools needed for this procedure

Soapy water, any type of soap will work to make soapy water

Household sponge

Newspapers

Razor Blade or razor scraper

Glass Cleaner

HOW TO

This procedure is very simple, however is indeed time consuming. It would also be wise to keep a towel handy.

•Step One

Apply soapy mixture to the side of the window the tint is on with household sponge and cover with newspaper. You will need to use the soapy mix sponge to saturate the news paper as well. You may need to do this a few times so that the paper stays moist. The news paper will need to stay applied to about 45 minutes.

•Step Two

You will need to now take the razor blade or razor scraper and scrape the top of the tint off. If this step is difficult or the tint is not coming off in long strips, you will need to repeat step one until you can remove the car tint in long strips.

•Step Three

Once you have remove the car tint completely you will then need to clean the window. Spray the window with glass cleaner and wipe with paper towel until any left over residue is removed.

               Steam Method

 Tools needed for this method

A Handheld steamer,   (these can be picked up for reasonable price at a local retail store in the household items {where the irons are)

Razor Blade

Towel

Glass cleaner

How To

This procedure is very simple and can be very quick and very effective. In this procedure you will be pulling the tint off in one piece and should also remove the adhesive with it as well.

•Step One

Take the handheld steamer and hold it approximately 7 to 8 inches away from window in top corner until tint becomes loose. Use the razor blade to pull up the corner enough for you to grab a firm grip on the tint.

•Step Two

Once you have a firm grip on the corner of the tint you will slowly pull down, if it doesn’t come off easily apply more steam. While steam is still on window pull down on the tint some more, you are going to try to accomplish a small bit at a time, apply more steam and try to get the whole length of the window to come off, this will help when pulling down ward rather than across diagonal or up and down pulling side ways. When removing car tint do not pull to hard you may break the tint or you will leave huge amounts of adhesive on the window.

•Step Three

Once you have removed all of the tint you may still end up will some small spots of adhesive on the window. Just apply some more steam and take your towel and dab the adhesive slightly wiggle you towel and pull off. Repeat this over and over until all adhesive is removed. The reason you dab and pull off is so that you do not end up with a smear rather than a spot. A smear is harder to remove than the spot is.

•Step Four

Once you have removed all of the left over adhesive you will need to clean the window. Spray glass cleaner on the window and wipe off with paper towel.