There are plenty of articles about installing window tint, but what if you want to remove it?
- You may have had a bad job the first time
- You may just want a clean look
- Your tint was too dark
Let's examine the best way to remove tint from your vehicle. You will need the required tools:
- Heat gun
- Blades to scrape off the glue & tint
- Scouring pad
- Heavy duty cleaner
- Dishwashing liquid and water in a spray bottle
How To Remove Car Window Tint
You start off by heating the window with the heat gun. You want it so that it is too hot to touch. If you have a bad tint on the window, you will have to be careful taking off the film from the edge of the window. It may try to come off in two layers. If that happens, it will be a lot harder to remove the film, so make sure you grab onto both layers when pulling it off.
Heating the glass to around 40 degrees is the correct temperature to get rid of as much glue as you can.
Take the razor blade and put it under the edge of the film. Slowly pull the film away from the glass. Move the heat gun onto the inside of the window as you pull the tint down.
Be careful not to get too close!
Keep pulling the tint as you apply heat from the gun, moving side-to-side. Now, apply heat to the outside of the window as you pull the remaining tint off of the glass. When you are removing the tint off the window, be sure to leave the film attached to the last centimeter on the bottom of the window. Remember, you will still have some glue and other waste on the window, so you want it all to fall onto the film for easy cleaning. Once it all falls into the film, then you can remove it completely.
If you remove all of the tint immediately, all of that waste will run down and get caught into the door, and you will not be able to get it out. It will stink, and it will look like slime.
Now you can spray the window with detergent, and let it soak in. With the tint still attached at the bottom of the window, it will then catch all of the glue and waste, while also protecting the interior trim.
Car Tint Tools
Most people do not have a heat gun laying around, and I know you do not want to buy a gun for one use. What about using a hair dryer to remove the film? Remember, it is ideal if you can project heat to the 40 degree threshold, so you will need to measure that to make sure it is suitable.
Most hair dryers will not get up to the 40 degree temperature that you will need, but if you are confident in your abilities, you can still get it done with the hair dryer.
It is the same process:
- Peel off the corner with a blade so you have a piece that is large enough to grab
- Move the heat source to the inside of the window as you peel it off
You will probably find that it is possible to remove the film with a hair dryer, but you will also find that it will leave more glue on the window. This is because the hair dryer is not as hot. So, if you don't have a heat gun, you can still remove the film. It will require a lot more force when you are pulling the film because of the lack of heat. Because of this, it will take a little more time to do it right. Make sure you do your best, especially if you are going to install new tint to the window.
Remember.....it is all about the preparation.
Right about now, you might be asking yourself a question. What will happen if I do not use a heat gun or hair dryer and just try to remove the film?
Well, you can try it that way, but most likely, the window will be full of glue, and you will have a difficult time trying to clean that off the glass. But hey, Houston gets pretty hot in the summer months, so if you do not have a heat gun, you can try to remove the film during the summer where the temperature of the glass will be at least 30 degrees.
Removing Tint From The Back Window
If you are removing the tint from the back windshield, you have to be extremely careful, as you do not want to damage the defrost grid panel on the window. You should apply more heat to make sure that you get the glue loose enough for easier film removal. Once the window is hot enough, you will need to cut into the film with a blade so you can grab it to pull it off.
Once you remove the film, soak the window with the heavy degreaser and let it soak in. Now it is time to strip the remaining glue off the back window.
You will need a clean, new razor blade. You will then spray more cleaning solution onto the window, then scrape off the remaining glue. Use a rag to clean off the blade as you clean. There may be some random glue on the defrost grid panel. Use some steel wool to rub that out.
Removing window tint from your car can be done by the average person. It will take approximately one hour, and you do not need a lot of tools to complete the job. If you want a professional to install your car window tint, then removing the old film will save you roughly $100.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions!