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window tint glue residue removal

18K views 6 replies 5 participants last post by  ChiSilverSupra 
#1 ·
~Found this on the net~

Materials:

Warm sunny day
Tarp
Large plastic garbage bag
Undiluted Ammonia
Windex (a glass cleaner)
Paper towels
Fine steel wool
Razor blades

Tips:
The difficult thing about removing tint is that most film is constructed of two layers of tinted polyester. When you try to peel the film off the glass, the top layer will usually pull right off leaving the second layer behind. This second layer will not peel off, it will just flake and tear like a price tag.

Step 1:
To over come separation between layers you must soften the adhesive so that both layers peel at the same time. This is very important, if you peel the just the top layer, you may as well just use razor blades as there is no way to peel the second layer off without picking at it for a few hours. You MUST try to peel both layers at once.
NOTE:
You are more than likely to damage one or more of your defroster lines, when this happens, the cut line will not work anymore. Some cars have radio antennas mounted alongside the defrosters made of the same material. If you damage these, your radio antenna will not work! Be careful! Taking it to a tint shop to be done greatly increases the odds of saving the lines, but even a tint shop can not promise to save your lines, sometimes the film is just to far gone.

Step 2:
First, clear the window of any obstructions, like the brake light, speaker covers etc.

Step 3: Next cut open the garbage bag so that it will be big enough to cover the entire window. Spray some water on the outside of the back window and the lay plastic bag over the glass. Cut away excess plastic so that it is now roughly the same shape as the glass.

Step 4:
Next, lay a tarp over rear deck and seat, spray ammonia liberally on the inside of the back window. (Ammonia is very strong, I suggest you hold your breath during this step) and cover ammonia soaked tint with the plastic bag so that it won't evaporate.

Step 5:
Park the car with rear window facing the sun for about an hour. The film should now be ready to peel.

Step 6:
When you are ready to start peeling, leave the plastic in place so the ammonia wont dry. Get the peeling started with a razor blade in a corner where there are no defroster lines. Try to peel film off in one piece. If the ammonia dries as you peel, the glue will get hard again, so spray a bit of ammonia on the area as you peel.

Step 7:
Once the film is peeled you will need to scrub the adhesive off with ammonia and fine 0000 steel wool. Mop up scrubbed areas with paper towels before they dry. Finish up with window cleaner and paper towels.

Removing tint from side windows
Soaking is not nessesary here. You may want to use a simple razorblade holder. Cut a notch onto the upper area of the film so that you have a piece to pull. Try to peel the film, it will probably come off in two or three pieces. Spray the remaining adhesive with soapy water, and scrape the adhesive off with a razor blade, avoiding the edges of the glass until last to keep the blade sharp. You may need to use a few blades as they dull quickly. Finish up with window cleaner and paper towels. Inspect for missed glue (its clear and hard to see)

More tint Removal Tips:
Name: Gerardo (Jerry)
Tint Removal Tip: Make your life alot easier and let the professionals do the job. It might cost you a little but call and ask shops if they can save the defroster lines on your rear window, no one will promise it but if they now what they are doing they will most likely be able to. You will know just by your conversations. Because the customer is unexperienced you will save yourself the headache and lots of time, eitherway it is only going to cost you a little more than if you have to go out and by all the products to remove the film.

Name: Anonymous
Tint Removal Tip: Instead of using ammonia try the all purpose cleaner 409. It smells alot better and will preform the same task.

Name: Peter
Email: anon@anon.com
Tint Removal Tip: To remove the excess glue after taking off the film, spray some WD40 then with some fine steel wool give it a good rub then wipe if off with paper towel then clean with proper glass cleaner.

Name: min soo
Tint Removal Tip: best way to remove film is spray soapy water on the film, put garbage bag over and let it soak for about 10 min facing the sun, then just peel it off. it works great. side window too.

Tinting Tip: My friend and I sorta stumbled across this the other day. If you use a can of De-Ice and wipe fairly hard it will remove the glue with great ease. It works wonders on defrost lines.

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Name: Anonymous
Tint Removal Tip: Use a heat gun to heat up an area of the tint (careful not to burn your hand as the gun will reach very high temperatures). This will in essence melt the glue. Start peeling the heated section & repeat this for the entire window. Use GOO-GONE or GOO-AWAY with a cloth/crudrag (not paper towel) to clean window after tint is removed.

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Name: jonathan
Tint Removal Tip: I have also used simply green instead of ammonia. This also smells much better.THE CHEAPER STUFF DOESN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO WORKING!!(like Mean Green)

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Name: Dan Georges
Tint Removal Tip: I have a sugestion to make breathing a whole lot easier. the steps you mentiond are perfect, but instead of using ammonia, try using simple green. dilute a spray bottle 50% water and 50% simple green. spray it on the film, trap it with a plastic bag. 20 min or so in the sun even the ugliest, bubbled tint will come off. then use full simple green on the remaining adhesive left behind and bingo, steel wool (super fine) will melt the rest off. plus it smells much better than ammonia. works for me and i am a 16 year vet. hope it helps. :)

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Name: David Finch
Tint Removal Tip: I used a steamer to take the tint of my Ferrari, and it came off in a minute. Talk about a car u wanna be careful with. Use a steamer like the professionals. It will save time and effort.

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Name: M. Colford
Comments: On removing the tint from the side windows, I would suggest that instead of using straight ammonia, go to some 5 and dime store, and find the cheapest glass cleaner you can. This eliminates the ammonia smell, but there is ammonia in the cleaner. Make sure the cleaner has ammonia in it though. For the rear window, me and a friend used the cheap glass cleaner and a heat gun. Peel part of the tint away in a corner in the top, and shoot some of the cleaner down in between the tint and glass. Then have someone on the outside use the heatgun on LOW aimed at the area that you are peeling at. This loosens the glue, and allows the cleaner in to get to mroe tint. You will spray a good amount of glass cleaner, but it is safe on the defrosters, and there is not a strong smell.
 
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#2 ·
#3 ·
All so another good item to use is goo gone
you can get this at autozone ,pepboys and R&S strauss

 
#5 ·
Local tint shop gave me this hint and it works well for removing the left over glue. Johnsons baby shampoo, the yellow bottle. Hot water in a spray bottle and add some shampoo. Breaks down the glue, and its not some crazy chemical to be working with.
 
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