How to Remove Window Tint
If you own an older car, chances are that the tinting film on the windows and windshield have already worn off. Worn window tinting gives you a very distorted view of the road, which can lead to accidents and poor driving performance. Wear and tear on your window tint also decreases the value of your car. If you want to remove the window tint on your car and replace it with a new one, here’s an easy way to do it:
Tools
The tinting material on most cars is made with two layers of film. The coloring film is protected by a thicker layer of transparent film that resists scratches, wear, and tear. To remove the window tint with ease, you need the following tools:
Clothes steamer
A sturdy plastic edge (an old identification card or a baking spatula is good for this task)
Terrycloth towel
Window cleaner
Steps
Window tint used to be removed through a complicated and dangerous process that involved garbage bags, razor blades, and ammonia. It’s dangerous, unsafe, and you may even end up snapping or cutting through weatherstrips and defroster lines. Here’s an easier way to remove worn or torn window tint from your windshield or car windows:
Fill the clothes steamer with water, and turn it up to high heat.
Hold the steamer to one edge or corner of the windshield or the window, and hold it there for a few seconds until the tint adhesive dissolves.
Using the edge of an old card or a spatula, scrape a section of the film to loosen the edges.
Pull away at the film while steaming off the adhesive backing. If you do it slowly and steadily, you can pull off the old window tint in one piece.
Once you have removed as much of the window tint film as possible, steam away the remaining flakes and sections of window tint you were not able to remove.
Spray the window with window cleaner and wipe it clean with a terrycloth towel.
You can stick with having a clear window for maximum visibility, or you can take your car to an auto customization shop to have the windows tinted again. With these simple steps, removing damaged window tint on your car windows or windshields does not have to be difficult and time-consuming as it once was.