- A car window tint serves as privacy and protection from UV rays. It also makes your car aesthetically pleasing. However, it could get damaged after using it for a while. The damages caused to the car window tint are peeling, discoloration, and bubbling. When this happens, it is time to change your car’s window tint.
- When these damages happen, people tend to fix it at a repair workshop; others try to fix it themselves at home and end up not doing it well. You do not have to spend a lot of time or money to remove a car tint effectively all by yourself.
- You can use simple DIY techniques to get rid of an old window tint. There are a lot of DIY steps you can use to know how to make window tint removal easier.
- We will be discussing how you can remove a vehicle window tint using DIY techniques.
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4 Easy Ways To Remove Window Tint
Car tints need removal for several reasons like discoloration, bubbling, or scratches. However, removing the window tint may be pretty expensive if you want it removed by a professional. You can consider doing it yourself if you cannot afford to give your vehicle to a professional for tint removal.
There are different affordable ways to remove your car window tint if you decide to use any DIY methods. Removing automotive-specific window tints using these methods is very simple. In addition, you do not have to spend a lot of money since most of the materials you will need are what you also use at home. Let’s take a look at four ways to remove window tints.
#1. Use A Steamer
A steamer is helpful for car tint removal. If you have one at home, you can follow these steps to remove the car tint.
You will need these items to use this removal method:
- A fabric steamer
- Razor blade
- Glass cleaner
- Paper towels
Step 1: Open the car door and roll down the window by less than an inch to see the edge of the tint.
Step 2: Place the steamer about 2 inches away from the car window and steam using a back and forth motion. Steam both outside of the window and inside of the window to help the tint adhesive dissolve.
Step 3: Use a razor blade or your fingernail to lift the corner of the window tint and peel the tint off carefully. Apply more steam to any area that does not peel off easily.
Step 4: Get a glass cleaner, spray on any adhesive residue left on the car window, wait for a few seconds, and then wipe with a paper towel.
#2. Hair Dryer Method
The hair dryer method is also a valuable way of removing car tints. For this method, you will need:
- A hair dryer or heat gun
- Glass cleaner
- Razor blade
- Paper towel
Step 1: The hair dryer method is similar to the steaming method but requires a lot of patience. First, roll down the window to see the edge of the window.
Step 2: Increase the hair dryer to the maximum heat level. Next, blow at the corner of the window tint with the hair dryer while holding it a few inches away. Do this until the window tint glue begins to peel away.
Step 3: Use a razor blade to lift a tiny part of the tint film. Pull back the tint film slightly while heating it. Concentrate more heat on any part that does not pull off easily or leaves adhesive residue.
Step 4: After removing the tint, use a glass cleaner and wipe with a paper towel after leaving it for a few seconds.
#3. Apply Ammonia
The ammonia method is a fast and inexpensive way to remove your car tint. To start the ammonia method, you would need these tools:
- Ammonia solution
- Soap and water
- Spray bottles
- Garbage bags
- Tape
- Steel wool
- Razor blade
- Sunny day
Step 1: Protect your vehicle’s interior by covering it with plastic bags.
Step 2: Use scissors to cut plastic bags into pieces the size of the inside and outside of your car windows.
Step 3: Get a spray bottle and fill it with water and a little dish soap. Shake the soap and water well and spray it outside each window to help the garbage bags stick on each window.
Step 4: Get your ammonia solution, spray it on the inside windows, and cover each with a trash bag. You can use tape to hold down the bags if necessary.
Step 5: Leave the car in the sun and allow it to sit for about an hour or two.
Step 6: Remove the garbage bags, then use a razor to peel off the windowy corner of the film until its removal is complete. Do it also for the other windows.
Step 7: Spray the window with ammonia again after taking off the tint. Use steel wool to scour any adhesive stick on the window.
#4. Soap & Razor Blade
This method is time-consuming and limited to when you don’t have a lot of resources or only have to work on a small tint area. Other methods are preferable when working on the whole car.
This method requires the use of soap and a razor blade with the following process;
Step 1: Get your water and a little bit of dish soap. Then, make minor cuts or scrapes with a sharp razor blade. You have to be careful while doing this to avoid scratches on your vehicle.
Step 2: Spray the soapy water on the tint until it is soaked.
Step 3: Use the razor blade to help shape the corner of the tint.
Repeat the steps until you have fully gotten the tint off the window.
When To Remove Your Old Window Tint
Car tints are excellent accessories for cars. It protects you from the sun’s UV rays and even makes you enjoy your privacy. However, no matter how long it lasts, its quality reduces and eventually leads to the need to change it.
One main reason people remove their car tint is that it could start to bubble up due to continuous use and wash of the vehicle. The adhesive used to keep the film glued to the glass loosens. When the window film stops sticking to the glass, the air gets in between the film and glass, and then bubbles begin to form.
Discoloration can also occur after a while as an effect of the usage of non-metallic dyes. For example, the color of a tint could change from brown or black to purple. Discoloration may also look awful.
Not all states’ laws permit car tints for individuals who are not government officials. These states forbid individuals to use car tints darker than the local laws allow. The only way to use one is to get a permit from the appropriate authorities. People who cannot obtain a permit would have to remove them or be prosecuted by law enforcement officers.
Cost Of Window Tint Removal
Removal of window tint by a professional is undoubtedly the best way to remove your window tint. It is a lot easier and stress-free. In addition, you save a lot of time in the process. All you have to do is give the professional your car and pick up your car when it is ready. This process is very easy to do. However, the cost of removing the window tint is based on the number of tints, where you live, how you want it removed, and the professional handling the job.
The average cost is around $100 to $225 to remove a vehicle’s window tints fully. Conversely, that’s around $25 to $50 per window. This fee is relatively high compared to the cost of doing it yourself. It would cost you about $15, depending on the type of materials you use. You do not have to break the bank by removing your window tint yourself, and you still get to save a lot of money.
All you have to do is follow any DIY method that is easy for you, as most of the materials you need are household items.
The Bottom Line
The primary reasons for removing window times are discoloration, bubbling, and laws against its use. However, it could be quite expensive to remove the tint with the help of a professional. That is why there are ways you can remove it yourself at a cheaper and affordable rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you remove the window tint yourself?
Yes, you can remove your window tint yourself. There are four effective ways you can remove your car tint: using a steamer, a hair dryer or heat gun, application of ammonia solution or soap, and a razor blade.
Window tint removal is an activity that you must do carefully to ensure that no damages happen to the surface of the glass or any part of the car.
Although you see many DIYs recommending that you remove your car tint yourself, you should leave it to professionals to handle. It’s safer to make this decision because you may remove your window tint incorrectly, making it impossible to use a new tint on the glass. Professionals, on the other hand, would ensure they can remove all residue making it as good as new.
Professionals have the proper tools to remove old car tints. However, removing the old tints without these tools can cause other damages.
How hard is it to remove window tint?
The window tint may be hard to remove if you want to do it yourself. It is not only stressful, but it also takes a lot of time to remove. It could take hours before you finish. Removing tint from the rear window is usually the most time-consuming part of the tint removal because of the defroster lines. You need to take extra care to get rid of the back glass film without causing any damage to the car, especially the defroster lines.
Sometimes being extra careful does not help. The defroster lines still end up getting damaged. It is easy to get carried away and destroy the lines. You should avoid unnecessary harm to your car by attempting to fix it yourself. If an old film doesn’t come off smoothly, it may cause unsalvageable damage to the defroster lines. This issue is why a professional will do a good job removing the car tint and ensuring the defroster lines are intact.
What is the easiest way to remove window tint?
There are different methods of removing car tints from car windows. These methods are straightforward, not complicated at all, and most of the tools you would need for them are household materials. Although these methods are efficient for car tint removal, using a fabric steamer is the easiest way to remove a window tint. However, you will need some tools to use this method. You would need a fabric steamer, a razor blade, a glass cleaner, and a towel.
Start steaming from the window’s top edge using back and forth motions. The tint begins to fall right off after several minutes of steaming. Pull off the film slowly while using the steamer.
This method is fast and removes almost all the don’t glue left on the glass.
What kind of window tint can I remove?
Car window tints are a quality asset alongside other vehicle accessories for your car. If you decide to get a car window tint, you can choose any window tint based on the amount you have, your taste, and how much protection you would need from UV rays from the sun.
The different kinds of window tints available are:
- Dyed window tint
- Metalized window tint
- Hybrid window tint
- Crystalline window tint
- Ceramic window tint
- Carbon window tint
All of these tints have varying lasting periods. They deteriorate after a couple of years due to age, exposure to sunlight, and cleaning and maintenance. When it gets to this stage of deterioration, it is obvious that replacement with a new tint becomes necessary.
So you can remove and replace any tint when it damages. You can either do it yourself or give it to a professional. Handing over removal and replacement to a professional is worth it to avoid potential damage to your vehicle.
