5 Ways to Remove Window Tint & Glue

Window tint can’t last forever. Over time, it wears and tears, and you will spot bubbles, peeling along the edges, separation of the tint film, and scratches all over its surface. Once the tint loses efficiency, stop protecting you from UV, and can’t keep the privacy of the inside of your car, you should remove it.

Fortunately, you won’t need a professional to remove window tint since it is a less demanding job than putting tint on the glass. I will list you a few excellent DIY methods to do the job on your own. Let’s go!

Reasons to Remove Window Tint

You can wish to remove window tint from your car for many reasons. However, three primary motives demand to finish this job as soon as possible.

Bubbling

No matter how well the window tint is applied, you will often face this problem after a while. Over time, you will see bubbles all over the film, which will make your windows look ugly. The reason is an unequal layer of adhesive applied.

Unfortunately, there is no way to fix this adequately. You can try to peel bubbles, but the result will be even worse, and your car will look less attractive than ever. The only efficient method to get rid of such tint is to remove all of it.

Aesthetic reasons

If you decide to remove window tint from your car because you have bought the tinted vehicle or simply don’t want it anymore, you can do that. However, be prepared that it won’t be an easy task removing undamaged tint from the glass.

Discoloration

Over time, you will spot that your window tint turns purple once non-metallic dyes begin to breakdown. That is the sign that your tint can’t block UV rays anymore. Since you can’t repair this, it is the right time to replace the old tint.

1. How to Remove Window Tint With Hairdryer

Material

• Hairdryer
• Glass cleaner
• Cloth
• Paper towels
• Knife or razor-blade

Instructions

Using a hairdryer is an inexpensive and quick way to heat and remove window tint from window panes, especially when it starts damaging. You can also use a heat gun if you have any. The disadvantage of this method is that it can be a bit messy.

Turn on the hairdryer in the max setting and hold it approximately 2 inches (5 cm) away from the corner of the damaged tint you want to remove. After about 30 seconds, you can cut the corner of the tint with the knife.

Without turning off the hairdryer, continue peeling the tint. Try to direct the air stream to the parts where the window tint is most firmly attached to the glass. Then rub off the residue of adhesive with a clean towel and clean the windows entirely.

2. How to Remove Window Tint With Steamer removal

Material

• Steamer
• Water
• Adhesive remover
• Cloth
• Paper towels

Instructions

Using a fabric steamer is probably the best, quickest, and cleanest method to remove window tint from the car windows. However, it will cost you some money if you need to rent the necessary equipment.

Start the procedure by filling the steamer with water. Then turn on the machine and hold the steam attachment about 1 inch (2.5 cm) close to a corner of the damaged tint. After a few minutes, you will see that glue melts, and you should try to remove the tint with the knife right away.

Start peeling the tint off while holding the steamer the same distance from the window. Always direct the steam to the piece of film you want to remove from the glass that moment. Finally, spray an adhesive remover and clean the window with the towel.

3. How to Remove Window Tint With Ammonia

Material

• • Ammonia
  • Dish soap
  • Paper towels

• Knife it razor-blade
• Scissors
• Steel wool
• Plastic garbage bags
• Spray bottle

Instructions

It is not the most pleasant way to remove window tint from your car glass, but it is highly efficient, especially during the sunny days. Well, the ammonia, in combination with heat, will soften the adhesive and become a practical solution against the window film for day and night privacy.

The first step is to prepare a soap solution and fill a spray bottle. Then cut a few plastic garbage bags. Pieces should be large enough to cover both the inside and outside parts of the window you want to clean.

Spray the outside of the window with ammonia and cover it with plastic. Then spray it on inside of the same window and cover it with another piece of plastic. For the success of the procedure, your glass needs to be between two black pieces of bags.

Take care that the doors of your car stay open for ventilation since the ammonia vapors are unpleasant and toxic. If you are a highly sensitive person, you should wear a mask while spraying.

Let plastic sit there at least an hour to allow heat and ammonia to loosen the adhesive. After removing the plastic pieces, you should start peeling tint off. The best way is to cut a corner of the tint with the knife, and then start peeling.

After you remove window tint, it is time to clean adhesive residue off with fine steel wool and ammonia. Then use dish soap to remove dirt and dry the glass with paper towels.

4. How to Remove Window Tint With Soap and Scrape

Material

• Dish soap
• Glass cleaner
• Warm water
• Paper towels
• Knife or razor-blade
• Spray bottle
• Bucket or bowl

Instructions

A soap-and-scrape method is an excellent and effective way to remove small areas of remove window tint. However, be prepared that it is quite a physically tiring job that requires a lot of time. So, I won’t recommend you to try this method for larger windows, like windshield and back glass.

Use a knife to make a small cut and lift a corner of the window tint. Grasp the free edge of the film firmly, and try to peel it from the surface of the window. In most cases, the tint won’t peel off in one piece, and you will need to repeat the process of lifting and peeling until it comes off.

Make a soap solution in a bowl, fill a spray bottle, and spray the mixture over the glass to soak the adhesive residue. Then scrape off the adhesive with a knife.

Keep spraying the glass during the job to keep the area moist. In the end, clean the window with glass cleaner and paper towels.

5. How to Remove Window Tint With Soap and newspaper

Material

• Dish soap
• Glass cleaner
• Water
• Paper towels
• Newspaper
• Sponge
• Knife or razor-blade
• Bucket or bowl

Instructions

Even though this method is similar to the previous one, it requires less work. Plus, it is an environment-friendly procedure to remove window tint since you will recycle old newspapers. The best thing is that you don’t need to be highly skillful to finish the job successfully.

First, you should make a soap solution of warm water and dish soap in a bowl. Then apply the mixture to the glass generously and cover the surface with the newspaper.

Pay special attention to the part with a very damaged window tint. Let it sit there for approximately one hour. Keep soaking the surface during this time as much as needed. In most cases, you should repeat it every 15 to 20 minutes.

Use the knife and start peeling both tint and newspaper in long strips. Then rub off the remaining pieces of tint. It won’t be such a demanding job. However, if you have trouble to remove all residue, just repeat the process once again.

Removing Window Tint Glue

Once you remove window tint from your windows, you should clean glue residue, as well. To do it efficiently, you will need one of the proven agents, such as:

Alcohol

The advantage of the 90% isopropyl alcohol is high efficiency. Plus, it is a cheap option to remove all the glue residue after you entirely remove window tint.

Use an old cloth or paper towels to get rid of smaller spots on the cleaned windows. Always make sure to do this in an excellently-ventilated area to avoid inhalation of the alcohol vapors while working.

Nail Polish Remover

You will be surprised how efficient nail polish remover can be when it comes to cleaning glue residue. When you remove window tint as much as possible, it is time to use a microfiber cloth and this product to remove the glue.

Goo Gone

You can use this well-known glue remover to clean leftover tint glue after removing window tint from your car. Unfortunately, this agent is useless in removing the tint itself.

Scrubbing

If you are patient enough, and the weather is warm and sunny, you can remove residue of glue with hot, soapy water. Soak the glue and clean the window with a car ice scraper.

Summary

If all these methods sound too complicated and dirty for you, you should hire a professional. Be prepared that the overall costs of professional window tint removal may vary depending on the size of the window. However, this way will save you a lot of time and hard work.