Window Tint Removal (1 Viewer)

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Nov 11, 2016
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Los Angeles, California
Hey Guys, what's the best way to chemically remove this adhesive leftover from really old window tint film? I've tried scraping it off with a razor blade and it's extremely tedious.

See pic below:

IMG_1172.jpeg
 
Steam could help.
 
Hot water and dishwashing liquid.

Good idea to get some tape across the bottom so you don't get all the crud flowing down into the door.
 
My go-to is WD-40 for this. Soak a rag and lay it on the goo, let is gradually penetrate. It will eventually release the adhesive as a snotty glob, that peels up rather easily with a single-edge razor. Just be careful not to scratch the glass. Then wipe down with GooGone, and then glass cleaner takes the WD-40 residue right off.
 
I used carburetor cleaner sprayed on a rag, but you have to be VERY careful to not get it on any of the plastic interior stuff because it WILL eat it. Ti does work faster than WD40.

Razor blade
Carb Cleaner on a rag to remove adhesive residue
WD40 to remove carb cleaner residue
Windex to remove WD40 residue

My front windows looked just like yours when I bought my truck. Could not even see out the front windows.
 
I've read, but not tried, that taking some 409 cleaner and spraying it on the glass then covering the inside with a black plastic bag and letting it sit in the sun will remove the tint film. May work on the left over glue too. Plan to try this this summer to get the old scratched up tint off.
 
Don't scrape it, you can scratch the glass. I used a heat gun to remove the film and then acetone and paper towels to remove the adhesive. It's pretty fast.
 
Turtle wax label and adhesive remover. plastic razor blade scrapper for the tough bits (can find on amazon, $6-10 for 100 pack).
 
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It is the ammonia that does the trick it is just hard to work with. I've tried the plastic bag routine with no luck. Spray a bit of ammonia on the tint, with a hear gun on the other side peel it of.
 
A dull razor blade scraper. Keep window wet with spray bottle of water. Keep glue /tint wet as you scrape it off.Old tint is the worst to remove.Ammonia to remove glue is the best I've used.
 
@BeachnCruiser is this process (amonia) done on OEM tint only? I've only used soapy water and razorblades. If you actually have done it (taken off OEM tint, the one on the second row and back), could you point me in the right direction?
 
@BeachnCruiser is this process (amonia) done on OEM tint only? I've only used soapy water and razorblades. If you actually have done it (taken off OEM tint, the one on the second row and back), could you point me in the right direction?
Yes, I have done this on my 91 FJ 80. I don't think it was factory tint because it was very dark. I did all of my windows this way. That tint was on there pretty good. probably very old. Make sure that when using the ammonia method, your work area is very well ventilated too. The vapors are killer, literally. It is definitely a two person operation.
 
I just go done removing the limo tint form mine last weekend. Windex and a razor blade is the way to go.

Also a heat gun can help with the removal of the actual tint.
 
I used ammonia-Windex & razors / rags for the side windows in my E30 BMW.

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A tip that I lucked into - I wore those white fabric gloves the palms are dipped in blue rubber.
You can really “push” gooey film around with those - so there’s my best “hadn’t seen it posted yet” -trick.

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To save the rear defroster, I did the soapy water & taped black trash bags in the summer.

Well, in WA that turned into me “helping“ -from the outside with a heatgun on lo, & still took 3 ‘sections’.

With the film removed (slid off easily), I then had to work those 3 sections again with soap-water & barrier to steam up the adhesive to get it ‘cloudy’ & loosened/pushed with those gloves & rags.

Then the ammonia - Windex & rags.

I re-hit the leftover smudges with WD-40, got them & re-re-cleaned with Windex.
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I pulled the door windows & the 1/4 glass - SO MUCH EASIER to work it on a horizontal surface.

RR window E30M3 glass is bonded - so I just had to show patience.
 
Just did the same this week. Heat gun on the outside by my son, peel and spray with windex too easy.
 
It is the ammonia that does the trick it is just hard to work with. I've tried the plastic bag routine with no luck. Spray a bit of ammonia on the tint, with a hear gun on the other side peel it of.

the ammonia works if you spray a lot of cheap ammonia containing glass cleaner on the tint + cover with a garbage bag cut in half (for single sheet) and get all the air bubbles out in between the tint and trash bag. Leave in direct sun for 30-60 min and come back and peel your tint right off in most cases. May take an additional application for extra stubborn tint adhesive.
 

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