A very easy way to remove your tint (No Chemicals involved)

[sbihue]

With a 10 year old car, the tint was begining to peel. Couple of weeks ago, my kid grabbed one of the edges of the passanger side tint and pulled it. Lo & Behold, the tint came off but it was only the outer layer. The inner layer was stuck to the window. It made seeing through that window very hazy and driving dangerous. The tint was baked hard and would not even peel. I got a min quote of 60 bucks to get it off.

After doing some reading, I decided to give the following procedure a shot and it worked so so well:

1. Let the car sit in sun for 3-4 hours.

2. Got hold of a "Shark Steamer" (as seen on TV one) and applied steam from the inner side. I started from the top and used the exacto knife to lift the edge. Then gradually continued to apply steam, one area at a time. The tint separated very-very easily.

3. Cleaned up the whole window using acetone (from Home-Depot) and the window is now shining like a new one.

Took me approx 25 minutes for the whole thing

I am sure lot of you already know this, but I thought i would post it

Steve

[LunatiC]

Thanks for the tip Steve.

Did you do your rear window as well? If so, how did it go with the defrost lines, did you damage any?

[winfred]

theres a better way, soapy water in a spray bottle, sunshine and a big black trash bag is all you need, spray the tint and one side of the bag then stick the bag to the glass and close the car, leave in the sun for around a half hour (as long as the soap solution is wet it's ok and on the job but if it drys out the tint will restick, so don't leave it forever), you can then peel the tint off with little or no clean up, it takes the glue with it, rinse lather repeat :D

[indymdm]

can also grab a razor blade amd being careful not to scratch the glass just start peeling off

[winfred]

messy pain in the ass, leaves a lot of glue also not a option for a heated back glass


can also grab a razor blade amd being careful not to scratch the glass just start peeling off

[Digita1 Ecstasy]

winfred, does your method work for the rear window, some tard told me if they couldnt remove the tint because of the defrost coils, they'd have to get me a new window, which i didnt really buy.


The story that is

[winfred]

yep, if you have sun and can get the bag to stick it'll get it

[sbihue]

theres a better way, soapy water in a spray bottle, sunshine and a big black trash bag is all you need, spray the tint and one side of the bag then stick the bag to the glass and close the car, leave in the sun for around a half hour (as long as the soap solution is wet it's ok and on the job but if it drys out the tint will restick, so don't leave it forever), you can then peel the tint off with little or no clean up, it takes the glue with it, rinse lather repeat :D

I tried this method (after reading about it) but it did not work. I think it will work if you have the complete tint on the car (i mean both layers of the tint).
The outer layer peels off very easily. The problem is the inner one that is glued to the window

I was very skeptical before i tried it the steam option. Actually i was ready to take the car to a local tint shop tommorrow as the view through the glass was hazy.
This was so much easier and no mess at all. I guess with the steamer you probably dont even need to leave the car in the sun. I will try one of the rear passanger windows tommorrow without putting it in the sun and see how it goes.

[sbihue]

Thanks for the tip Steve.

Did you do your rear window as well? If so, how did it go with the defrost lines, did you damage any?

I havn't removed the tint from the rear window since its fine. But i think it is very doable.
All you need to do to begin is to be able to lift an edge of the tint. You can start at any place (between / away from the defroster lines) and then have enough tint off to be able to grab it with your fingers. To do this concentrate the steamer in a particular area and you will see the tint bubbling in that area. Use a exacto knife to cut through one of the bubbles, grab an edge and start working.
After that just keep the steamer in the area (and direction) where you want to remove and you will be surprized to see how easily it lifts off. If it sticks back, just steam it
The steam also takes care of a whole lot of residual glue. Rest of the glue can be removed using Acetone.

If you work slowly with patience, the tint will just LIFT off from the areas being steamed.

Having done it once, i am confident i can do the rear window in maybe an hour because of the defroster lines.

[winfred]

eh works for me, when i have time and am feeling charitable i detint them when i sell glass out of the yard, if it doesn't pull right off it didn't cook long enough


I tried this method (after reading about it) but it did not work. I think it will work if you have the complete tint on the car (i mean both parts of the tint).

I was very skeptical before i tried it. Actually i was ready to take the car to a local tint shop tommorrow as the view through the glass was hazy and just tried this for the heck of it. This was so much easier and no mess at all. I guess with the steamer you probably dont even need to leave the car in the sun.

[Jon K]

With a 10 year old car, the tint was begining to peel. Couple of weeks ago, my kid grabbed one of the edges of the passanger side tint and pulled it. Lo & Behold, the tint came off but it was only the outer layer. The inner layer was stuck to the window. It made seeing through that window very hazy and driving dangerous. The tint was baked hard and would not even peel. I got a min quote of 60 bucks to get it off.

After doing some reading, I decided to give the following procedure a shot and it worked so so well:

1. Let the car sit in sun for 3-4 hours.

2. Got hold of a "Shark Steamer" (as seen on TV one) and applied steam from the inner side. I started from the top and used the exacto knife to lift the edge. Then gradually continued to apply steam, one area at a time. The tint separated very-very easily.

3. Cleaned up the whole window using acetone (from Home-Depot) and the window is now shining like a new one.

Took me approx 25 minutes for the whole thing

I am sure lot of you already know this, but I thought i would post it

Steve

Even better way - find an E34 in the parking lot and swap doors. Seriously, when I got a tint ticket, myself an CerealKilla considered this. Show up at the police station with black doors on a green car - officer would never notice, he probably doesnt remember what color doors the car had. I WILL do this at some point in my life.

[indymdm]

bump razor blade it works i have done it three or four times all successfully