It’s time to get rid of that old window tint on your car. Perhaps it’s old, bubbling, scratched, or discolored … need we say more? It has to go. And why waste money taking your car to the shop when you can easily remove your window tint at home.
There are multiple ways to remove window tint, but after our research, we determined that using heat is the most effective and practical way to go about it. Using heat is easy and clean. Heat also will help you remove most of the window tint’s glue adhesive in the process.
How To Remove Window Tint In Three Easy Steps
First, you will need a heat gun or a powerful high heat hairdryer and a razor blade scraper tool with a sharp blade.
1. Find the edge of the window tint. Using the razor blade, pick at the edge of the tint until you can loosen an edge that is big enough for you to grab with your fingers. Corners are a good place to start. Be careful when using the razor blade so you don’t scratch the glass. Hold the razor close to the window and scrape at a low angle.
2. Apply heat to the tint that you want to remove. A heat gun will work best for this process, but a good hairdryer on the highest heat setting can work too. Hold your heat source about two inches away from the glass and apply the heat in circular motions. Do not hold the heat in one spot for too long, and only apply heat to the film you are about to pull away from the window.
3. Pull slowly while the window tint is warm. The tint should peel away easily. It should also remove most of the glue adhesive off of your car window as the tint film is peeled away. Do not pull off the film while it is cold, otherwise, you will be left with a sticky residue on your window. Continue working your way down or across your window, heating and peeling the tint as you go until you can pull the entire piece of window tint free.
How to Remove Window Tint
1. Find the edge of the window tint.
2. Apply heat to the tint that you want to remove.
3. Pull slowly while the window tint is warm.
Window Tint Removal Tips and Tricks
If all goes to plan following these three steps, your window tint should come off in a single sheet. However, we know that not everything goes as smoothly as you’d like when working on your car, so below are a few pointers on how to finish the process if the removal doesn’t exactly go to plan.
How to remove any sticky glue adhesive from your windows:
- Make sure your razor blade is new and sharp; an old or rusty razor blade will likely leave marks on your window.
- Use the razor blade at an angle and gently scrape the adhesive off of the glass. Again, be careful not to scratch the glass. The residue should come off on the razor blade, which you can periodically wipe clean until you are done.
- Once all the glue is gone, use a glass cleaner and a microfiber towel to clean the window. It should look as good as new!
How to remove window tint if it extends below the door panel or behind other trim pieces:
- Using the same method as above, apply heat on the film, focusing on where it tucks behind the door panel or trim piece.
- Slowly pull the tint upward while it is warm, carefully peeling the part below the trim up as you go.
- Do not pull the tint while it is cold. The film may tear, leaving a strip of tint stuck beneath the trim. If this happens, you may need to remove the door panel or trim piece to fully remove any remaining tint.
