Window tint is cool and efficient when it lasts. Regardless of the tint quality, there comes a time when you have to get it off your windows. Age will start showing in the form of bubblers, tears, peels, and scratches. The best thing you can do at this point is to remove the old window tint and go for a replacement.
Luckily, removing old peeling tint is simpler than putting it on. After removing the tint, cleaning off any glue gunk shouldn’t be hard either – as long as you do it right using the correct procedure and products.
Easiest Way to Remove Window Tint
You won’t have to worry about residual window film glue if you start by removing the old tint properly. Here are the top procedures you should consider when DIYing a removal.
Thermal Treatment and Peeling
Applying heat to your tinted windows loosens the adhesive making it easier to peel off the tint or scrape away residual glue.
How to Use a Hairdryer or Heat Gun to Remove Window Tint Glue
Hairdryers and heat guns are easy to come by or cheap to buy if you don’t have any. Applying hot air from one of these tools to the film starting from the edge will make peeling and cleaning the gunk easier.
- Please turn on the heat gun or hair dryer to the highest heat setting and wait for it to start blowing hot air
- Hold it around two inches from the window and move it around on a small section to melt the glue
- Starting from the edge or corner of the window makes it easier to get a peel going.
- When the glue softens, pulling on the film will be easier. Keep heating as you go to soften the glue as you peel the film.
- Get a clean towel and rub any residual adhesive away. You can reapply the heat to soften the tint adhesive making it easier to remove
- Finish the job by washing with a window cleaner
Use a Steam Cleaner
A fabric steam cleaner is perhaps the fastest and cleanest way to remove window tint and residual glue.
If you have a steam cleaner lying around, you are in luck. If you don’t, you will have to move on and check out other heat treatment procedures.
A fabric steam cleaner can also help around the house and your car. You can use it to clean car upholstery, home upholstery, carpets even clothes.
- Get some gallons of distilled water ready for use in your handheld steamer or a bigger unit with a hose attachment.
- Use a garbage bag or old towels to protect the inside of your vehicle
- Apply the steam from the cleaner to the entire window at a go. It is hot and intense enough to soften all the adhesive on your tinted windows.
- Find the edge of the tint film at the edge of the window and pick it using a long fingernail or a utility knife.
- Start peeling it out gently but firmly while applying the steam, and try to remove it in big patches.
- Use a plastic scraper to remove any stuck adhesive or peeled-off piece of tint. These should be easy to get if you’ve applied enough steam.
Steam cleaners are the best and most convenient way to remove window tint glue. Most professionals use it. If you already have one or can secure a unit, I highly recommend trying it out before attempting any other solution.
Do the Solar Peel
If you live in a sunny place, you can get free heat by tapping into the sunlight. You can concentrate the sun’s heat onto your windows using some black plastic bags, some ammonia in a spray bottle, and soapy water in a spray bottle. Here is what to do:
- Get two black plastic bags and cut them into the exact shape of the window you want to clean up. Use multiple bags for big window sections. You want to cover the entire inside and outside surface of the window
- Spray the outside of the window with the soapy and carefully apply the cut to fit the plastic bag onto it. Smooth it out so that it is flat and sticks on with the soap
- Cover the inside surface of the car with old towels, some trash bags, or a tarp to protect it from the ammonia you will use to treat the inner side of the windows.
- Put on some protective gloves and a mask and then spray the inside of the window with the ammonia and quickly apply the other trash bag. Be fast. Ammonia evaporates faster than water.
- Let the window stay under the sunlight for like half an hour before removing the bags.
- Dig up a corner of the tint film and gently start peeling away. Spray on ammonia to keep things moist as you go
- Get a plastic scraper to remove leftovers after wetting them with ammonia again.
If you do the tint film removal right, you rarely worry about residual glue and gunk. However, if you ruin the operation or the tint peeled off by itself, you can use the following tricks to clean up window tint adhesive.
How to Remove Window Tint Glue With Tint Film Already Removed
Removing tint adhesive is a bit more labor-intensive since you’ll be doing spot treatments. You will need the correct chemicals and a couple of sharp plastic scrappers to get the job done.
How to Remove Window Tint Glue With Alchohol
Alcohol breaks down most adhesive bonds, making scraping the glue from your windows easier. My go-to solution is 90 percent isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol.)
- Put some of the rubbing alcohol onto a clean rug and use it to rub off small patches of tint glue firmly.
- If you are dealing with bigger patches, put the isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle, spread it onto the surface, and let it soak in before using a clean rug to clean up the mess.
Use rubbing alcohol outdoors or in a well-aerated garage to avoid breathing in many of its fumes as you work.
So, can you use rubbing alcohol to remove window tint glue? Absolutely yes. It is the best multipurpose chemical solution you can use to remove any glue residue on any surface, regardless of whether it’s from window tint or decals.
Some Heat and Scrubbing
Remember how we used heat guns, hairdryers, and a steamer to soften tint adhesive for a clean film removal?
You can still use the same heat to make it easier to scrape off the remaining tint adhesive. After applying the heat, use a plastic scraper to push the glue residue off the glass surface gently.
Alternatively, you can use hot soapy water to loosen the glue before scraping it off. Be careful. Hot water is harder to handle than the heat from a steamer or a hairdryer.
What is the Best Window Tint Adhesive Remover?
If you want to get the job done faster, you can skip home remedies and go straight to commercial adhesives tailormade to remove glue residue. So far, we have identified rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol) as the top easy-to-use product.
Other things to try out include:
Goo Gone
Goo Gone is a resilient, tested, and proven grease or glue remover that works wonders when cleaning up glue residue. You will have to remove the tint first before using goo gone to work on the remaining adhesive. Check it out here.
Gila FR200 Window Film Removal Kit
This professional-grade tint removal kit consists of a propriety solution to loosen and remove glue left after peeling tint film and a scrapper to make the removal process easier. Check it out here.
Plastic Razor Scraper Kits
For instance, if you have the solution, isopropyl alcohol, goo gone, or ammonia and just want a scrapper to make cleaning simpler, you can go for a set of plastic razors. They are sharp enough to pick off the glue but not hard enough to leave scratches on your car windows. You can get a set here.
Will Acetone Remove Tint Glue?
Yes. Acetone can remove tint glue, but it will need some elbow glue. Get some lint-free cloth and wet it with acetone before firmly scrubbing and rubbing the glue away.
Acetone is the active ingredient in nail polish remover. This means you can use a large can or nail polish remover to quickly remove small sections of window tint or decal glue residual.
Does WD-40 Remove Tint Glue?
Wd-40 is a very resilient lubricant-based cleaner with a wide range of uses in the garage. Chances are you already have a can lying around. Luckily, you can use it to loosen the glue before wiping it off with a clean rag.
- Spray the window spots with WD-40 and let it sit for around two minutes.
- Use a clean piece of cloth to rub away the glue residue
- Clean the window afterward since WD-40 leaves a greasy, slightly slippery residue thanks to its mild lubricating properties
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Will Vinegar Remove Window Tint Glue?
Yes. Vinegar can make cleaning window tint glue easier. While it won’t work magic like rubbing alcohol, goo gone, or acetone, it is still a good cleaner as long as you are not working on tough baked-on window film.
- Fill a spray bottle with vinegar and spray it onto the tint residue
- Cover the sprayed spot with a paper towel or tissue paper and spray more vinegar on the paper towel
- Let the power towel sit for around ten minutes before removing it
After this, use some soapy water and a plastic razor to remove the glue. It should be slightly easier to work than it would be without the vinegar treatment.