Window tint, is it possible to REMOVE it?

[DrJ]

and if so, is it easy and inexpensive?

[cory1000]

Let me google that for you

[craracer]

I've done it, but it was many years ago. I covered over-spray areas with towels and then sprayed ammonia on the tint. Then, I covered the tint with cellophane and let it sit in the sun.

Mine came off fairly easily, but did require some elbow grease to get the rest of the adhesive off the glass. A word of caution; the fumes can be rather choking.

[serpent]

Yes you can remove it, and yes it is relatively easy and inexpensive.

[DrJ]

Originally Posted by cory1000

Let me google that for you

[Vulcan Grey]

I just had to have all the tint on my car removed and replaced with new tint. I kept getting pulled over. Got two tickets in one week. The tint on my Acura DD was 4%.

Tint shop was able to remove it just fine, didn't hurt the antenna or defroster in the rear hatch glass.

[RENDERMAN]

Originally Posted by cory1000

Let me google that for you

+1

[Cthulhu]

Originally Posted by cory1000

Let me google that for you

hahahaha!

Don't use ammonia, use benzene or acetone. Organic solvents FTW, and they'll save your defroster lines. Plus, benzene doesn't REALLY give you cancer, that's just the surgeon general's and the state of California's way of oppressing organic chemists.

Seriously though, I'd use pure acetone over ammonia, you can get it at hardware stores. Acetone is practically a universal solvent for non-polar compounds. You can dissolve EVERYTHING in acetone, even small children and dogs.

Lighter fluid (napthalene) works VERY well for removing everything sticky (sticker residues, sticky threads on the forum, contact cement); so does acetone, but acetone has the tendency to evaporate very, very quickly due to its high vapor pressure. This would make it ok for dripping into the space between the tint and the window, but bad for removing a whole window worth of sticky residue.

BTW: Lighter fluid, or napthalene, is actually dibenzene. It's 2 benzenes stuck together... so while it can give you twice as much cancer (I don't know WHY it's the active ingredient in moth balls), it doesn't evaporate instantly like benzene, so you don't breathe it in. Oh, and ammonia fumes aren't exactly healthy, either.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

hahahaha!

Don't use ammonia, use benzene or acetone. Organic solvents FTW, and they'll save your defroster lines. Plus, benzene doesn't REALLY give you cancer, that's just the surgeon general's and the state of California's way of oppressing organic chemists.

Seriously though, I'd use pure acetone over ammonia, you can get it at hardware stores. Acetone is practically a universal solvent for non-polar compounds. You can dissolve EVERYTHING in acetone, even small children and dogs.

Lighter fluid (napthalene) works VERY well for removing everything sticky (sticker residues, sticky threads on the forum, contact cement); so does acetone, but acetone has the tendency to evaporate very, very quickly due to its high vapor pressure. This would make it ok for dripping into the space between the tint and the window, but bad for removing a whole window worth of sticky residue.

BTW: Lighter fluid, or napthalene, is actually dibenzene. It's 2 benzenes stuck together... so while it can give you twice as much cancer (I don't know WHY it's the active ingredient in moth balls), it doesn't evaporate instantly like benzene, so you don't breathe it in. Oh, and ammonia fumes aren't exactly healthy, either.

I was thinking about removing my 15% tint, but so far, Johnny Law has left me alone... two years and counting.

We tried to use acetone in an adhesive formulation we created, but we had to go with something stronger; it wouldn't dissolve one of our secret ingredients. I love MEK. Acetone is pretty poor for sensitive moisture-cured urethanes... too much moisture.

CA rots for chemical regs. So many of their regulations are based on something other than reality.

[Cthulhu]

Originally Posted by Cardinal

Acetone is pretty poor for sensitive moisture-cured urethanes... too much moisture.

CA rots for chemical regs. So many of their regulations are based on something other than reality.

Oh, cured urethanes... I would think acetone would at least let you peel it, no? Benzene will dissolve the **** outa that. Lighter fluid should work too.

and LOL... Benzene is a well known, potent carcinogen. Benzene gives the rat cancer, acetone dissolves the rat.

[Cardinal]

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

Oh, cured urethanes... I would think acetone would at least let you peel it, no? Benzene will dissolve the **** outa that. Lighter fluid should work too.

and LOL... Benzene is a well known, potent carcinogen. Benzene gives the rat cancer, acetone dissolves the rat.

I don't want acetone or anything else to peel our adhesives; we formulate them for a living. We make them to stick.

[Bane]

Why not just take it to a tint shop?

[Cthulhu]

...cuz solvents are more fun. Try methylethylketone, like that other dude said.

You can also splash some on your cheeks to cool off while you're doing it

[Vexige]

I did it myself several times. It is pretty easy: just liberally spray it with Windex, let it sit for few minutes and use the blade to remove the film, spraying more Windex on tough spots and using paper towel to remove residual glue. Some patients required. Now rear window with defogger is another story. I'd give it to a professional, but even they don't guarantee the results.

[DrJ]

Originally Posted by Vexige

I did it myself several times. It is pretty easy: just liberally spray it with Windex, let it sit for few minutes and use the blade to remove the film, spraying more Windex on tough spots and using paper towel to remove residual glue. Some patients required. Now rear window with defogger is another story. I'd give it to a professional, but even they don't guarantee the results.

How many patients exactly are required? And is the fact that all of them are young kids going to be a problem, or do I need to go steal patients from other departments that are over 18yoa?

[craracer]

I've made the same spelling mistake, but it was after spending long days with too many charts and reading too many dictations.

[Vexige]

Originally Posted by DrJ

How many patients exactly are required? And is the fact that all of them are young kids going to be a problem, or do I need to go steal patients from other departments that are over 18yoa?

Thanks for pointing it out. English is not my native language. I meant "patience" of course.

[ACE51]

man o man props to anyone thats used those crazy chemicals out there. I just took one side off (got the tint peeled, but didn't realize it left the layer of GLUE) using M.E.K. Man that stuff is strongggg to the nostrils. I'm going to try the heat/steamer method on the other window, sounds easier and might not eat away at the brain as much.

[DWebb]

no chemicals

very bad idea it makes things worse.

The best thing to use is dish soap with water in a spray bottle.

take a razor blade and loosed up an end.

Spray the soapy water behind and gently pull away.

If you haven't already locked it in with ammonia or some other strong solvent
it may just peel right off very easily, just keep chasing it with the soapy water.

spray---pull spray-----pull
rinse repeat.

[DrJ]

Originally Posted by Vexige

Thanks for pointing it out. English is not my native language. I meant "patience" of course.

I meant no offense.