Removing window tint without damaging defroster lines
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 18 ม.ค. 2025
- How to remove window tint and not damage defroster lines or leave adhesive residue.
Here's the steamer I used...
amzn.to/2RnG2C5
Music: Jason Shaw - Rocky Top
creativecommon...
Very detailed and informative video without all the wasted time talking about unimportant "topics." Thanks!
I watched several videos on this topic and yours was the best. You took your time, was able to not talk anymore than needed, and was able to truly show the importance of patience.
I'm happy to hear the video was helpful. This is definitely one project where you just can't rush it.
I love your narration of the process. Unlike many similar posts, you have a grasp of the English language and good grammar. Very clear instructions and great enunciation! So easy to follow.
Thank you very much. My back hatch film had been on since 1987, was completely clear and I despaired of ever removing it. Your video, a $15 steamer, and some denatured alcohol solved my problem in half an hour. Thanks!
Awesome! I'm happy to hear you had such good results. Thanks for watching!
That steamer is $98 now. Thanks Joe Biden. FJB
Definitely one of the best removal instructional vids that I've seen. Thank you!
dude - you saved me $$. a tint guy told me if he scraped the old tint, the defroster will stop working and I might as well just get a new rear window installed for $225. This time, I removed the tint myself and had it re-tinted. Thanks!
That's awesome! Very glad the video helped. I was in the same position. I was afraid that if I let a window tint person pull the old tint off it would ruin the defrost lines.
Tint shop re-tinted my rear glass under warranty. It had 3 tiny delamination bubbles. They DESTROYED all the defroster wires in my rear glass. I Wish I'd seen your video first.
Using the steam iron worked perfectly in removing the rear window 3M ceramic tint sheet, with no damage to the heat defroster lines. And I did not have an issue with any adhesive residue. Thanks so much for the video!!
That’s awesome. Glad the video helped!
Thank you for your video how not to damage the defogger & using acetone to remove sticky gums. Very helpful info. Thanks again.
Glad it was helpful!
Hi all, I just bought a second hand 2009 Mitsubishi Outlander. It failed on Road Worthy Certificate here in Victoria, Australia one of the reasons is the passenger and rear door being too dark. I watched this video and bought myself a fabric steamer and DYI the tint removal. I would say thanks a lot mate.
Awesome, glad the video was helpful!
Thank you again so much. I talked with my tire guy and he said basically the same thing. I just didn't want to put new tires on as these only have 2000 miles on them. If you ever post when you are going to have a track day, l would like to come and watch. It would be a nice drive for me, as I live in Raleigh. Thanks again for all of your help.
Awesome, greetings to another Raleigh person. Definitely try to get up to VIR if you can. It's a beautiful track. The big IMSA race is August 23-25 and is absolutely worth going to if you love to watch racing.
Awesome info, i need to remove tint from my rear window, estamites cost $175, that just to remove it,😣 additional $160 to have new tint put on, so nice to b able to find good information like this to b able to do things urself. Thank u! I will b tuning in
I just ordered a Wagner spray tech 915e on demand steamer. Hopefully I can manage to get my tint off myself. I live in Minnesota but my neighbor has a heated shop that he said I can leave in overnight to warm up the windows and stuff because I was told that it’s not smart to do if it’s freezing. Thank you for your informative video. Hope I can have the same results.
Everyone does a hatchback, what about the coupes that are almost impossible to get the far edges with 30 degree angles.
Yes, I have the same issue I'm looking for answer.
They do hatchbacks so they look professional. No one keeps their cool fighting tint back in those corners of a sedan or coupe.
@@blakehornal6129 i definitely agree. They do this to look like its sooooo easy, I dont feel that a hatchback should even be used in a tutorial. DO SOMETHING THATS ACTUALLY DIFFICULT
th-cam.com/video/6J8CIzHHUnE/w-d-xo.html
@@Jaymillz96ls or practical for that matter. Hardly nobody has a hatchback
Great job!! Lot better video on how to do this than I’ve seen on here! Need to do mine this spring
Thanks! I put off this project for a long time because I thought it was going to be much worse. But it turned out great. Thanks for watching and good luck on your project!
If you can't get a steamer for some reasons like me. You can use electric kettle. The steam when water boils will do just fine as well.
Brilliant!
I just had a tint guy tell me he'd charge me $100.00 to remove my bubbled rear tint and probably damage my heat coils. This I'm going to do slowly with my steamer myself. I'll let you know later on in a week or two how it turns out. Thank you!
I was in the exact same position. I figured if the tint shop was likely to damage the defrost lines, then I couldn't do any worse. And for the cost of a steamer and a couple hours of my time it ended up turning out perfect. Can't wait to hear about your success!!
Waiting for the results
Been 3 years. Did it work?
@Brian Gonzalez health issues and 2 surgeries has delayed it, but still going to do it. Will update soon.
@@momof4bostonsI hope you are doing well and that you have healed from your surgery, any updates on the film removal?
If your tint's old there will definitely be a lot of adhesive left behind no matter which method is used? I have steamers, heat gun, blow dryer, as well as all the chemicals recommended in various videos. The job takes patience and elbow grease no matter the method? Some defroster lines are adhered to the inside of the glass, some baked in the glass, so you'll need to be extra careful scrubbing around them. I used a narrow razor blade, Windex, and acetone to wipe stubborn, leftover adhesive. It worked for my 16yr. old tint, however I would have gladly paid someone to do it if I could trust them to not damage the defroster. Car makers really need a
better way to de-fog windows? Thanks for sharing!
Great way to finish the job and amazing explanation great man
Thanks for watching! 👍
Use the black bag in the sun to soften everything up, steam peel it off, don't worry about leaving glue on glass, none of mine came off with the film but Isopropyl Alcohol and/or Acetone dissolve it immediately, just a small area at a time regularly folding the paper towel otherwise you end up smearing the glue back on to the cleaned area, you'll get the hang of it, it's easy!!!
I just removed 12-year-old tint from my Chrysler 300C rear window. It was starting to get very hazy and separation bubbles were forming under the tint. This is when tint gets old and fails...(tint doesn't last forever, but quality tint should last about 10-years.) When tint is really old and gets to this symptomatic stage, the underlying adhesive has failed and is no longer holding on to the tint and/or the window. I used a McCollough steamer using the methods outlined in this video, and very slowly, meticulously, and patiently removed the rear window tint. This took about 30-minutes just to remove this one window's tint. It came off in one piece, and there was two spots where the tint started to separate the plastic film from the tinted film (as mentioned in the video), but I just stopped and hit that area with a concentrated blast of steam and it came loose and I continued. After successfully removing the tint in one sheet, I had a tremendous mess of adhesive still stuck to the window. I went back over the entire window with acetone and lint-free rags which dissolved the adhesive, but this took about 15-minutes of additional work, about 20-rags, and ½ can of acetone. The end result, the window is tint and adhesive-free, and there is no damage to the rear window defogger, no scrape or razor marks. Bottom-line, if you go to a tint shop to have them remove the old tint on your car and they charge you $100+, understand that it is a time-consuming task that takes a lot of patience and may require equipment and a skillset. Or, if you have a steamer and a couple hours to contortion yourself in the back seat of your car and reach over the back seat for an hour or so, you can do it yourself. Just NEVER use a razor/scraper on the glass, especially the rear-window/backlite if there is a defroster/antenna incorporated into the backlite. Though I was successful in getting every remnant of the old tint off without damaging anything, I will have a experienced professional retint the glass...I know my limits.
I agree completely, old tint can be extra difficult to remove. But the steam method really seams to do the trick if you're patient with it. Glad you had success removing your old tint! And thanks for watching!
Nice job...will use the steamer...
Great video! I'm going to try this. The tint place told me that they would have to scrape the old tint and it would remove the defrost lines.
Use Goof Off or Goo Gone for adhesive removal?
Great video, my C6 rear window is starting to bubble up and from the looks of it seems that you’ve demonstrated an easy way to remove it. I’ll give this a shot. Thanks
I was more than impressed with how well the steamer worked. Definitely give it a try!
Thank you so much for sharing with us this easy tips
I also wonder if you let it sit in the sun and get super hot, AND do the steamer 🤔
I happen to already own that same steamer. Definitely going to try this. My 8 year old bubbled tint has become a hazard to see through.
Take your time and I'm confident you'll have good results. Good luck on your project. Thanks for watching!
What kind of steamer is that?
Thanks for this video which saved me $150 to take off the old tint on my 2007 BMW 335i. My question is how do I scrap off the adhesive residue from corners of my rear windshield, since it's very a tight space. Your video shows a hatchback, which has the rear windshield attached to it and it is relatively easier to take off the residue as opposed to a BMW coupe which has the windshield attached to the body and not the trunk?
I would try the acetone or the vinegar like he stated. You could try it on a detailing swab or a gun cleaning swab. They look like oversized Qtips. Or even try using a cut up piece of a t-shirt on a paint stir stick. Anything that you could get in that corner that is still soft enough not to scratch the glass if it goes through the shirt.
Thank you!! This”seems” really easy. Hoping it goes well
Great how to video, Thank You!
Does this also work with a heat gun ?
Thanks for this.
Mike
Thanks for watching. Glad it was helpful.
@@ScrufsGarage Actually did it on a 89 Bronco II with steamer and worked well.
Mike
Nice saved my 60$ they were gonna charge me saying how it was super hard lol
Awesome, glad you were able to save some money doing it yourself!
I've heard you can get a hand-held steamer for clothes that may help the tint peel
Great idea!
Happy to share. Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the video, you method looks more cleaner and professional. I need to remove the one from car because when I activate the defroster I get some noise interference on the radio stations. I think it started basically after I tinted my car. If I disconnect the power cable from the defroster, the interference stops. Any input or advise will be highly appreciated.
Are white lines on the film after you pull it off normal or a sign the defroster lines are broken?
Thanks I'm going to try to do mine!!!
Hey Scruf - thanks for this. I have to do this with my Toyota Corolla 2005. To avoid water dripping, you think I can steam it from the outside, or do we need the steam to actually come in contact with the plastic in order to remove it? Thanks!
I wonder what brand steamer that is?
NICE . Well done, thank you!
Happy to share and thanks for watching!
Great video, thank you
I appreciate this video, for the price of a steamer and acetone I can do it myself and save some bucks
Will this work on newer tint that was applied a few months ago?
Thanks!!!!
Glad the video was helpful. Thanks for watching.
Thank you great video, how much was total cost?
Well for me it was free, since my wife already had a steamer that I could borrow. I put a link in the episode notes to the steamer I used since I know that one works. There are also cheaper steamers on amazon, though since I haven't used them I can't say how well they work.
I used the black bag and it worked great . Except there was another layer under that! And I'm going to try your steam method because nothing g else has worked
Thanks for the video!!!
Can you use this method on an Acura tsx that has 15 year old back glass film that has wrinkled
Tint came off my C6 hatchback (steam) with residue left. What solvent works better? Vinegar, Acetone, Ammonia, 50% 409 surface cleaner, L.A's Totally Awesome Cleaner, Goo-gone? Thank you for an awesome video.
Did you find out which works best?
How old was the tint you removed? I need to remove tint around a month old, concerned about defrost line damage.
The tint I removed was probably close to 10 years old; it was on the car before I got it.
Great stuff!! I have a used Acura TSX 2010. The rear window is tinted. Are the defroster lines on the outside or inside of the window? Is the tint always applied to the inside of the window? Thanks.
Glad the video was helpful. Typically both the defroster lines and the tint are both applied to the inside of the window. Good luck on your project!
Can use blow dryer dnt have steamer
Great video bud
Hi What did you use to get the adhesive glue that is not damage the liner??thank you.
Can I use the steamer I have to dewrinkle my clothes on the window? 😊
What steamer did you use, can you use any portable clothes steamer?
The steamer I used is linked in the episode notes.... amzn.to/2RnG2C5 I can't really say how well other steamers work as I only tried this one.
Can you achieve the same results if I were to use a heat gun?
I can't say for sure. Be very careful with a heat gun, you don't want to melt the tint; the temp can get very hot. The steam action helps to soften the tint and the glue. It works amazingly well.
Scruf's Garage thanks👍
It would seem that the only affect the steam is having on the adhesive is applying heat, since the adhesive is on the other side of the plastic sheeting. I'd bet you could also use a heat gun or a blow dryer and get the same effect.
no I used heat gun and all glue stayed on the side window then I used steamer and no glue on windows so yeah steamer is the best and easiest way to remove tint.
what was that you used to peel the corner to start taking off the tint
I believe it was just a plastic scraper tool. Nothing fancy.
Would a heat gun work as well? Do you need the moisture?
Conquer Driving I can’t say for sure, only tried it with the steamer. Heat gun might work, though you may have to monitor the heat. You want to soften the tint but not melt it. If you try it, post the results.
Thanks for the video, I actually have to do this job on my other car.
Definitely try using the steamer! I can't recommend it enough. I ended up not putting it into the video, but I practiced on the other windows using other methods (chemicals). Nothing came close to being as efficient as the steamer.
I have recently subscribed to your channel and really enjoy your videos. I also have a c5, and have a question for you. I am going to change wheels on my car and would like to know if I can install the larger zo6 wheels c6 model 17x9.5 front, and 18x10.5 rear without any problems or concerns. This combination would be for daily use, not anything to do with track use. Thanks for your help, and keep the videos coming.
I think you meant C5 Z06 wheels, which would be the 17x9.5 and 18x105/ (C6 Z06 wheels were larger). The C5 Z06 wheels will fit without any problems. A lot of track guys actually run the 18x10.5 rear wheels on the front so they can run a wider tire. But if yours is just a street car, then you'll be fine with the normal sizes.
Thank you for your help answering my question. I just needed to know that I could install 17x9.5 front wheels and 18x10.5 wheels on the rear, and you have answered that. One more question, will l be able to use my current tires mounted on my stock wheels, which are 1 inch narrower both front and rear? Thanks again. Looking forward to your next video.
Thanks Captain America! Just kidding, bro:) Your vid was very informative. Thank you for putting it out there...now I just have to buy a steamer!!!
Glad it was helpful and thanks for watching! I hope your tint removal project goes smoothly.
Thank you for your help. I guess I should have just ask if 17x9.5 and 18x10.5 would fit on my c5. I have one more question, will my tires that are mounted on my stock wheels, which are 1 inch narrower both front and rear, fit ok on the wider wheels. I assume they will, but I hate to assume anything. Thanks again. Looking forward to your next video.
Do you know specifically what size tires you currently have? Typically, if you're going wider on the wheels, then you would want to go wider on the tires also. So, if your stock rear tire size is the base C5 275 width, then putting that on a 10.5" wide rear wheel is really going to stretch that tire. It might technically fit, but a wider tire would probably look better. The stock z06 rear tire was a 295 I believe.
Hey man, I have a 10 day old tint (fresh new) do I have to go through this process or is am I safe just removing it without the extra steps ?
Better of this technique 😂
have you done very many? I have a 4-door sedan with the film on my back windshield... the film is so old, cracked, pealing, and dirty... I have a hard time seeing through it at any time day or night... can you help me?
My suggestion is to try the steamer and go slow. Old cracked tint will be a challenge no matter what. That's why tint shops charge to much to remove it.
@@ScrufsGarage thank you...
Wow I was looking this for my c6 vette lol
Thanks for watching! Good luck with your C6!
@@ScrufsGarage the back hatch tint is just breaking apart its killing Me. May just replace the whole damn hatch
Weird question! What type of hair product do you use, lol. I’ve been trying to get my hair to do something similar to how you have it styled
haha, actually not a weird question... my wife is a hair stylist. I use Bed Head for men by Tigi, the "Matte Separation" version. (it's more of a matte finish vs shiny). My wife has me try new products from time to time, but I keep going back to this as my favorite. amzn.to/2MggC4p
I think this is just working off heat? I'd assume a hair dryer would work too? But that's pretty loud so I'd prefer the steamer anyways lol
I can't say for sure if heat only would work as well. But I can definitely say the steam method worked awesome for me. If you try something different, definitely share the results.
James, NO - a hair dryer and/or heat gun will not work well! It can get TOO HOT and damage the glass and/or defroster grid, burn/melt the plastic tint, and possibly distort any factory coating on the OEM glass or the surrounding trim work. Steam applies at the right temperature to avoid these pitfalls.
Jeffrey Medved Did you try either a heat gun or a blow dryer to remove the rear tint? I watched few videos using a heat gun to remove window tints with great results. I just haven’t seen one use it for the rear.
@@ajleyco3264 Heat gun works fine, just put it at the lowest setting and don't let it sit in one place for too long. The glass should be very hot to the touch, but not burning you. Really old tint will break up regardless, but it's MUCH easier this way.
I just had my back hatch done on my 2006 hyundai tucson its factory 26% and I had 5% over that and now another 5% on top of that its bubbly n doesn't look good at all they said if they were to try to take it off it might possibly ruin my defrosted with the glue its only been on there the first layer for about a month and this last layer today so I can't see it being that sticky since its not totally dry
Can this be done in winter where the windows are very cold? My tint is flaking off in tiny bits. Haven't tried steaming yet.
A couple of things to consider. One, you don't want to temperature shock the glass (like throwing boiling water on a frozen windshield). Two, the tint needs to soften to become pliable and not peel off in tiny strips. So with that in mind, I would try to do it inside of a semi-heated garage or at least on a day when it's not freezing cold outside.
@@ScrufsGarage Thanks!
What brand is that steamer
Link to the steamer is also in the episode notes. amzn.to/2RnG2C5
nice, just wish you mentioned how many minutes you used the steamer.
can i use a heat gun
Read the comments. ...no.
Teach me how to fish!
Welcome to my channel. We teach tinting without disassembling doors and paneling thanks to the ClickBrace tool
This was my fear of damaging my defrost lines. Cause I hate the tint color on my car
Yea, I was in the same boat. My rear tint looked terrible but I was worried about destroying my defroster lines. I definitely recommend the steam method, it worked great for me!
Your video comes up in Google's AI search
I looked this up cuz i might need to remove rear window tint in my camaro
Your volume is too low.....
I did a driver side window today with a heat gun and the whole glass is covered with glue now 😖😖😖😖 tomorrow Ill try the passenger side with a steamer but I don't think that will change anything. And now I need to get rid of that glue somehow.
Just curious, did the steamer do any better for you vs the heat gun?
On windows without a grid, you can easily remove any residue by dowsing the window in glass cleaner, and scraping the window with a razor blade on a 45° angle. Super easy. Done it dozens of times working at a dealership.
@@matthewhaas1529 yuuup! easy peasy with that technique.
This only works if the tint that your removing is of decent quality. If it’s purple and bubbles up it will come off in little tiny pieces and layers no matter how hot you get it with a steamer and it’s a pain in the ass. I’ve been tinting windows for a long time and some window jobs are not even worth the time you would put into it
Been there done that & it's a pain. If it's like that I'll soak the tint with 3m adhesive remover for 20 mins at least. Then heat the outside with a heat gun. Then continue removing tint. It has worked for me a few times. You also can't be in the sun. You just can't win on some tint removals
what about the tint that gets trapped behind the third brake light on a car that is 10 years or older?
Are you able to take down the 3rd brake light? How did they install the tint there?
I have a dot matrix area of the glass with some glue residue baked in there. Steamer, chemicals...nothing works!
Just use soapy water and 000 or 0000 grade steel wool,it is super soft and wont scratch the glass.
@@gav6808 I had to use isopropyl water and 0000 to get that crap off. $500 later I have new tint man back in my day $100 would get you a 3M tint job. My day was back in 2003 yo lol
Use rubbing alcohol instead of acetone
Would be better if you could hear it. Maybe just my phone idk
Wow and no thanks, leave this one for a professional that's what I'm doing after seeing this.
Not as easy removing 17 year old window tint, it keeps tearing and leaving the adhesive.
Ugh, sorry to hear that. When it tears and leaves the adhesive, it makes it such a longer job. I'm not exactly sure how old my tint was. The car is a 2001, but I don't know exactly when the tint was put on. I'd guess it was at least 10+ years old. Good luck on your project; hang it in there!
I had a tint guy.. at a real deal tint shop chain.. tell me that removing the tint 'could' damage the defroster. He removed rhe tint and took a lot of the grid with it. About a month later.. i turned on the defroster out of habbit and seconds later my rear windshield exploded. I narrowd the cause to an overload to the part of the grid that was working but was not able to prove it get reimbursed. Shop attributed the break to my subs 😒
what's with the poor audio? Can't hear you at all. Going to find another channel I guess. Get a mic maybe?
I thought it was just me
GET SOME VOLUME