How to Remove Your Car's Window Tint

Removing bad window tint is not all that difficult. You will need a few household items and lots of time. If you are removing the tint from every window of your car, expect the job to take you from half a day to all day long.

One thing that will help loosen your old tint glue is the sun. Try to remove your tint on a warm sunny day. If you park the car outside with the old tint facing the sun, the glue will loosen much faster.

First, get all of your materials together. You won't want to go searching for tools in the middle of your work. You will need a tarp, a few large plastic/garbage bags, tape, Simple Green or ammonia, spray bottle, water, paper towels, Windex glass cleaner, soapy water mixture, fine grade of steel wool, and some razor blades. You will also need a flat head and Phillips head screwdriver.

Take the plastic garbage bag and place it on the outside of the back glass. Cut the bag to the approximate shape of the window. Now lay the tarp over your back seat and back dash to prevent them from getting wet. Spray the inside of the window with Simple Green or ammonia (Simple Green is not as strong and does not smell as bad as ammonia). Tape the plastic bag over the inside of the back window and park the car so the sun is shining down on this window. Let it soak for about an hour. The plastic bag keeps the ammonia from evaporating.

While you are waiting for the back window to dry you can work on the other windows that have tint that needs to be removed. They don't need to be soaked or covered with a bag. Spray them down with a soap and water mixture a few minutes before you start to strip the tint. Use a razor blade to start at the top of the window. Peel the tint down slowly. It will probably come off in a few pieces. For the remaining tint and glue, spray a little ammonia and use the steel wool to scrub it off. Wipe off the excess glue and ammonia with paper towels and clean with dry paper towels and window cleaner.

After you are done with the side windows, you can start on the back glass. When you start to remove the tint, leave the plastic bag in place and only lift it up in the area that you are removing the tint. (Caution: Do not use the razor blade on the actual window to scrape the glass. Most back windows have rear defrost strips and they can be damaged easily. If they are cut or nicked with a razor blade, that section will not work.) Start in a corner with a razor blade and try to peel the tint in one layer. If it looks like it is drying just spray some ammonia directly on the area. Once the tint has been removed the glue will still be on the window. For this you will need to spray more ammonia and scrub with fine grade steel wool. This will not scratch the glass. It will remove the glue more easily than a rag. After you use the steel wool, wipe the area with paper towels. Finally, use the window cleaner and paper towels to clean the glass like normal.