Tinted windows are preferred because of many reasons. One of them is the sense of privacy they create and the sleek design they offer. They are both practical and appealing to the eye. That’s why they can be often seen as part of cars.
Tinted glass windows offer better UV rays filtration than standard car windows which makes them a good choice for protecting the upholstery and plastics of your car from the sun’s damaging effect.
It doesn’t matter what type of windows you have, transparent or tinted, all types of windows also need regular and proper cleaning to ensure the aesthetic appearance of your property as well as your health. And it’s important to clean them both on the exterior and the interior.
If you want to have flawlessly clean tinted windows, then you need to apply a special cleaning method for them.
But you should know that tinted windows cannot be cleaned in the same way as standard windows. The process of cleaning tinted windows has its specifics and there are a couple of things we need to know to do it the right way.
If you want to learn how to clean the exterior of your tinted windows, this article is for you. We will give you some useful advice about how to clean your tinted windows in a safe and effective way.
What is specific about tinted windows?
It’s important to know that tinted and non-tinted glass windows have different features and they should be cleaned in different ways and with different products. Choosing the wrong cleaning method or cleaning product for your tinted windows may leave them with cracks or peeled-off zones.
Tinted windows consist of a thin film that contains a flexible polymer and they are mostly applied to car windows. There are three main types of tint film-dyed tinted film, metalized window tint film, ceramic window tint film.
Cleaning tinted windows isn’t complex, but you need to have the right cleaning supplies and products to do it effectively and safely. Tinted windows need special cleaning to last a long time and keep their good appearance.
What to use to clean tinted windows?
Some of the basic cleaning tools you need to clean tinted windows are soft, dry cloth, microfiber cloth, mild glass cleaner, clean water, and a squeegee with a rubber blade.
Not all commercial glass cleaners are suitable for cleaning tinted windows. Stay away from abrasive cleaning solutions and baking soda, commercial cleaning products for windows and floors that are not designed for tinted windows.
The best cleaning product for such windows is a glass cleaner with a mild formula that cleans effectively dirt, dust, and mud off the surface of tinted windows.
Good glass cleaners designed for tint film get rid of different types of dirt without creating damage on the glass surface.
When looking for a cleaning product for tinted windows avoid phosphate or ammonia-based cleaners as their formulas are strong and can damage not only the tinting film of tinted windows but also the glass. Ammonia-based formulas also have a whitening and drying effect on tinted films.
Ph-neutral dishwashing liquids and baby soaps can do a good job in cleaning tinted glass windows as their formulas are both effective and gentle. Some of the DIY cleaning solutions for tinted windows you can use are soapy water, vinegar solution, and diluted methylated spirit.
Using window scraping tools, scouring pads, scrubbing brushes and sponges, steel wool, and all types of abrasive cleaning tools for cleaning tinted windows is not a good idea as they can be harsh on tinted film surfaces.
Even newspapers, paper towels, feather dusters, rags, or old T-shirts are also not a good option for tint film cleaning.The best option for cleaning tinted windows is to use a soft microfiber cloth.
How to Clean Tinted Windows?
Cleaning tinted windows on the exterior
Step 1
Use a soft and dry cloth to remove accumulated dirt debris from the surface of your tinted windows. By doing this you will be able to clean the large dirt pieces and prepare the tinted surface for the next cleaning steps. Besides, this first step will help you prevent those large dirt particles from creating scratches on the tinted windows after using a hose to rinse the windows.
Step 2
Apply a glass cleaner on the tinted windows in the form of spray and let it soak for a while so that the product works on the dirt.
Get a soft microfiber cloth and remove the dirt from the tinted surface. Clean with the cloth vertically and then horizontally. You can opt for a squeegee with a rubber blade instead. It can help you clean quickly and effectively and save you the need to clean separately small areas with dirt on your tinted windows
Step 3
Get the second microfiber towel and wipe the tinted window surface until it’s fully dry. Repeat steps 2 and 3 if you see that there is still some dirt left on the tinted window surface.
Cleaning tinted windows from the inside
The cleaning process for interior tinted windows is pretty much the same as this for exterior tinted windows.
If you want to clean your tinted windows on the interior, you should not use a cleaning product, only clean water. Just like the case of exterior tinted films commercial glass cleaners are harmful to interior tinted films too as they lead to deformities and peel-offs.
It’s recommended to use a wet paper towel or washcloth and clean with them in a vertical direction. When you are cleaning tinted windows on the interior, you should move the washcloth/towel in the direction of the tinted film’s edge. If you do it in the opposite direction, you may damage the tint film and make it peel off.
If you notice that air bubbles start to appear on different spots of the tinted film, you can wrap a credit card into a paper towel and use it to get rid of them. Work with careful movements and try not to stretch the tinted film too much and tear it.
Additional tips about cleaning tinted windows
When picking a place for washing tinted windows of a car it’s recommended to choose a shady area because the sun makes cleaning solutions dry quickly which decreases their effect and as a result, the cleaning won’t bring the desired results.
If you have newly installed tinted windows, it’s recommended to wait at least 30 days before cleaning them. Also before starting to clean the exterior of your tinted windows make sure that the entire car is washed first.
