How to Remove the Window Film?
To stage your home for selling, you need to let sun comes in and brighten your spaces. If you have window film that blocks the light or darken the view, you may consider removing the film from the windows.
Q: How to remove the window film?
A: There are two types of adhesive systems used on the films. The first one is the pressure sensitive type that is used on automotive films, which is very tacky and semi-dry type of adhesive.
The second type is the dry type of adhesive that the adhesive bond to the glass. In this case you need to remove the film (top layer) and then scrape off the adhesive with razor blade. The longer the film has been on the glass, the harder to remove it.
Security films and privacy films are opaque and pressure sensitive type. They stay on well without braking down.
Instructions for removing the pressure sensitive type of film:
You need the following items:
- Full strength ammonia
- A 32oz spray bottle (to spray the ammonia)
- Single edge razor blade in a scraper handle (available at home improvement or paint stores). You need several to use fresh blades.
- Saran wrap plastic or a sheet of plastic to cover the entire window (large plastic trash bags that has been opened to form one flat layer)
- Windex to wash the glass after removing the film and adhesive
- Paper towels to dry and buff the glass
- Mask, protective clothing, eye protection, protective plastic sheets to cover furniture, carpet, etc., and good ventilation. (Ammonia is very strong. Do not breathe the ammonia)
- If you are removing the film from rear window of your car, use fine steel wool (0000) instead of razor blades, to eliminate the damage to the defroster lines on your car's rear window.
Heated window works best. If the sun is heating up the window, it is a good time to apply this instruction. You need to know that the most window films have two layers. If you remove the top layer, the bottom layer will become flaky and difficult to remove. In order to come around this, you need to soften the adhesive, so you can peel off the two film layers at the same time. In order to soften the adhesive, follows the steps below:
- Step 1- Spray ammonia on the glass to soak it well. Cover the glass with saran wrap or plastic sheet. You need to re-spray again as it evaporates. Leave the plastic sheet on the glass for at least one hour, or until the adhesive is soften. Do not let ammonia to dry out. Otherwise the adhesive will get hard again. Re-spray ammonia on the film, as it is needed, before and during the peel off.
- Step 2- When the adhesive is soften, peel back only a section of the plastic sheet at a time to keep the moisture in. Spray a little more ammonia to keep the film moist.
- Step 3- Now try to peel off the film with the razor blade in one piece. You need to make sure that the film is covered with ammonia, and not dried out, at all time during the removal period.
- Step 4- After removing the entire film and adhesive, clean the glass with Windex and paper towels.