Greasiness on window tint

[levander]

I was out yesterday doing some interior work on my car. Problem with the windows. There`s this greasy substance on the inside of the front passenger and rear window of my car.



The substance is completely clear and I can rub the substance around with my fingers. But when I follow that with window cleaner it just partially (like maybe 5%) cleans up the smudges and most of the greasy substance is still there, it`s just now where I moved it around to.



Anybody know how to clean that stuff?



It`s possible that I put that substance there while cleaning. It`s by far the most pronounced on the last two windows I did. Maybe something got on the towel and then I wiped it on? But, I don`t think so, this greasy gunk, where it is, it seems pretty heavy. Not just something casually wiped on. And I did switch to new towels as a towel would get dirty, probably went through 4 glass towels cleaning them. But, it`s possible I didn`t see this greasy clear substance, and kept using the towel even with that gunk on there.



And like I said, the gunk is on the inside of the window. The windows were tinted after market, and the inside is where the tint is.



Anybody know how to get this stuff off?



I did all the windows with OPC 3:1. Then where the gunk was, I tried going back over it with Stoner`s Invsible Glass. The Stoner`s didn`t do much better than the OPC had.

[Richard Grasa]

Not sure what the greasy substance could be, but I would try some Meg`s D120 glass cleaner diluted a little stronger than normal. I am amazed at how well that stuff cleans and it`s safe for tint.

If that doesn`t work, maybe some IPA? Though I don`t know if that would be safe for the tint.

[levander]

I just did a google search. Nothing on if IPA is tint-safe.



I may try D120, but it sounds like just another glass cleaner, and I`ve already tried 2 that are supposed to be good.



But, guess it wouldn`t hurt to try a third...

[Dan]

IPA should be ok on tint. Anything with Ammonia is bad for tint. On very trashed windows I lay a towel down on the trim and use lots of cleaner and a squeegee. If you use a rag, you end up smearing the stuff around. Speaking of trim, what are you using on your trim in your car? Some products "off-gas" and create that mess on the windows.

[levander]

Mmmm, still nervous about the IPA on the tint, but will probably try it on small spot now... Thanks Dan.



Don`t think I have a squeege lying around here, maybe I`ll buy one. Probably try the IPA first...



Not using anything on my trim. I`m learning this stuff from the ground up. I`ll probably get to that in the next few months... Don`t have unlimited time to play with this stuff unfortunately...

[Ron Ketcham]

Not so much as how or if IPA damages the tint.

Ammonia will "fog" the plastic tint film, and one more thing.

It is more that surfactants used in ammonia glass cleaners release the adhesive of the tint film.

Grumpy

[Phishy4]

I had that same gunk on my wife`s new subaru. It`s some sort of track grease for the windows I think, it would reappear after i rolled the window down and up again. Stuff was a PITA to get off, but Invisible glass did it after like 3 passes.

[lostdaytomorrow]

Try letting the Stoner`s IG aerosol dwell on the window for a good 30 seconds, and only wipe in one direction. I`d check the felt liner of the inside of the plastic door card where the window contacts it going up and down, and check it for a foreign substance.