How to clean tinted car windows

I recently got my windows tinted at SimpleCarz in Mountain View, CA and had SunTek Carbon Series window film put on. Since I live in California the tint on the driver and passenger windows had to meet legal specifications, transmitting 70% of the visible light, presumably so you can’t cheat on carpool lanes and so officers can see who’s driving more easily. All the rest of the windows got Carbon 55 which blocks more visible light and solar energy but allows the same ultraviolet to pass through (they all block 99% UV).

So now that I’ve invested over $300 into my new window tint I want to make sure they last! SunTek offers a limited lifetime warranty against fading, peeling, cracking, adhesive failure and delamination for as long as the original customer owns the vehicle, but you can still mess it up if you’re not careful. Specifically, I was told by the owner of SimpleCarz not to use anything with ammonia in it. He recommended using mild soapy water but I chose to use a new line of Windex called Nature’s Source which is 99% natural. I grew up using normal Windex but never liked the smell or burning eyes feeling I got when I used it. I’m happy to report the new Nature’s Source version smells great and isn’t harsh at all, though it still performs great.

Windex Nature’s Source uses plant based biodegradable cleaners and contains no ammonia, bleach, phosphorus or dyes. It hasn’t been tested on animals and is safe for use on plumbing or septic systems, glass, mirrors, chrome or stainless steel. So if you’re going to clean your car windows consider the following tips:

  • never use ammonia or bleach on tinted windows
  • mild soapy water works okay, some hard water can leave streaks or white residue
  • Windex Nature’s Source is a great cleaner that is environmentally friendly, ammonia free and won’t wreck your tint