How long to wait for tint to cure?

Kaidao

Member
I just got my windows tinted 35% all around yesterday. How long do I have to wait before the film cures so I can wash my car?
 
Well, obviously since the tint is on the inside of the window, don't wash the insides for a while. And only use a cleaning solution that is safe on tint (I like Stoner's). It's better if you leave your car outside during the drying process. You should be good after 5 days, if you had them tinted during the summer, it could be as little as 2 days.
 
I just got my windows tinted 35% all around yesterday. How long do I have to wait before the film cures so I can wash my car?
Depends on the disease the tint has. Just don't open the windows for three days.
 
Well, obviously since the tint is on the inside of the window, don't wash the insides for a while. And only use a cleaning solution that is safe on tint (I like Stoner's). It's better if you leave your car outside during the drying process. You should be good after 5 days, if you had them tinted during the summer, it could be as little as 2 days.

Hmm...well it's hard for me to wash my own car because of my location. I don't have a garage or driveway or anything, so I usually get it handwashed. So I'm not sure what kind of cleaning solution they use. But...also, it's not really summer here anymore. The weather's getting cooler and when I park at home, I usually park it in my apartment complex's garage. Do you think it would be safe to get my car washed, though? I'm pretty I can ask them to not wipe the inside of the windows.
 
3 to 5 days? WOW... I have never been told that long, EVER. I have seen tint applied and have had every car I own tinted (well over 10 vehicles) and have never had to wait nor been told to wait longer than 48 hours. I just had my 5 done in 45 degree weather and over cast for the week and didnt need to wait but the 2 days. I guess it doesnt hurt to go longer but what a pain.
 
any window cleaner WITHOUT ammonia is safe for tints, ammonia will turn them purple. and usually 2-3 days is more than enough time for them to dry, i got tints done on my previous car 5% all around and had to roll it down because i got pulled over that same night for them, and nothing happens..

i think its more of a safety precaution rather than itll actually mess up the tints
 
Alright well then...I got my tint done on Monday. I'll wait until Thursday to go get my car wash, and make sure that the cleaning solution they use for windows doesn't contain ammonia. Which I'm pretty sure it doesn't.
 
yeah most places done use it because of tinted cars.
i think like home based windex does, obviously,

but all automotive window wash doesn't contain it
 
window tint

dude washing your car dont have anything to do with your tint just dont roll down your windows and for cleaning inside on the windows dont use anything but water after 5 days i do window tints as a side job.
 
If the temp is above 85 then your golden 8 hours baking in the sun will do. If your below that and you live where the sun is not "strong" then I would say wait atleast 24hours. I used to tint and that was the golden rule, when in doubt 24 hours (min)..
 
I got mine tinted in sunny So Cal, and the temps were 90+, but I still waited 3 days. It is better to be safe than sorry.
 
And don't be concerned if your bubbles don't disappear in the 1st week - the better the tint, the longer it takes. Mine weren't completely gone until 3 weeks later, and that was with parking outside in Texas in the summer every day.
 
For those of you that rolled down or cleaned the inside of your newly tinted windows a day after and nothing went wrong, that's fine. No one said if you do then bad s*** is guaranteed to happen. It's just the shop's way of reducing liability and the chance of something bad happening. Honestly, if the wait is one day or three, it's no BFD either way. I got mine tinted on a Saturday in June, parked it outside all week, then when I drove it again the next weekend, it was all good. No skin off my teeth waiting a week.
 
Every one I've had done, I've engaged the window "kill" switch and put masking tape over the driver's side switches to remind me, "No, no, no!" I've gotten the "three-day warning" on all of 'em back to a '88 Chevy 1500.
 
Tint shop I have been using puts a pre-printed sticker over the window switches that says do not roll windows down for 24 hours. Very helpful!
 
Yeah Same here. They put it on the window switches too. Except when I took it off the passenger side, it left a nasty trail of sticky residue...nothing some adhesive remover couldn't fix though.
 
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