What products do you need?

• Ammonia-free auto glass cleaner
• Microfiber towel/cloth
• Plastic scraper or sharp, clean razor blade
• Adhesive remover
• Warm water

Clean or Dirty Windshield – Why is prepping your Windshield so Important.

Prepping your windshield is the first step (and one you don’t want to skip)! In Arizona, it is very common to have a fine layer of dust on our windshield at any given time and general windshield maintenance is so important to prevent damage to your windshield. However, before you start the process of decal removal, it is best to prep the surface of the windshield because it is much easier to work on a clean windshield rather than a dirty windshield. Simply spray the decal and surrounding area with ammonia-free glass cleaner and gently wipe down the area with a microfiber cloth to remove the dust and dirt that can scratch and damage your windshield. If you don’t have an ammonia-free glass cleaner, you could alternatively use a microfiber towel moistened with warm water instead. This creates a clean windshield surface to work on which makes the rest of the steps go smoothly.

Now that the Windshield is cleaned and prepped, what’s next?

• Step 1: Carefully remove as much of the washed decal as possible using your fingers. Don’t rush this step. Doing this carefully will hopefully increase your chances of keeping as much of the decal intact as possible. We’ve all been there. We were prepared to peel the sticker off in one fell swoop, but instead, watched in vain as the pieces kept coming off in smaller and more tattered pieces than the last. So frustrating!
• Step 2: Apply an adhesive remover (you can find many products at the store, but good ol’ rubbing alcohol can be effective too) on the remaining part of the decal and let it soak into the decal adhesive. Before the adhesive remover dries, proceed to Step 3!
• Step 3: The adhesive remover should have diminished the bond between the adhesive and windshield so that you can use a plastic scraper to easily peel the rest of the decal off. You do have an option to use a sharp, clean razor blade as well, but tread lightly here – razors are more likely to cause small scratches or damage the windshield surface.
• Step 4: Take that microfiber towel and dip it into warm water and make a final pass at washing the area where the decal originally was. This will help to remove any decal remnants and allow that clean, decal-free windshield to shine and sparkle!

And Ta-Da! Your Windshield is ready for round 2!

Now you have your original, shiny and clean windshield back! It’s another blank slate for you to decorate (if you want!) and make your own! But before you start adding new decals to your windshield, check for chips or cracks on your windshield! If you notice any chipped or cracked areas on your windshield, call us TODAY at (480) 283-7751 or get a quote here! Our technicians are the BEST IN TOWN and it would be our pleasure to make sure your windshield and ride are looking their best!