How to Use Baby Powder to Tint Windows
Tinting windows is a practical way to decrease the amount of sun exposure to a car's interior. Baby powder by itself cannot be used to physically tint a window, but it can be used along with tinted film to make the tinting process easier. Tinted film must be shrunk to fit an exterior window's dimensions, and baby powder is used to secure proper sizing and shrinking of the film. The baby powder technique is not the only way to install exterior window tint--some cars require professional installation--but it can work for many models.
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Instructions
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Park the car in a shaded, well-lit area. Choose a day where the temperature will not exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit or be below freezing. Wash the exterior of the car to keep dust and dirt from contaminating the tinted film.
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Purchase legal tinted film. Choose tinted window film that does not exceed your state's requirements for window darkening. Determine which side of the tinted film the clear liner is on and which side has the adhesive by using a small piece of transparent tape to pull one corner of the film apart.
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Apply baby powder to the outside of the car window that you intend to tint. Put baby powder on a soft, dry cloth and coat the exterior of the window lightly, as if you had just blown a soft coating of powder evenly over the window's entire surface. Don't worry if a small amount of powder gets on the car.
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Lay the film on outside of the exterior glass on top of the baby powder. Position the tinting film so it lies evenly across the surface of the window. Do not separate the protective sheet from the adhesive sheet.
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Use a heat gun to begin shrinking the tinted film. Begin at the sides and work toward the center. Do not heat too large an area at once. According to Tintdude.com, it is best to heat in successive small areas, each about the size of a fingertip. This method prevents over-shrinking.
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Separate the two sheets of tint film. Peel the liner back and spray window tinting solution onto the adhesive film. Tintdude.com recommends spraying half of the film, and then laying the liner back over the tinting. Repeat with the other half. The window solution will help the tinting film adhere to the window.
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Use a squeegee on top of the secured tinted film to remove any excess window solution.
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Tips & Warnings
Avoid using more than a light dusting of baby powder. A thick covering of powder will reduce the window film's ability to retain a sufficient hold.
Never install window tinting on the front windshield--this is illegal in most states.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit reflections image by Furan from Fotolia.com
