Today I was cleaning a residence in Arizona that has tint on the interior. When i finished the owner said I scratched his tinting. I am almost certain that i did not but am not 100% sure. I plan to pay for new tint, $400, but want to know how i can protect myself from this in the future?
Did you use anything abrasive on the interior tinted windows…(white scrubby pad, steel or bronze wool, scraper)
Also find out the age of the tint, it generally has a life of anywhere 10-15 years before it will start to disintegrate with even a strip washer if this is the case it was due to be replaced and is not your fault.
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One of my customers just got all of their interior windows tinted and the tint installer insisted that we clean them only with water and a rag, no soap, no washer and no squeegee. I clean tinted windows all the time with no issue but apparently he believes they can be damaged by a simple wash.
Maybe he should start paying for decent film. That’s ridiculous.
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With tinted windows I always walk through and check them really well before I wash them. On one job I had one scratch with the strip washer also. Of course it could have been something lodged in the washer. I did a job where the homeowner was super picky and really worried I would scratch the tint. I walk through and showed her all the scratches already in the tint (of course they never really look until you clean the windows) she never said a word after that. Probably the same case here, some tint as was mentioned scratches really easy and it was probably there before. They can just now see it because you cleaned all the trash and dirt off the window. Did he claim you scratched one or several?
Joe
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CYA, (cover your ass) Start having them sign a waiver, crappy films are made without the scratch resistant coating. Even the oldest films shouldnt scratch from a mop as long you didnt have crud stuck in it like bubba said above. And learn to film yourself!
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No. The only thing that could have scratched it was grit in my scrubber. Although it would’ve had to be a big piece of grit.
I had a customer out at the beaches last year whose windows had film on the outside, waterfront no less. I cleaned them twice last year, saturating the windows each time. When I call for the third cleaning he is telling me about how the film is scratched and what did I use to clean with. I tell him simply dish soap and water, a lot, and squeegee - normal accepted practice. I also reminded him of me telling him it was a bad idea to window tint the outside especially on a salt water waterfront home. His tint guy swears by it as some new product. I said he should contact his tint guy about this new product. Haven’t heard from him since.
Tint on the exterior!?? That’s going to get scratched up no matter what, just from the environment. He should have no complaint with you.
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Exterior film doesnt last long anywhere. Especially salt water areas. Its usually only 5-8 yr warranties. I do alot of it on storefronts in the bad hoods, security film to prevent break ins and graffiti. Other than that there isnt much reason to put on ext.
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I’m not by any means a window tinter. but wouldn’t you want to put the window tint inside instead of outside?
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I know, when he told me the first time I cleaned that the tint was on the outside, I thought some “tinter” had taken advantage of him. But, it is a real thing, and many folks in the area have done it. Personally, I wouldn’t. Not in the harsh environment of waterfront homes on the Gulf. Hell, even during lawn maintenance and all of that debris gets blown on it.
Exterior tint
I state up front that I am not responsible for scratched window tint and explain the way I clean with a soft scrubber and squeegee. I clean a multitude of windows with interior tint and so far no problems year after year. Exterior is just asking for scratches.
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Thats what I was thinking as my town is right on the water as well. The salt air eats away at everything over time.
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