02/10/2026
Pro-Tip of the Week: Know Your Slip!
These days, slip solutions are no longer a “once size fits all” proposition. There are dozens of options, and your choice as to what to use can affect your installs greatly.
So, the question becomes, what should you use? And as much as we are fans of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”, it’s always a good idea to look at advances in product options.
Back in the day, you saw a lot of Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo, or even Dawn being used for automotive slip. On the architectural side, Joy Dishwashing Liquid was a go-to product.
And I’m quite sure that there are many dealers using those products still, and that’s fine.
However, it’s incredibly important to understand that these products change their formulations from time to time. And sometimes, not for the better of us as installers!
Here’s a real-world example…A few years back, we had a very large dealer that called us to complain. He told us that he was absolutely fed up with the “change” we had made to our adhesive. The film wouldn’t slide any longer. 5%, 15%, Carbon, Ceramic, it didn’t matter, and it wouldn’t slide on the glass. And it didn’t matter how much slip he put in.. He told us in very heated terms that he was going to find another supplier. There’s was only one problem, WE HAD NOT CHANGED THE ADHESIVE IN ANY WAY! He made that assumption because he “thought” that nothing else had changed in what he was doing. He was wrong.
You see, Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo had been found to have cancer causing ingredients in it, primarily formaldehyde. THEY had changed the formula, and as a result, the shampoo worked differently when used as a slip solution. When we suggested that dealer changed to a generic brand, the problem was solved. However, this dealer learned the hard way that some of the old standbys could change.
Remember, regardless of the brand of slip you use, if you notice something different in the way your film installs, the slip is the FIRST place you should look! This is especially true if you notice a difference in multiple VLT’s or series of films at the same time. Regardless of the brand, if different rolls are behaving differently at the same time, you’re probably experiencing a change in the manufacture of whatever product you are using as slip. How do we know?? Because the film rolls are manufactured weeks, and sometimes months apart. (It would be very strange for all of the rolls that you are using to have the same problem at the same time.)
One major concern with slip variation is adhesion. Shampoos and soaps have glycerin and lanolin in them to help keep hair and skin soft. There’s a problem with this: Both of these substances are designed to leave residue behind and can lower the adhesion to the glass. And there can be huge differences in the amount of glycerin and lanolin depending on a particular batch. You’ve probably experienced this yourself when you noticed that you have to add more slip than normal.
And this doesn’t mean you should stop using whatever you use for slip. But if you find that the same ole’-same ole’ is not getting it done, consider using a product designed exclusively for film.
After some extensive testing, we’ve started carrying Hella-Clean and Slip & Grip from Performance Solutions. Hella-Clean is fantastic for removing residue and hydro-phobic coatings. And Slip & Grip and can be used full strength as a gel, or as a slip solution. We’ve been impressed with both products.
