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Windshield wipers are one of the most important parts of your car. They allow you to see clearly when it’s raining, snowing, or sleeting outside so that you can drive safely. But what many people don’t realize is that if their windshield wipers are dirty, they won’t function properly and will leave streaks on the window. Here are 6 great ideas for cleaning your windshield wiper blades!
Best Cleaning Agents to Clean Your Windshield Wipers With!
1) Glass Cleaner
Windex Original glass cleaner works well for getting rid of any oils or dirt that might be left on your windshield wiper blades after wiping off oil or grease from your car. Make sure the surface is completely dry before moving on to the next step in order to avoid possible streaking. You can use a piece of paper towel or any soft cloth to apply the glass cleaner.
2) Mineral Spirits
Mineral spirits, sometimes called white spirits, can be used to clean your windshield wipers. They can be purchased at many hardware stores, grocery stores, some dollar stores, and of course over here at Amazon.
To use it on your windshield wipers, pour a small amount into an old water bottle or any other spray/squeeze bottle that you have around the house; you want enough inside the bottle so that you can thoroughly saturate your windshield wiper blades with it.
Spray them down good and then let them sit for a few minutes before you wipe the mineral spirits off with another rag or old t-shirt (make sure you don’t use a paper towel because they tend to leave lint behind).
As an alternative, you could also spray the mineral oil on a microfiber towel or an old rag, and then clean the wiper blade off.
3) WD-40
Here’s another great product that most people already have around their house. What you’ll need to do is spray the wiper blades down well with WD-40 and then let it sit for about 5 minutes before wiping the excess off.
It is my recommendation that if you are going to spray WD-40 directly onto your wiper blade you remove the blade first. This way you don’t accidentally spray WD-40 onto your windshield.
Afterward, just use a cloth/towel or even newspaper to wipe the blade dry. If there are any stubborn areas left over, try spraying them once more with some WD-40 and then simply wipe them clean again.
See below for detailed instructions on how to use WD-40 to clean your wiper blades.
4) Vinegar
What I like about using vinegar as an alternative to glass cleaner is that it leaves your windshield streak-free! All you need to do is mix equal parts white distilled vinegar and water in a spray bottle (I like to use old glass cleaner bottles) and then spray the wipers down, let them sit for 5 minutes, and wipe clean. So easy!
5) Toothpaste
What would you say if I told you that all you need to clean your windshield wiper blades with is toothpaste? It really works! What makes it such an effective solution is because toothpaste contains silica.
What this does is remove any fine lines or streaks on your windshield which reduces the number of times that you’ll have to clean your windshield wipers. What I suggest doing is squirting some toothpaste onto a rag or paper towel and then apply it directly to your blades.
What happens next is that the tiny burrs in your windshield wipers will start to work themselves against the toothpaste and create a gentle abrasion that gets rid of any stubborn dirt or grime. Once you’ve done this, simply wipe it all off with a dry old rag or paper towel and marvel at how clean they are!
6) Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is a great way to clean your windshield wipers and it’s something that most people already have at home. What you’ll need to do is spray down your wipers with the rubbing alcohol, let them sit for a few minutes, and then rinse with water.
What makes rubbing alcohol such a great cleaning agent is because it has an evaporating effect which dries off any remaining liquid or dirt quickly.
How Do I Clean My Windshield Wipers Properly?
Okay so now you know what you can use to clean your windshield wipers, how do you exactly do that? Well, it’s not rocket science.
Just follow the steps below and you should be fine. Just don’t bend the wiper arm back too far.
1) Lift up the windshield wipers or remove them
2) Soak a micro-fiber towel, shop cloth, rag, or paper towel with your cleaning solution of choice.
3) Wipe down the wiper blades. Make sure you get any large chunks of debris off the wiper blade.
4) Allow to dry and wipe again.
5) Lower the wiper blade.
As a bonus, I will throw in my wiper blade cleaning ninja hack. If you are not at home and need to clean your windshield wipers. You can use the squeegee at the gas station!
It doesn’t do as good a job, but if you are having trouble with your wipers streaking it will do in a pinch.
There you have it, easy as can be.
Will Rubbing Alcohol Hurt My Windshield Wipers?
No. Rubbing alcohol will not hurt your windshield wipers. What rubbing alcohol can do is remove any pesky oil dirt or debris left on the wiper blades which in turn reduces streaks on your windshield.
All you need to do is spray it down, let it dry for a few minutes, and set out the stubborn areas with a rag!
How do you clean windshield wiper blades with vinegar?
Vinegar is an everyday household item with many uses. What makes it great is that it is a good cleaning agent and it’s natural. So you don’t have to worry about exposing yourself to chemicals. Now, how do you use vinegar to clean your windshield wipers?
To clean windshield wipers using vinegar you’ll need to mix 1/4 cup of white distilled vinegar with a cup of water. Then spray the mixture onto your windshield wiper blades, allow them to sit for a few minutes, and wipe clean.
Follow the steps above on how to clean your windshield wipers, with the vinegar solution, and you are done.
See the clean window wiper youtube video link below:
How do you clean windshield wiper blades with wd40?
Alright so now you have used the other cleaning methods on your windshield wiper blades. Now you want to try something a little different, WD-40.
On a side note, I love WD 40, it has so many uses and you never know when you are going to need it. Turns out one of those uses is the cleaning and protecting of your windshield wipers.
Now really there is no difference in how you clean your wiper blades with WD 40 and these other cleaners. One thing you have to be mindful of though is you don’t want to get WD 40 on your windshield or on your car for that matter.
So spray the WD 40 directly onto a microfiber cloth and then wipe the blade down; if you are leaving the blade attached to your car.
If you are removing your wiper blade, then you could spray it directly onto the wipers and then wipe it off. That’s a lot of words to say try not to spray it on your car.
Personally, I would clean my blades with a cleaning agent first. I like to use Windex, and then use the WD 40. Almost like how you would apply wax after you wash your car.
Final Thoughts…
There you have it, six different cleaning agents, for your windshield wipers. I bet you didn’t think there were so many ways to clean your wiper blades.
Your wiper blades are such an important part of your car, that you want to take care of them.
Well-maintained wipers can last for over a year. However, at some point you will want to replace them, to make sure that your visibility is never affected.
I hope you found this useful, take care of your car and as always.
Safe travels…
Other Articles About Windshield Wipers
6 Most Annoying Windshield Wiper Problems & How To Fix Them
Should You Put Your Windshield Wipers Up When It Snows?
How To Turn Your Windshield Wipers On-2 Easy Steps, With Pictures
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