Windscreen Wipers 'Smuding' the Windscreen

**Damien** · 07-12-2009, 17:12

Title says it all really. Well almost.

When it rains and I use the windscreen wipers it tends to smudge the screen and, at night, this makes it quite difficult as the light reflects and blurs off the screen.

Do I need to replace the wipers or?

martyh · 07-12-2009, 17:15

clean your wiper blades with vinegar or very weak solvent and change the brand of screen wash as some do leave streaks

Gary L · 07-12-2009, 17:18

Clean/degrease the windscreen. I'd change the wipers anyway for the new load of weather.

**Damien** · 07-12-2009, 17:24

How/Where did you change them?

**Kymmy** · 07-12-2009, 17:28

Halfords will do it all for you, but there are lots of other places that either sell the rubber only (pain in the backside to replace) or full system that are made to measure and just click on/off extremely easy

Before that though try MartyH's vinegar (glass cleaner..etc..) trick, put some on a cloth and rub up/downthe rubber and then clean the glass to remove all traces of the oil that you get from road spray

**Rob** · 07-12-2009, 17:33

Sometimes you get a thin film on the glass. Often the case if you use car washes that include waxing.

Try cleaning the windscreen with a vinegar based solution, as indicated above. I dunno how but drying with old newspaper is good for really cutting through the surface film and polishing up the glass.

Taf · 07-12-2009, 18:12

You can buy windscreen wiper sharpeners (no I'm not kidding) but it's usually easier to swap the blades (a 2 minute job) and keep them clean (as others said, vinegar or alcohol will do this).

Diesel exhausts seem to cause a lot of windscreen filth too... and that needs a good cleaner to get it all off.

I use a product similar to Rain X to keep my windscreen sparkling.

http://www2.westfalia.net/shops/car_..._sharpener.htm

idi banashapan · 07-12-2009, 18:14

clean your windscreen with washing up liquid, followed by a clean with something like windowlene. then apply something like 'rain x' (turtle do the same thing) to the windscreen (and any other windows if you wish - I do all of mine). it's also recommended that you change your windscreen wipers each autumn, so do this too. if they are still under a year old, just wipe them with vinegar, as already stated. works a treat.

**Damien** · 07-12-2009, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bender

clean your windscreen with washing up liquid, followed by a clean with something like windowlene. then apply something like 'rain x' (turtle do the same thing) to the windscreen (and any other windows if you wish - I do all of mine). it's also recommended that you change your windscreen wipers each autumn, so do this too. if they are still under a year old, just wipe them with vinegar, as already stated. works a treat.

These are years old

---------- Post added at 18:53 ---------- Previous post was at 18:47 ----------

These look the kind of thing:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165620

I take i'ld need two? Are they easy to fit?

martyh · 07-12-2009, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damien

These are years old

---------- Post added at 18:53 ---------- Previous post was at 18:47 ----------

These look the kind of thing:

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...egoryId_165620

I take i'ld need two? Are they easy to fit?

as easy as changing a light bulb
but do remember that they are Lh/rh so just match up the new blade with the one already fitted before removal

Flyboy · 07-12-2009, 19:22

Using an acid it will corrode the rubber. An ammonia such as beach would be far better.

Damien, I think it is best to change the wipers AND replace the solution in your washer bottle. You seem to have picked some grease along the way and no amount of cleaning the blade will fully get rid of it.

idi banashapan · 07-12-2009, 19:31

halfords list the kits in an easy to read booklet infront of the blades in the shop. you simply select your car model and pick up the relevant coded box of wipers - job done.

Flyboy · 07-12-2009, 19:50

They'll even fit them for you, if you are prepared to book four weeks in advance.

**Damien** · 07-12-2009, 22:28

Cheers! If they are easy to fit I might as well do it myself! And clean the windscreen in the manor described by Bender. I shall do so at weekend and hopefully it will all go ok. Not sure if I should bother with the back windows since it's already pretty hard to see out of them when it's dark and raining anyway.

---------- Post added at 22:28 ---------- Previous post was at 22:25 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyboy

Using an acid it will corrode the rubber. An ammonia such as beach would be far better.

Damien, I think it is best to change the wipers AND replace the solution in your washer bottle. You seem to have picked some grease along the way and no amount of cleaning the blade will fully get rid of it.

You mean the actual water/cleaner that the car will spray onto the windscreen? Why would I need to change it? What if it's already quite full? Any products you would recommend?

Flyboy · 07-12-2009, 22:46

Yep, the actual water/cleaner for the windscreen. It could be that the washer solution has become contaminated in some way and will need to be replaced. You could either remove the bottle and empty it, or put a hose pipe into the bottle filler and just flush it empty.

Do not use washing up liquid. This contains, amongst other things, salt and other corrosive chemicals and will not only damage your wiper blades again, but also your paint work etc. I can't say whether any particular make is better than any other, but I would recommend that you use a branded solution, if anything else, for piece of mind.