Wipers Smearing - how to clean car windscreen/wiper blades?

Crabman

Hey Hey

I think this is my first post in the Old Style board (well it's definitely my first thread here!) so a big hello to everyone :hello:

I bought a new pair of wiper blades for my car (Bosch Super Plus) which have been on for, erm, 2 weeks now, but I notice they smear especially in the cold, unlike the blades which came with the car when new.

I'm not sure if this is the wipers just 'settling in' but as this doesn't seem normal for a premium brand like Bosch, I've given the screen a wipe over with concentrated screen wash as well as the wipers which improved things a little but not greatly.

So, if anyone has some tips they'd like to share on how I can get my windscreen clean and so stop the smearing, I'd be very very grateful :j

Crabster

Night-Owl_5

Hi, try wiping the blades with vinegar, this should help stop the smearing, haven't tried it myself but have read this is supposed to work

kathyd_2

Night-Owl wrote:

Hi, try wiping the blades with vinegar, this should help stop the smearing, haven't tried it myself but have read this is supposed to work

Yes, wiping the blades with vinegar does indeed work.

ethansmum

Stardrops!!! Its excellant for this - and use a microfibre cloth too

studentphil

Rubbing half a potatoe on the windsreen is meant to keep rain off it like these chemicals like rain away.

Crabman

Brilliant thanks! I'll give the wipers a wipe with vinegar and the screen too, though I'll dilute a bit with water (1:1 dilution?) :beer:

ethansmum - what are 'stardrops' - I thought these were the nice little sweets I used to get when I was a little crab...

studentphil - are you serious about rubbing potatoes?? I'm willing to give it a go... but not on my car! :rotfl:

annie123

stardrops is the wonder cleaner do a search on this forum, and you will be enlightened !!!! How did I ever get by without it. Still trying to find something it doesn't clean. :0)

hardpressed

A cut potato rubbed over the inside of a windscreen is supposed to stop it misting up, I've not tried it myself as I never think to do it till I out and the screen misted and the spuds are at home!

Crabman

So you rub the potato on the inside, then what, you just dry the screen with a cloth?

I'll give stardrops a whirl... watch out for an impressed crab...

studentphil

Crabman wrote:

So you rub the potato on the inside, then what, you just dry the screen with a cloth?

I'll give stardrops a whirl... watch out for an impressed crab...

You are meant to rub it on the outside and it is meant to make the rain water ruin off the screen easier, so you need the wipers less.

lil_me

Blades usually have scum on them from the factory/transporting/shop floor, try cleaning them first before you try tackling the window. Vinegar works usually but make sure you clean it off. Try changing your washer bottle fluid too, can become 'gunky' at this time of year especially I find with temperatures dropping and rising so much, I changed a bottle recently and the gewww *urgh!* it was awful what was in that bottle. I find a regular swoosh out with the hose does wonders, but you do get wet !