Gunk in windscreen washer

warwick_hunt_2

Hi all!

Yesterday my rear washer nozzle blocked up completely, after poking it with a pin, some water did trickle out.

In this water was what looked like tiny pieces of black mould/algae.

After much poking and attempted squirting, I finally got it working as normal.

I'm assuming all this gunge will still be lurking in the pipework, just waiting to block the nozzle again.

Is there anything I can add to my screenwash mixture (tap water and Halfords -20C Original Double Concentrate) to kill and flush this stuff out (Bleach/Water Sterilising Tablets/TCP)?

Thanks in advance!

Strider590

Obviously it's been filled only with water for quite some time and as you correctly assume it's mold/mould.

All you can do is fill up with screen wash and keep unblocking it until it's clear. It'd help if you filled with HOT (not boiling) water and flushed it through, but by now I suspect you'd have to syphon out the new contents first.

I wouldn't recommend using anything with degreasing properties (household cleaners), for this may damage the washer pumps and seals.

warwick_hunt_2

Thanks for the replying.

The thing is, I've had the car for 14 months and in that time it's always had screenwash added to water, never just plain water.

Would a water purification tablet help kill anything nasty lurking?

Crabman

I've heard of people using a Milton sterilising solution in the washer tank overnight to address a bad smell from the washer fluid (as Strider says, the tank will need emptying first).

mikey72

Anything you add could discolour the paintwork.

Can you get to the jet to disconnect the pipe?

If you can, I would suggest puriclean

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won't damage anything, but you will have to pump it through to kill off whatever is in the pipes.

If you can't, you should be ok so long as you don't leave it on the paint, try hosing it off constantly.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

some wash bottle are easy to access and remove. my one is as the access hole for the lights in the wheel arch reveals it clearly and not even held on by bolts either, it slots onto the hanger with a rubber insert. i remove mine and then take it indoor to be steralised with some milton solution even though some purfumed screen wash smells nice once it dry's with the wash bottle being empty over night in the summer warmth they smell to high heaven, adding more just tinges the smell of any new screen wash in there over time can create mold if just water is added to a screenwasher bottle.

pipes become blocked with the mold jetted into the pipe from the pump. easy way to clean is like others have said get the wash bottle drained and cleaned out, then fill with hot but not boiling water and give the jets a good squirt refilling a few times if need be.

odnt use detergeants or like someone did and use engine degreaser acts like a paint stripper it took me a good few days to clean up the panels affected and prep the repaint the whole car.