Screenwash?

LyndsM

Hello!

My OH seems to get through bottles and bottles of screenwash for some reason - he is filling up the thing at least once a week and even so always has a few days where the car is plaintively bleeping at him to add more.
(it's not leaking either, but OH is a tad compulsive, cleaning-wise... :rolleyes: )

What can we use that doesn't cost a fortune (and more to the point doesn't mean stopping in petrol stations/halfords and finding yet more things to spend money on!)
I know washing-up liquid damages paintwork (as well as being stupidly frothy, I would imagine!) so wouldn't even attempt that, but don't know what is actually safe to put in the screenwash thing ... and that also works...

(As a lifelong pedestrian, I am pretty clueless about all this...)

Thank you.....!

Lynds

squeaky

In the Cleaning section of the MEGA Index sticky at the top of the forum - listed under "cars" you'll find everything you ever wanted to know about screen washes

Badgergal

Just as an anecdote - my boyf seemed to get through a lot of screenwash in my car. And it was all smeary when he used it. I figured out what was happening...

Turns out he thought you filled the entire reservoir with screenwash, not just added it to the water! I know more about cars than he does...

LyndsM

Thanks Squeaky -
unfortunately the MEGA list suggests washing-up liquid, which I know is very bad for paintwork (especially red) and it always splashes over, even though it's only supposed to spray onto the windscreen, or vinegar, but there seems to be some concern about what vinegar will do...

I reckon vinegar is ok if used for cleaning it by hand, but does anyone know if that will perish the tubes it needs to come through when it's been added to the screenwash bottle inside the bonnet?

Anyone have more suggestions for a *harmless* screenwash additive? I'm sure the blue stuff wasn't always around... there must be some OS way...?

Badgergal - ha ha I checked already!! (I know him too well... )

Badgergal

Well I get my screenwash from the 99p shop...maybe you could try that...

bonvonnie

we usually pick up a couple of the 5ltr tubs of ready to use screen wash, when they on BOGOF from Halfords.

Katgoddess

I seem to make do just with water in my car during the summer months. It's only when the grit is on the road screen wash helps.

There are two types of screenwash available. Concentrated, and ready mixed with the water already in it. Maybe he's using the wrong one? And putting/not putting water in it?

Saw a 98p savers bottle of screenwash in Asda today.

Morrisons do a 69p bottle for 500ml, and a 100ml of super concentrated stuff for 99p that is suppost to be enough for 1 tank with the water. They also do bigger more economical bottles during the winter.

Wilkinsons also do cheaper bottles.

I take it your husband is driving through lots of muddy country lanes...

poppy10_2

I'm using rather a lot of screenwash this winter, surely there must be some home made alternative? I know you're not supposed to use washing up liquid...

lil_me

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=799391#post799391

Try that thread.

I usually just water it down a lot more personally and wash with vinegar when cleaning the car.

squeaky

Hi,

I've just merged the two threads together to help keep the answers in one place.

HTH

johnswimcat

Hi, there was a report on BBC news a few months ago saying that one in five cases of Legionnaires' Disease is now thought to be caught from the mist from screenwashing which enters the passenger compartment of a vehicle through the ventilation system but ONLY WHEN WATER ONLY HAS BEEN USED WITHOUT SCREENWASH. Apparently the heat from the engine warms the water in the screenwash reservoir and provides an ideal environment for the bug to multiply but adding a commercial screenwash kills the organism. And no I don't work for the screenwash manufacturers and I too think the stuff is ridiculously expensive. I try to use as short a burst as possible to reduce the cost. John