Windscreen wash, what do you put in yours?

scudster

I'm wondering what people put in their windscreen wash bottles and what works best. I heard a small amount of vinegar is good but I never tried it. What about diluted Isopropyl alcohol? It would help defrost the windows on these frosty mornings. What concentration would be safe?
Please let me know.

AMurphy

In Summer "WURT", from Wurt Irl Ltd, Limerick.

In winter, any premixed cleaner that does not freeze in Tahoe.

Concentration and contents, no idea, it's premixed.

ando

any recommendations for a nice smelling one? I got a 2litre bottle of windscreen washer, I taught it was a bargain but then I realized why it was so cheap. It smells like stale urine

Big Nelly

I just buy the stuff out of Tesco....works well for me! costs about 2 euro a bottle!!

Hagar

I use very small amount of washing up liquid from under the sink.
It's a hell of a lot cheaper than the stuff in the car shops.
It usually smells good and seems to cut through the road grease without leaving smears.

Sleipnir

Milk.

el tel

Hagar wrote:

I use very small amount of washing up liquid from under the sink.
It's a hell of a lot cheaper than the stuff in the car shops.
It usually smells good and seems to cut through the road grease without leaving smears.

Be careful you don't use too much washing up liquid as it is salt-based so can be very severe on paintwork. It probably dosen't have great anti-freezing properties either. You can buy litres of proper windscreen wash from the likes of Eurocarparts and GSF for very little money.

5500

Hagar wrote:

I use very small amount of washing up liquid from under the sink.
It's a hell of a lot cheaper than the stuff in the car shops.
It usually smells good and seems to cut through the road grease without leaving smears.

Does the liquid not leave streaks from the wipers on your window?
Halfrauds are doing a decent deal at the minute,a gallon of windscreen washer for 7euro and you get another free so thats 2 gallons for 7e.

It smells strongly of alcohol so that should cure your problem ando!

HelterSkelter

Got a 5 litre bottle in Roches Stores for €5. Works well enough. I think Clearex (spelling?) is the best though, comes in sachets. Only ever got it in petrol stations though and at €1 a sachet is a total rip-off.

ambro25

For a 5L tank,

* A bit of washing up liquid (Fairy, about a table spoon)
* A bit of vinegar (White, about a table spoon)
* A bit of anti-freeze (from October onwards - Generic, about half a litre)
* A bit of essence of apple (for fragrance, about a table spoon, )
* Top up with tap water.

And a most marvellous result it is.

Big Nelly

eireal wrote:

Does the liquid not leave streaks from the wipers on your window?

YES.....Washing up liquid is brutal on windows!! put it in ages ago on my older cars and ended up emptying it out of the tan!! for the cost of the proper stuff it is worth it in the long run

5500

ambro25 wrote:

For a 5L tank,

* A bit of anti-freeze (from October onwards - Generic, about half a litre)
it is.

I could be totally wrong but i thought anti freeze can damage paintwork?

Gandhi

My friend used to put poitin in his. We'd be driving along and there'd be a savage smell of drink suddenly. God help him if he was ever pulled over right after washing the windows. Kept the windows clean, though.

demac

AutoExpress.co.uk recommend Comma Xstream Screen Wash. This is priced at £3.49 for 1 litre.

Here's the link but you may have to be registered to view

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product_test/45215/screen_washes.html

Plenty of other products tested there too.

alanlouthzzr

I've found Holts One Shot to be the best, though its quite expensive, but, if you're buying stuff which is rubbish, why bother at all.

VeVeX

demac wrote:

AutoExpress.co.uk recommend Comma Xstream Screen Wash. This is priced at £3.49 for 1 litre.

Here's the link but you may have to be registered to view

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product_test/45215/screen_washes.html

Plenty of other products tested there too.

You can get 250ml Comma sw in dunnes & tescos. The bigger ones are to be got in Atlantic / Woodies and most auto factors etc.

Remember when buying fluid at this time of year to check it has anti freeze. Some screenwashes are only for summer use.

Supercell

What am I missing here?..this is to squirt the outside of the windscreen..how does smell enter the equation, honestly don't get it ?

Rabies

I use some industrail heavy duty degreaser. Only need about an egg cup full. No more greasy windows

Big Balls

I have a VW and I buy the screen wash off VW. It's E1.47 and to me that is cheaper than ANYTHING you can buy. Surprising really..

Sleipnir

That RainX stuff is the business. You practically don't need wipers, nevermind washer!

el tel

Sleipnir wrote:

That RainX stuff is the business. You practically don't need wipers, nevermind washer!

RainX is good stuff but it is essentially just isopropyl alcohol which is found in many anti-bacterial disinfectant wipes. What RainX charge for a small bottle would pay for gallons of isopropyl alcohol. Ghandi mentioned using poitin and similarly I've used Tequila and a clean rag to really effectively remove smears from windscreens.

ando

Longfield wrote:

What am I missing here?..this is to squirt the outside of the windscreen..how does smell enter the equation, honestly don't get it ?

I get the smell in my car, van and I used to get it in my old focus. You dont get a hint of a smell? U must have the internal wind cycle button engaged or something

pred racer

whatever is on display in the garage when I fill the tank:)

stringy

The washers on the left give a really good spray and hit the window, the one on the right (when bottle is full) sprays the top of the window and misses half of it. As the bottle empties it squirts out a minimal amount while the other washer still performs. Any ideas or suggestions?

ambro25

eireal wrote:

I could be totally wrong but i thought anti freeze can damage paintwork?

Don't know

... and don't particularly care, as I never once had any paintwork issues, and I've been putting anti-freeze (not a lot - check the amount in my post :rolleyes:) in screen wash for the last 15 years, sooo...

stringy wrote:

The washers on the left give a really good spray and hit the window, the one on the right (when bottle is full) sprays the top of the window and misses half of it. As the bottle empties it squirts out a minimal amount while the other washer still performs. Any ideas or suggestions?

Use a sturdy needle (big, but not knitting :rolleyes:), insert end (not too far) in nozzle and move/orient the nozzle, try spray at rest (should hit mid-windscreen), and repeat/adjust if needed. Careful not to push any crap into the tube as you insert needle (e.g. remnants of polish and what not).

Turner

Just use plain water myself, does the job 100%.

CJhaughey

Chief--- wrote:

Just use plain water myself, does the job 100%.

Nope Water is no good when the nasty road film attaches itself molecularly to the glass:)
You also will have a problem when the temperature (like now) falls below zero.
I am currently using Lidl screenwash 5 litres for €5.00 with lots of alcohol in it for antifreeze properties.
I used to use Flash liquid with a little Methanol added for antifreeze.
In summer I use the Bottles that you squeeze and the top fills to measure the amount whose name escapes me:rolleyes:

scudster

What concentration of of alcohol to water would be safe?