HOW TO MAKE WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID THAT WON’T DAMAGE YOUR WINDSHIELD

Your car is your baby. It’s not unusual for you to want the best for it. But to give it the best sometimes you have to make it yourself. Windshield wiper fluid is an essential part of keeping your car at its best.

That’s why it’s not uncommon for people to make their own windshield wiper fluid. Mississauga auto glass professionals recommend that you make your own windshield wiper fluid rather than using the ones you can find in stores. This is due to the excessive amount of chemicals used in store-bought windshield wiper fluid. The chemicals I’m good for you nor are they good for your car. It may seem like a weird thing to make on your own, but considering that it’s possible to make almost anything at home, it really isn’t that far-fetched. Making your own windshield wiper fluid is easy to do out of household items and can save you a lot of money in the long run.

First, you want to get a clean empty jug to put all the ingredients for your windshield wiper fluid. You want to make sure that this jug can hold a little more than a gallon and you may need a funnel to make pouring easier. You’ll want to pour 12 cups of distilled water into the jug then add 4 cups of white vinegar. It is important to use white vinegar only because other vinegar can leave residue on your windshield. It also is a good idea to do this in cold weather because warm vinegar creates a foul odor. You’ll want to mix the water and the vinegar by shaking the jug.

It is possible for the mixture to freeze if the temperature in your area is below freezing so you’ll want to check and make sure it isn’t frozen before you put it in your car. To avoid freezing you want to add 1 cup of rubbing alcohol. This will prevent freezing while the mixture is in your car. If your winters aren’t as bad you can use 70% rubbing alcohol and if you get really cold winters, then you’ll want to use 99% instead. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, you can also use high proof vodka in place of it. Mississauga auto glass professionals recommend this method since it is highly accessible to the everyday car owner.

Another method to creating an at-home windshield wiper fluid is to combine dish soap and ammonia. You want to get a new clean jog and add 1 gallon of distilled water to it. Once again you can use a funnel if the rim of the container is too narrow and you want to make sure that your jug can hold over a gallon. Then you’ll want to take 1 tablespoon of dish soap and add it to the jug with the distilled water. You don’t want to use too much soap or your windshield wiper fluid will be too thick and won’t do its job correctly. It doesn’t necessarily matter what brand of dishwashing soap you use however you want to be mindful that the soap shouldn’t leave behind any residue or streaks when being used or that it foams up too much. Once you do this you’ll want to add half a cup of ammonia. Be careful when doing this because concentrated ammonia can be very dangerous. Make sure to wear gloves and it is best to do this outside where does well ventilated. Once you add all the ingredients into the jug you want to recap the container and shake it very well. Once this is complete you should be able to wipe the mixture on your windshield and not have any residue. If there isn’t any residue, it’s ready to be put in your car.

Both of these methods do not use any methanol which is extremely dangerous to you and your car in even the smallest amounts. Both of these methods are much healthier and much safer for you and for the environment which is why they are recommended rather than buying windshield wiper fluid. 

Understand Your Windshield

It’s important to explore the many different avenues associated with your windshield as it is a very imperative component of your vehicle. Do you know why windshields crack and what you should do as soon as this happens? Our North York auto glass experts will educate you in the next post.