Should the windshield wash formula be part of the selection process?

[Kira]

A follow-up.
Use the small yellow bottle of Rain-X and go through the toil of messaging it onto/into your windshield.
Lots of "rubbing in circles" is needed.
Then just use regular, blue, clear washer fluid.
Washer fluid with gunk in it is hazard fraught.

At work there were tons of guys who claimed Rain-X was gummy and clogged washer jets.
None of them did it right. Open a jug and pour?, sure.
Actually spend an hour rubbing a windshield hard? No way.

 

[opus1]

I've never had washer fluid bottles leak on me and I've had some with a lot of tenure on the shelf. Of course now that I've said that, the ones I do have will probably start. I accumulated a lot of the extra-strength winter formula because I had personal business in Wisconsin that took me there during the sloppy parts of winter so I was going through a lot of bottles. I like a clean windshield. Then the travel stopped and I had a surplus that I've almost whittled-down.

I have had a washer container on a car start leaking, but I suspect that was due to me not getting the summer formula completely drained before the temps dropped.

As always, YMMV.

 

[thastinger]

Yeah, that happens. The methanol eats the plastic seam. Its not an issue in your car washer res because they are made from PTFE plastic.

 

[Hall]

This is definitely common with water bottlers, flavored liquids (iced tea, etc) too.

There is no way that it is true. No way are these two functions under one roof.

In my line of work, we deal with food and beverage producers, including water bottlers and they make them in house. My colleagues have seen this in process and have even been given preforms as a novelty from the operations people.

 

[Hall]

Use the small yellow bottle of Rain-X and go through the toil of messaging it onto/into your windshield.

I've never been impressed with the pre-mixed RainX but maybe because I've always used the yellow bottle stuff that you have to apply like wax. I don't follow the directions exactly like they say either. I take the bottle in one hand and a towel in the other and pour/squirt it on half the windshield and wipe it in circles gently until it's covered, then repeat on the other side. Then I walk away. After it turns into a haze, I just use a damp paper towel to wipe it off.

 

[f355spider]

Put the Rain X bottles in one of your many plastic storage totes.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Currently, my vehicles have minimal exposure to sub freeze temperatures. Starting to wonder if I should migrate to summer formula

Why use a winter formula if not needed?

The 32F formula they sell here is awful at everything. Might as well use water.

I order the 0F blue stuff last time based on all the complaints here on RainX, However I used the rainX stuff for years in my Nissan's without any issues at all.

 

[Nukeman7]

Yeah, that happens. The methanol eats the plastic seam. Its not an issue in your car washer res because they are made from PTFE plastic.

I'm pretty certain that windshield washer fluid reservoirs are made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), not PTFE. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is commonly known as Teflon which is normally used as a non-stick, high temperature coating.

I believe the retail containers of windshield washer fluid are gallon bottles that are also made of Polyethylene; however, some may not be high density PE. In @GON's purple Rain-X situation, I also suspect the bottom seams are poorly molded and become compromised with age. I currently have three perfectly intact bottles of the orange Rain-X washer fluid that were purchased before the pandemic.

I just checked the bottom of the orange Rain-X washer fluid bottles and my 91% isopropanol bottles. Both are embossed with the #2 recycle triangle & the letters HDPE. Here are the recycle codes for various types of plastic retail containers.

 

[tburke]

The interesting thing here in TX is, stores "legally" cannot sell anything exceeding a certain mount of methanol... so 0°F is the lowest temperature rating you can typically find on the shelves here.

I found a store selling Splash-brand purple stuff rated at -30°, so bought a case and start adding it to the cars around this time of year.

Either way, with summer or winter formulas, I add 20mL of Nextzett Kristall Klar to the gallon jug, to doctor up the solution. Probably unnecessary, but it's reasonably cheap and smells nice.

 

[50yr Street Mech]

I 'm currently fortunate enough to have a climate controlled garage. Never had a leaking Rain-Ex de-icer yet, and the jug has been on the shelf for years. Only used in the dead of winter here in NY. Other than that, I use -20 degree blue bottle stuff for the rest of the year. Could that be a reason ? Temperature fluctuations in cheap jugs ? On the other hand, I've had 1- 5qt jug of motor oil leak., out of the 12 jugs on the shelf. I believe it's in the manufacturing process of these jugs. Some are better, some are just junk.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Why use a winter formula if not needed?

https://www.amazon.com/nextzett-92100815-Kristall-Washer-Fluid/dp/B001NZFCRW?th=1

https://www.wurthusa.com/Chemical-P...Windshield-Cleaner-1-08Fl-Oz-Bottle/p/0892333

https://www.p21s.com/portfolio/windshield-wash-booster/


Also not unlike avoiding paying for half a jug of water, like with premix antifreeze.

because the summer formula smells like fart

The alcohol kills that stuff

 

[Japanese]

Here are the recycle codes for various types of plastic retail containers.

I think the images on 3 and 4 are inverted?
They don't match the description. The bottles and jugs under 4 should be PVC and the wraps should be Low-Density Polyethylene.
What do you think?

 

[andrew_j]

Why do have so many containers of fluid? Do you forget about the 7 at home. My wife who is minimalist would kill me

 

[Nukeman7]

I think the images on 3 and 4 are inverted?
They don't match the description. The bottles and jugs under 4 should be PVC and the wraps should be Low-Density Polyethylene.
What do you think?

You seem to be right on those images being inverted. I'm not certain what the images shown under 3 represent (looks like a carton/box and a roll of plastic sheeting)?

 

[shortyb]

Since you like to stockpile the Rain-X, why don't you get one of those VP Racing jug deals? (3) 5.5g jugs and a battery powered dispenser pump. Get all the Rain-X you want and transfer it into one, or two, or all three, of the big, thick-walled jugs. Use the dispenser pump to fill the reservoirs. Easy peasy, not more leaky.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/VP-Racin...e0e6be89b8621d664146d6521341c5b2&gclsrc=3p.ds

FWIW, I alternate between the Nexzett Klar and P21S. We get a few freezing temps and have never had a freeze-up of washer fluid with distilled and the concentrate. If it became an issue, I'd just throw some IPA (not my beer!) in the res.

 

[#18FAN]

Flip the bottle over that is being used it will indicate what was used it is all HDPE

 

[MParr]

because the summer formula smells like fart

The alcohol kills that stuff

It smells awful! I only buy the -20F blue stuff.

 

[Mainia]

Years back in Minnesota I noticed my purple window wash (for coldest winter) was freezing in the nozzles were they never happened but the coldest of cold days. All our trucks at work were freezing up. I called the semi-local famous window wash fluid company, it went from -35 spec ( which meant -25 in real life) to -25 ( which meant -15). Sure enough I looked at old bottles at home hidden on the self and the advertised rating was raised 10 deg to -25 from -35. The manufacture said they got new government mandated rules to reduce methanol percentage from the obama admin. I told him this can't be, as I and all my trucks are driving around with frozen nozzles and we are a hazard on the road. The manufacture said use the fluid from our spray on window de-icer and add it to the window wash tank to get it to not freeze, as the government did not call that out YET. That had a very high ratio still. If I recall that was the last year of that admin, and the other one was moving in the next winter and it was not a problem after that. I don't know if the O admin called it back or the new admin caught the issue and pulled the enviro mandate because of safety issues.

 

[Hall]

Why do have so many containers of fluid?

'cause they were $1

 

[Carmudgeon]

Great question. Two reasons. (1) Occasionally it gets below freezing where we live -- reduces risk even if minimal, (2) I buy fluid on clearance at end of season, I paid one dollar per gallon for these rain ex containers of fluid.

Fair enough. But it seems like a low risk. I'd be more worried about rolling around on the wrong tires in those situations.

because the summer formula smells like fart

The alcohol kills that stuff

I've only used the 1Z and Würth concentrate, but neither smell like poop. 1Z makes it a point to give their products a lemony scent, so it smells nice.

I once found a empty bottle of winter concentrate after the remaining contents completely evaporated, so it's not something I'm encouraged to horde.