Winter vs Summer windshield washer fluid cleaning performance

[901Memphis]

I am noticing that my winter washer fluid seems to stink at cleaning gunk off the windshield even though it's in the 50-70F range
, am I the only one seeing this, because I bought 5 jugs of -30F fluid on clearance for 50 cents per jug but it's not cleaning so well. Does anyone else save it for the winter or should be just use it up now?

 

[Jooksing]

I would save it for the winter. But you rarely see snow or ICE in KY. It would not clean better during the summer, it just has glycol in it that lowers the freezing point.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

It may just be a bad brand.

 

[pandus13]

mix with diluted vinegar/windex?

 

[mrsilv04]

I buy the cheap $1.50 a gallon blue "winter blend -20F" stuff year-round (I just grabbed one of the last jugs they had, this past weekend). Most of it on the shelf was the "summer blend" +32F stuff.

I never have to worry about freezing up, and it cleans just fine, whenever.

 

[edwardh1]

summer stuff might be just blue colored water

 

[Wolf359]

Water cleans better. I usually just add water to the winter mix. When you buy the summer mix, you're basically buying water. I usually go to 50/50 water and windshield wash or as low as 80% water/20% windshield wash mix. Just in case there's still some left toward the end of the summer. I figure full strength by Sept should be strong enough to avoid freezing during the cold nights.

 

[Donald]

I use Prestone multi season or similar name. I figure if I fill with blue in the summer, come November my WW will be still mostly filled with blue and little room for orange deicer.

I do not use the WW a lot in the summer.

 

[RooflessVW]

I never use wipers unless it's raining.

All they do, no matter which fluid or wipers are installed, is smear goop around.

 

[Warstud]

Try a name brand. I use Rain-X all year around because I use it mostly in the winter.

 

[dogememe]

I use the blue O'Reilly one in all my vehicles, all the time. Here in the bay area in California I never have to worry about freezing. I tried Rain-X brand green stuff a couple times and really hated it - it left a weird film on the window that if using wipers at night would reflect the headlights of oncoming cars.

 

[ffhdriver]

Always used the -20 mixture year round. I get it at Walgreens

 

[hardcore302]

That bug grime one world's pretty well.

 

[Nyogtha]

Save it for no-bug season.

 

[supton]

Originally Posted By: ffhdriver
Always used the -20 mixture year round. I get it at Walgreens


Ditto. I'll stock up on a couple extra gallons in the winter months. I try not to buy summer stuff--used that once by accident in the wife's car, she was not pleased! easier to just keep the good stuff on hand.

I do tend to only use the washer in winter.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: Jooksing
I would save it for the winter. But you rarely see snow or ICE in KY. It would not clean better during the summer, it just has glycol in it that lowers the freezing point.


Hah you're kidding right? We just got snow early April.

We average around 20 days of snow per year but accumulation is usually only 20-25 inches per year so each time it's usually 1-3 inches but it's been heavy before.

 

[901Memphis]

I've never thought about adding water before, I got caught with summer fluid last September during an overnight freeze and it took forever to get it thawed since it was completely full I couldn't do anything.

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
I've never thought about adding water before


You run the risk of line freeze or a busted line if your in a cold climate.

 

[Kestas]

I switch seasonally with a thorough emptying before each switch. For summer I use water with a spritz of dishwashing liquid that is not blue.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
I never use wipers unless it's raining.

All they do, no matter which fluid or wipers are installed, is smear goop around.


I buy HUGE (half gallon?) bottle of "bubble blowing liquid" in the kids section at Dollar Tree for a buck.... makes 10-20 gallons of washer fluid

a few spoons of their cheap dish soap works well also... kills the "smears"