Does It Matter What Windshield Wiper Fluid To Use?
If you think that picking up the best windshield washer fluid doesn’t matter much, I hope this review will help you change your mind. It doesn’t matter if your driving a Tesla, Range Rover, Mercedes or a Honda, make sure your take into account a few factors when picking the best windshield wiper fluid.
Windshield wiper fluids might seem like simple products that many car owners don’t even bother to give a second thought to. For most of them the whole process revolves around just popping the hood, locating the tank, removing the lid and pouring in whatever fluid they have handy until the fill line is reached. You might be guilty of this, too.
But in case you haven’t realized, picking up the best windshield wiper fluid is important, especially during colder weather, when it’s crucial to keep the windshield clean. If your not careful some fluids like an leave a hazy coating over time. Make sure you choose the right product for high-quality fluids that maintain clarity and visibility.
Table of Contents
- Does It Matter What Windshield Wiper Fluid To Use?
- Which Windshield Washer Fluid Is Best?
- Wrapping Up
What Kind of Windshield Fluid do I Need?
The type of windshield washer fluid you need depends on your local weather conditions. If you experience cold winters, choose a winter formula with a lower freeze point and methanol to prevent freezing and effectively clean salt and slush. For hot summers, a summer formula designed to remove bug splatter and tree sap is ideal. All-season fluids offer a balance for moderate climates but may not perform as well in extreme temperatures. Using the right fluid ensures clear visibility and protects your windshield year-round.
Winter Fluids
Freeze Points and Cleaning Agents
Winter windshield washer fluids are formulated with methanol to lower the freezing point, ensuring the fluid doesn’t freeze in the reservoir or on your windshield during cold weather. Methanol is also a powerful cleaning agent, effective in removing winter road grime and slush.
Anti-Fog and Anti-Ice Properties
These fluids often include anti-fog and anti-ice ingredients, providing clear visibility even in the harshest winter conditions. They also avoid saline solutions that can damage your windshield.
Summer Fluids
Bug Removal and Cleaning Efficiency
Summer windshield washer fluids are designed to tackle bugs, pollen, and other summer-specific debris. These fluids typically contain stronger detergents to efficiently clean bug splatter and tree sap.
Cost Efficiency
Summer fluids are generally cheaper and more effective at removing bugs than winter formulas. However, you might need to switch to winter fluids as temperatures drop.
All-Season Fluids
Versatility and Convenience
All-season windshield washer fluids strike a balance between winter and summer formulations. They are convenient as you don’t need to switch fluids between seasons, although they may not perform as well as season-specific fluids.
Dilution and Versatility
You can use winter fluid diluted for summer use, which can be more cost-effective and ensures you’re prepared if you forget to switch before winter hits.
Freeze Points and Cleaning Agents
Winter Temperatures
Winter-specific fluids have lower freezing points to withstand cold climates. Using summer fluids in winter can result in freezing, reducing visibility and potentially damaging the washer system.
Methanol for Cleaning
Methanol in winter fluids helps clean road slush and salt, providing clear visibility even during severe snowstorms.
Bugs and Summer Cleaning
Efficiency in Bug Removal
Summer fluids are specially formulated to break down and remove bug residue effectively. Although slightly more expensive than winter fluids, they can be diluted for better cost efficiency.
Why Not Use Winter Fluid Year-Round?
While winter fluids can be used year-round, they are slightly more expensive and may not clean bugs as effectively as summer fluids. However, they prevent freezing issues if you forget to switch fluids before winter.
Which Windshield Washer Fluid Is Best?
When the time comes to top up your car’s reservoir, there are lots of brands, and many types of windshield washer fluids available on the market, but not all of them are created equally. If you want to make sure that your vehicle’s windshields are working at their best capacity, before buying a cleaning fluid you need to take into consideration the climate challenges of the area you live in, your driving pattern, and the places you drive to.
1. Prestone AS658 Deluxe 2-in-1 Windshield Washer Fluid
If you are passionate about road trips like me, and your journeys take through different climate areas, Prestone As 658 Deluxe could be your ideal choice of windshield washer.
I discovered Prestone at the beginning of the year when my last wiper fluid completely froze up on me during a ski trip to Aspen. After using AS658 Deluxe for almost a year now, I can say that I am very satisfied with the high quality of this washer fluid, and how well it performs to keep the windshield clean. Although a bit more expensive than other similar pre mixed products on the market, Prestone is easy to use, doesn’t need to be mixed with water, and is very efficient at cleaning bugs, bird droppings and dirt off the windshield. And the best part is that you can use it all throughout the entire year, no matter the weather, or how cold it gets. So if you are asking yourself “What is the best windshield washer fluid for winter?”, I would definitely say this one!
Overall, I couldn’t find any fault with Prestone AS658 Deluxe 2-in-1, which is why I am rating it a 10 out of 10.
2. Rain-X Windshield Washer Fluid
“Is rain x washer fluid good?” is a question I receive often from people trying to decide among the different types of windshield washer products available today, so I decided to include it in this review.
Rain-X Windshield Washer is an all-season product that I have been using on and off for the past 5 years. After so many years you might think that I like this windshield washer a lot. Well, I do! For me this is one of the best windshield washer fluids money can buy. And most of the people I recommend it to were also very pleased with its performance.
What I like most about the Rain-X is that it’s a very versatile product, which works good at pretty much everything. It cleans the windshield very well, is streak free, removes bugs, road grime, salt, light snow and frost, and keeps its performance even at temperatures below 20 degrees. And all this at a very reasonable price.
I am rating this product a 9 out of 10.
3. Nextzett 92100815 Kristall Klar Washer Fluid 1:200 Concentrate
Nextzett 92100815 Kristall Klar Washer Fluid is a fan favorite, with thousands of reviews on Amazon. I was curious to see what the buzz was all about so I bought this product last week to give it a try. So here are my initial thoughts:
- This ammonia-free, highly concentrated washer fluid is advertised as very good at removing bug splatter, brake dust, oil and dirt. And this is no lie. I used it during a trip in the countryside and I must say it did clean about 90% of all the dirt from the windshield, without leaving any white traces.
- You need to mix it with water and a 8.5 oz bottle will produce around 12.75 gallons of windshield washer fluid, which will last you for quite some time.
- It’s non toxic, and also biodegradable, making it an eco friendly choice.
Although it’s too early to see how it performs during cold weather, so far this product seems unexpectedly good. I will make sure to update my review once I get to try it during bad weather too.
So far, I am rating Nextzett 92100815 Kristall Klar Washer Fluid an 8 out of 10.
4. HS 29.606 Bug Wash Windshield Washer Fluid
If you live in a warm area and you want a product which is water repellent, ready to use, cleans your window very well, and removes tree sap, dirt and road grime instantly, the HS 29.606 Bug Wash could be worth trying.
Although this windshield washer fluid has many good features, I can’t really say that it’s the best one out there. It’s hard to justify its price compared to its performance. At the cost of $14 for less than 4 liters, and considering that this product will freeze instantly once temperatures drop below 32 F, it’s hard for me to recommend it over others.
But don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that the Bug Wash Windshield Washer is a bad product. Not at all. Just make sure when you buy it to remember that this one is specifically formulated to be used only in summer.
With this being said I am rating the HS 29.606 Bug Wash Windshield a 7 out of 10.
5. Aqua Charge Windshield Washer Ultra Concentrate
Used by many auto repair shops and also recommended by Amazon as one of their best windshield products, Aqua Charge is a highly concentrated wiper fluid. One bottle of Aqua Charge creates 55 gallons of premium washer fluid, which makes this product extremely cost effective. But this would be pretty much all that I have to say good about this product.
I must say that I was a bit surprised to see hundreds of positive reviews and to read all the great things people had to say about Aqua Charge. For me, it was one of the worst windshield washers I have ever tried. Not only that for a super concentrated product it doesn’t clean well at all, but it also leaves marks all over the glass which makes it incredibly hard to drive.
Based on my experience with it, I would rate the Aqua Charge Windshield Washer Ultra Concentrate a 4 out of 10.
Conclusion
Choosing the right windshield washer fluid is crucial for maintaining clear visibility and safe driving conditions. Consider the season, weather conditions, and specific needs like bug removal when selecting a fluid. Using the right fluid not only enhances cleaning efficiency but also prevents damage to your windshield and washer system.
Wrapping Up
I hope you found my windshield washer fluid reviews helpful, and you have now a better idea about which would be the best product for you and your car.
If you are curious to discover some other car products which I use to keep my car in the best shape like Nexgen Ceramic Spray or Torque Detail, please check my other car care product reviews.
