Greasy Windscreen

[Tom Fenton 1,547]

So lets see if anyone has got any good ideas.

The windscreen on my BMW is horrible, even after cleaning with various things, the wiper blades smear water on the "return" sweep making visibility in wet conditions, especially in the dark, awful.

I've tried windolene, I've degreased the screen with brake cleaner, I've fitted new Bosch decent wiper blades, I have also cleaned the blade rubber itself a few times. Its got good quality screenwash thats Gen VW/Audi stuff.

Any ideas, as its doing my head in.

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

Like wise

[bucky 3]

Have you tried cleaning the screen and blades with vinegar and newspaper?! Not something I have ever tried but heard it works a treat...

[jord294 94]

Try clay barring it and then putting a coat of rain x on the screen and wipers

[Davy 18 1 Cars]

...Worked in a car dealers for years and a lot of new cars came coated in a thin wax like coating. After a good hot power wash, and some tar and glue remover, the only thing left was a taste of car polish. This worked a treat!

 

..Also, if you use any products like 'demon shine' (detailing spray?) when your washing your car then avoid the windscreen as a lot of these products can cause that smearing effect!

Edited December 19, 2013 by Davy

[Rich_p 23]

The bosch wipers don't get particularly good reviews on the 1 series site, have you tried some standard Halfords ones?

[MiniGibbo 142]

Tardis would see it off.

[NFS 32]

first this i would do is get a razor blade and scrap the windscreen to get the contaminates off, then scrub with hot water and washing up liquid

 

also the clay bar idea is good!

[Biggles 65]

Swarfega hand wipes work a treat for me.

 

Also, I'd go for non Bosch blades. I always used Bosch blades but the last 2 sets have been complete rubbish. I last changed them in the summer just before going on holiday and the forecast was for heavy rain. It was a whole day and a half before they started smearing again. Halfords next time for me.

[Batfink 201]

Some glass cleaner, good polish then rain repellent. And new blades. If you need some new blades cheap cheap I have about 700 that were destined for Halfords but rejected due to the packaging being wrong lol

[deathbringer929 49 1 Cars]

couple of things thomas, first check your washer bottle has no contaminent. (i only ever use water no screen wash as it can congeal) flush your washer pipes and lastly try resting your blades in a different position, ie on the up stroke overnight as the blade edge can be pushed to a greater angle when parked and lose some effectiveness.

[JoshGti 8]

Our old boss started buying in Bosch wiper blades and then steered back away from them after a few complaints. Ever since he's always stocked Valeo blades and when we fit them we just use autogym fast glass and job is a goodun.

 

Things that clean inside the house shouldn't be used on cars as a rule of thumb and everything should be used where it's supposed to be used, so keep wax off the glass.

 

Another wiper blade to try if you can find them cheap is PIAA blades, they're silicone based and you have to "run them in" by wiping the screen dry and they cost the screen like products such as rain x.

 

Problem with rain x is that it's fantastic in heavy rain but s**te in light rain as you get twice as many tiny beads of water and it's impossible to see!

[Alan77 78 1 Cars]

+1 for Autoglym Fast Glass. No problems at all, and I use those cheapo flat blades off ebay...

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

I bought some comline wiper blades yesterday, screen is nice and clear now. Was using Bosch before

[Kev-G 1]

Ultrafine wire wool to clean the screen....Sounds mental, but it cleans the glass so that the water beads off fantastically.

 

I'd give it a wash, ultrafine wire wool (0000 Grade), then a glass cleaner + I like Rain-X.

 

Also worth giving your current wiper blades a wipe down with some petrol/white spirit to remove any residue if they are relatively new, but ideally replace.