How to clean and maintain windshield washers

When dirt or debris gets on your windshield while driving, you will immediately respond to cleaning it with a windshield wiper fluid spray. If your car's windshield wiper fluid is not spraying properly, it may have clogged nozzles or wiper fluid lines, which is not only annoying but potentially dangerous.

Wiper nozzles can become clogged over time with debris that accumulates on your vehicle. While it may take you a while to notice this, cleaning these nozzles regularly can help prevent this from becoming a problem.

Wiper fluid lines rarely become clogged on their own and usually fail when contaminants or dirt are present in the wiper fluid. Sometimes when people try to make their own windshield wiper fluid, the mixture solidifies, especially at lower temperatures, resulting in clogged lines.

Use the following tips on how to avoid blockages and how to fix them if they do occur.

Part 1 of 5: Inspect the nozzles

In most cars, the nozzles are either mounted in the gap between the hood and windshield, or mounted on the trunk. In some cars, the nozzles are attached to the wipers themselves, which complicates such repairs. There will often be clear signs that the wiper fluid nozzle is clogged. To determine the source of the problem, you must first check the windshield washer jets on your vehicle for visible debris.

Step 1: Check for Large Debris. Large debris such as leaves or twigs can be easily removed by hand, although you may need to use tweezers or needle nose pliers to remove any debris stuck to the nozzles.

Step 2: Check for Small Debris. You may need to blow or clean out any other small debris such as dust, pollen or sand from all nozzles.

If you live in an area where snow storms predominate, you may have to deal with excess snow clogging the nozzle. It is important to always clear snow from your vehicle thoroughly as a precautionary measure for your own safety and the safety of other drivers.

Part 2 of 5: Clean the nozzles

Once you have determined what type of debris is clogging your windshield washer jet, you can do one or more of the following to clear the jets.

Necessary materials

• Compressed air
• Old toothbrush or brush
• Thin wire
• Warm water

Step 1: Blow debris off with compressed air.. A clogged nozzle can be cleared by simply blowing off debris. Use a can of compressed air to blow out the blockage with concentrated air and remove debris.

Step 2. Use a toothbrush to clean the nozzles.. You can also use an old toothbrush and some warm water to clean your car's windshield wiper nozzles. Dip the brush in warm water and rub the brush head vigorously in and around it to remove dirt and debris that may be causing clogs.

• Functions: After each step, test the wiper fluid to ensure that the fluid is spraying correctly.

• Functions: For more severe blockages, use a small piece of thin wire and insert it into the nozzle. You may be able to push through or pull out any debris causing the blockage.

Part 3 of 5: Clean the Hoses

Necessary materials

• Compressed air
• Needle nose pliers

Cleaning the wiper fluid hoses is a more invasive process and involves removing a section of the hose to access the source of the blockage.

Step 1: Access the wiper fluid hoses.. To do this, open the hood of the car and follow the lines from the wiper reservoir to the injectors.

• Attention: These are usually small black hoses with a Y-connection that connects both injectors in your car to the washer fluid reservoir.

Step 2: Remove the hoses from the coupling. Three separate hoses are connected to the Y-coupling. Use needle nose pliers to remove hoses from coupling.

Once removed, you should have access to the fluid lines going to each spray nozzle.

Step 3: Blow out the hose with compressed air.. You can try to blow the blockage out of the line using compressed air. Connect a hose to a compressed air bottle and then use air pressure to remove the blockage. Repeat the step for the other hose.

Reconnect the hoses and try using a spray of windshield wiper fluid to see if the blockage has been removed. If the spray does not work properly after these steps, you may need to try other methods.

Part 4 of 5: Inspect the Check Valve

Necessary materials

• Compressed air
• Replacing the check valve

Step 1: Look at the Check Valve. Some wiper installations are equipped with a non-return valve. Check valves keep fluid in the washer lines instead of allowing it to flow back into the reservoir after the sprayer is turned off.

The non-return valve ensures faster spraying of the washer fluid. In a vehicle without a check valve, it may take a few seconds for the wiper fluid pump to build up enough pressure to spray the fluid onto the windshield. While the check valve is handy, it can also become clogged, preventing washer fluid from spraying onto the windshield.

Inspect all hoses and check for clogged check valves.

Step 2: Spray compressed air to clear the clog. To clear a clogged check valve, you can try removing it and spraying with compressed air as described above. However, if the valve cannot be removed or repaired, it may need to be replaced.

Check valves are relatively inexpensive, although repairs may also involve replacing the hoses themselves.

Part 5 of 5: Check for other problems

Step 1: Inspect the wiper hose.. While it can be helpful to check the wiper fluid lines and nozzles for blockages, you should also inspect your vehicle for other problems with the washer system.

Over time, wiper fluid hoses can fail, causing wiper fluid to leak into the engine compartment. This may also explain why your windshield washer fluid is not spraying freely.

Step 2: Check the washer fluid pump.. Another issue that can occur is an issue with the wiper fluid pump itself.

The wiper fluid pump is connected to the fluid reservoir and is responsible for pushing the fluid through the hoses onto the windshield. As the pump starts to fail, you may notice a drop in fluid pressure and poor flow. When the pump completely fails, the fluid may not flow at all, which manifests itself with the same symptoms as a blockage.

Faulty or clogged wiper nozzles or fluid lines are annoying and potentially dangerous. Regular maintenance of these components will ensure their long life and optimum performance.

If you follow these steps, you should be able to clear any blockages that are preventing your car's windshield washer system from working properly. If you're still noticing problems with your windshield washer, have a professional take a thorough look at the system.

If there is a problem with the wiper fluid pump or windshield washer tubes, repairs can be more expensive and difficult. Hire a certified mechanic, such as from AvtoTachki, to replace the windshield washer pump or windshield washer tubes.