How to take care of car wipers?

Most of us treat a car solely for its intended purpose – as a means of transport. For this reason, we do not usually think about minor repairs or improvements. We only do what is necessary for trouble-free, but also safe driving. Rarely, however, do we pay attention to the devices that ensure our safety? One of them are windscreen wipers. How much influence do they have on our safety? How to take care of car wipers?

Maintenance of car wipers – a necessity or whim?

The utilitarian approach to the car has both pros and cons. The undoubted advantages include not bothering with unnecessary things. Focusing solely on the performance of individual components seems reasonable to people who have no qualms about scrapping their old car if necessary. However, if someone treats their car as a member of the family, or simply wants to prevent the need for expensive repairs, they should take an interest in even the inconspicuous components of a used vehicle. Windscreen wipers are a piece of equipment that, due to its task and location, is constantly exposed to extreme conditions.

On the one hand, on sunny days it is affected by UV rays and high temperatures, and on rainy days – by water. On frosty days, ice snow and low temperatures do not give them peace of mind. Even through improper driving or simple carelessness, we can expose ourselves to the necessity of replacing the wiper elements. We cannot forget that their task is to clean the windscreen and thus improve our visibility while driving. This can save us both from a dangerous incident on the road and a fine. Let us not forget, after all, that driving with a dirty windscreen (and therefore with limited visibility) can cost us a fine of PLN 500. So, it is worth spending that dozen or so zloty once every six months to get new wipers and a few minutes a day for their maintenance.

How do external conditions affect the condition of windscreen wipers?

The greatest threat to our windscreen wipers is external conditions. Therefore, it is safe to say that the use of a car itself harms this element of its equipment. We can distinguish several basic threats to the condition of our wiper blades. The first of them is ultraviolet radiation, which can lead to the stiffening of rubber elements, and thus to their crumbling. They can also be degraded by snow or ice. Delicate components forced to move large amounts of snow or scrape off the ice may even break.

Driving too fast can also harm the performance and condition of the wipers. Under its influence, dirt (and even small stones) may get on the windscreen, which can also harm the durability of wiper blades. Water itself is not indifferent either, especially to metal elements. They are susceptible to corrosion, even despite manufacturers’ efforts to increase their durability. As if that weren’t enough, even when the car (and therefore the wipers) is not in use, the blades can degrade. If left in one position for long periods, they can warp and stiffen. This can cause a fogging effect when they are in use, so wiper blades need to be replaced.

How to maintain your wiper blades?

To keep your wiper blades in good condition, you should follow a few recommendations. This may not make our wipers long-lasting, but it will certainly delay the need to make the inevitable replacements. First, you should clean the blades as regularly as possible. Removing dirt and deposits from rubber elements will prevent their deformation. Secondly, we should not use wipers to scrape off a layer of ice or accumulated snow from the windscreen. We should first remove as much as possible with a windscreen scraper. The roughness of the ice can fray the blades, a large amount of snow can deform or tear them, and the resulting water can accelerate the corrosion of metal parts. UV radiation, as mentioned earlier, also has a negative effect. Of course, it is difficult to cover the car with a sheet at every stop, but it certainly does not hurt to garage the car. This action is important, as it prevents the influence of most harmful factors. It is known, however, that not everyone has the opportunity to use a roofed shelter for their car.

When is it necessary to replace the wipers?

If we notice that our wipers bear some signs of wear mentioned above, it is usually too late to start taking care of them. Fortunately, it is such a piece of inexpensive equipment, that we can take care of it already after the replacement of the blades. To choose the right windscreen wipers for our car, it is best to get advice from a seller in a car parts shop or to use a search engine available for free on our website (www.oximo.info). It is enough to know basic information about our car – make, model and year. You can buy the proposed windscreen wipers in an online shop or at one of our authorized dealers. The list of shops is available on www.oximo.pl in the Where to buy tab. If you experience any problems with installation, we encourage you to watch the instructional video. Of course, also on the website under the Education tab.