WD 40 on wiper blades

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks
View Threaded
Wed 17 Nov 2021 16:12
WD 40 on wiper blades - Lrac

Has anyone in the real world ever tried this and does it improve the action of wiper blades? Keep reading on the net and seeing youtubes promoting this but since I never use old blades I have never felt the urge to find out

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Nov 2021 16:28
WD 40 on wiper blades - badbusdriver

Absolutely no way would I do this or advise anyone else to!.

Having never actually used it on wipers I can't say with absolute certainty that it would be a disaster. But I am a window cleaner (pure water), and a few years ago doing a customers windows, I noticed oily greasy marks being left behind. Panicking that it was something on my brush, I went to the van and got my other brush and tried a different window, same result. Turned out the customer had got it into his head that wiping WD 40 on his UPVC window frames was good for them and made them last longer. Don't know if that is the case or not, but the excess on the glass was an utter disaster when mixed with water. I had to take the rest of the say off to clean both my brushes properly, multiple times, with degreasing cleaner and lots of hot water.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Nov 2021 16:42
WD 40 on wiper blades - movilogo

Why?

Simply replace the blades. It is cheaper than new windscreen.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Nov 2021 16:57
WD 40 on wiper blades - bathtub tom

WD40 contains oil. Would you put oil on your windscreen?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Nov 2021 17:19
WD 40 on wiper blades - Andrew-T

The only reason I can think of is that WD40 might prevent the blades stiffening with age. Other than that it seems a daft idea.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Nov 2021 19:15
WD 40 on wiper blades - Big John

WD 40 on wiper blades - er noooooooooo - smear/oily city.

However cleaning the blade tips with a cloth/kitchen roll with a bit of vinegar/water on can work wonders.

Edited by Big John on 17/11/2021 at 19:17

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Nov 2021 19:54
WD 40 on wiper blades - paul 1963

Utter nonsense and b***** dangerous...by fat no from me

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Nov 2021 21:25
WD 40 on wiper blades - Big John

www.halfords.com/car-repairs/advice/how-to-clean-y...l

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Nov 2021 22:26
WD 40 on wiper blades - blindspot

better to try silicone oil.

no substitute for new blades

bought yesterday michelin blades at lidl £ 5 all sizes

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Wed 17 Nov 2021 23:00
WD 40 on wiper blades - Andrew-T

better to try silicone oil.

Now that really would make a mess.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Nov 2021 02:37
WD 40 on wiper blades - edlithgow

better to try silicone oil.

Now that really would make a mess.

When I worked in labs, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, silicon grease was used on some glassware taps which had finely etched internal glass surfaces to retain it. If you accidentally used a little too much and it got into the rest of your apparatus, you had to throw away a lot of expensive borosilicate glassware, stimulating the German economic miracle, which didn't need it.

Essentially impossible to decontaminate, and that's with access to some pretty horrible chromic acid based cleaners which your average punter wont be putting on their car.

I dunno if WD40 has silicon (given the Water Dispersant thing it might) but it does have wax, which you don't want on your windows either

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Nov 2021 09:18
WD 40 on wiper blades - Andrew-T

<< When I worked in labs, when dinosaurs roamed the earth, silicon grease was used on some glassware taps >>

Ed - I did too. But the lab I worked in knew the difference (and it's a big one) between silicon and silicone ... :-)

And I'm pretty sure that WD40 contains neither.

Edited by Andrew-T on 18/11/2021 at 09:19

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Nov 2021 09:53
WD 40 on wiper blades - bathtub tom

www.google.com/search?q=wd40+silicone&client=f...1

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Nov 2021 11:46
WD 40 on wiper blades - Lrac

Well that's cleared that up. Many thanks for excellent replies

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Nov 2021 12:01
WD 40 on wiper blades - Heidfirst

And I'm pretty sure that WD40 contains neither.

WD40 is, these days, used as an overall brand rather than a specific product as it once was.

The original WD40 did not contain silicone but, as has already been shown, nowadays there is a WD40-branded silicone lubricant.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Nov 2021 14:42
WD 40 on wiper blades - Andrew-T

WD40 is, these days, used as an overall brand rather than a specific product as it once was.

The original WD40 did not contain silicone but, as has already been shown, nowadays there is a WD40-branded silicone lubricant.

Indeed, so it would seem. I stand corrected.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Nov 2021 12:16
WD 40 on wiper blades - Engineer Andy

Has anyone in the real world ever tried this and does it improve the action of wiper blades? Keep reading on the net and seeing youtubes promoting this but since I never use old blades I have never felt the urge to find out

It could be that someone used the silicon lubricant WD-40 make rather than the 'original' can. I've used it on my rubber window seals (recommened by US YouTuber Scotty Kilmer) to improve the smoothness of the electric windows going up/down. It does help in that regard, though, like the 'proper' WD-40, obviously isn't a permanent fix.

One thing I did use the original for is for a sticking (on) toilet flusher handle, where the actual sticking part was the plunger part in the cistern. Sprayed it whilst flushing and, after a couple more goes, et voila! Thanks to my plumber for the suggestion, FOC.

I suspect using the original on wiper blades (as opposed to the mechanism) would just cause more smears on the windscreen. Not sure about the silcon spray, but even if that did work, its effect likely wouldn't last long.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Thu 18 Nov 2021 20:36
WD 40 on wiper blades - Falkirk Bairn

I clean my wiper blades with some kitchen roll soaked with vinegar. Makes a huge difference - streaky becomes a clean sweep.

2 weeks ago I looked at the wiper blades and they were "fraying" along the length.

Treated the car to Genuine Honda blades £30 - magic - what a difference. Only the 2nd replacement set in 9+ years CRV ownership

Lidl doing Michelin blades £5.00 each currently

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 21 Nov 2021 00:01
WD 40 on wiper blades - Big John

Treated the car to Genuine Honda blades £30 - magic - what a difference. Only the 2nd replacement set in 9+ years CRV ownership

Sounds about right - my 2014 Skoda Superb has had one replacement (Skoda) of wiper blades thus far probably due another in the next year or so.

Every now and again I clean the blades with vinegar - works a treat.

Edited by Big John on 21/11/2021 at 00:03

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 21 Nov 2021 07:23
WD 40 on wiper blades - edlithgow

Last a couple of years here.

Sunlight. You may have heard of it.

I did make some covers from some lay-flat irrigation hose, but I kept forgetting to fit them, and then lost them.

Should make some more really.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 22 Nov 2021 13:27
WD 40 on wiper blades - Engineer Andy

Treated the car to Genuine Honda blades £30 - magic - what a difference. Only the 2nd replacement set in 9+ years CRV ownership

Sounds about right - my 2014 Skoda Superb has had one replacement (Skoda) of wiper blades thus far probably due another in the next year or so.

Every now and again I clean the blades with vinegar - works a treat.

Definitely heard of that trick before. And it gives the car (via the air intake) that nice 'fish & chips' smell well all love! :-)

I think the best (only?) vinegar to use is the white (clear) variety, if I recall - presumably due to lesser smell, not that I personally mind that of the 'chippy' type.

I've also used my car's windscreen cleaner spray (AutoGlym), which seems to do the job, as did a sponge with dab of washing-up liquid on it (though you need to wipe it off with one that is just got water on it the dry it).

Not that I like recommending Amazon (given they get enough of our money as it is), but they often sell Bosch windscreen wipers - the fancy 'aero' type for about £18 a pair (front), far cheaper than Halford ever do (normally £30+ for the same - I've never seen them on offer online or in-store). Ebay sellers can also be useful alternatives, but always be sure they are the genuine article before committing to buying.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

From choosing the right tyre to what to do when it goes wrong - we have the answers.

Tyre News And Advice