How Often Should I Change Wiper Blades?

At Lighthouse Express Car Wash we enjoy sharing important car care tips to our fans, patrons, and friends.  This month’s car care tip deals with with wiper blades and how often one should change wiper blades and how to check the condition of your wiper blades. Hold on tight, because here we go!

The answer to how often one should change their wiper blades may vary based on weather conditions and how often one uses their wiper blades.  If you use a car wash often and add Rain-X or Hot Wax to your car wash, you may not have to change them as often (once every 1.5 to 2 years), whereas if you live in climate areas where there is a lot of rain and you need to use your wiper blades frequently, changing them every few months to every year may be wiser.  In any case, we recommend drivers exercise a few car care tips with regards to their window wiper blades to ensure safest and clearest driving.  Here are a few points and recommendations we suggest:

1) If you notice your windshield wiper blades leave streaks and smears, or if they make squaking, scraping, or vibrating noises when used (particularly when their is liquid on the glass) this may mean it is time to invest in new wiper blades. This will be especially important if your glass is untreated and you find yourself in a sudden heavy rain storm and you find yourself struggling to see out your windshield, and outside visibility is blurred you could need new wiper blades.

2) Like with most things in life, let common sense be you guide.  If you notice your windshield wipers not providing adequate clear windshield with each wipe you may be wise to invest in a pair of new wiper blades which can be purchased for $10 to $30 based on model and brand of your vehicle. 

3) Wiper blades should function to easily and swiftly clear water, snow and slush from your windshield. The importance of properly functioning wiper blades is especially true in areas where salt is used on the roads as dried salt can create a great deal of hindrance to visibility and make a windshield glass very unclear.

4) Another tip to check if your wiper blades need to be replaced is to pull your wiper arm away from the windshield and check for any tears, rips, or cracks in the wiper blade. Again, use common sense.  

Personally, I recommend replacing your wiper blades every year as ideal.  As mentioned earlier I make regular use of a rain repellant that is found in our Rain-X wash or you can opt to apply a rain repellant such as Rain-Vision (available in our detail vending stations) which can extend your wiper blade life since regular use of such treatments can minimize the need to use wiper blades.

5) One last tip we can offer before replacing any wiper blades is try wiping the rubber portion of the blade with a clean, lightly moistened towel.  Do not use any harsh chemicals which may further damage  and make sure the wiper arm isn’t bent or broken and that the blade sits snugly on the glass. Sometimes just lifting the arm off the glass and letting it snap back into place will make the blades seat more snugly on the glass and work better.

Remember folks, as we like to say at Lighthouse Express : safety first.  Wiper blades are an important piece to hardware in ensuring clear visibility while driving.  Windshield wipers are generally inexpensive, so LHE Carwash recommends you check them and replace them regularly.  Feel free to ask any of our car wash technicians for help should you ever need assistance to check or install your next set of wiper blades.  LHECARWASH CAR CARE TIP SUMMARY: When in doubt with wiper blades, do it now — before it becomes a problem. If you own an SUV, minivan or hatchback, don’t forget to check your rear window wiper blade as well!

If you enjoyed this car care tip or found it useful, please share via social media with your loved ones with #letyourrideshine and/or #lhecarwash.

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