Winter Washer Fluid?

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VicVinegar

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After years of using the orange Rain-X stuff for my winter fluid, I realized it was leaving a filmy residue on the windshield (noticeable where the wipers didn't go), hood behind the nozzles, and the roof of my old car. I'd scrub the windshield and could never get it off.

I know Rain-X leaves a "film" on purpose but this looked like permanent grime on the windshield and was dull on the paint behind the nozzles and on the windshield where spray would reach. Maybe it was because I didn't take good care of that car, but I don't want to make the same mistake twice with my newer vehicles.

So what do the AGO folks use? I grew up in Upstate NY and the orange Rain-X really worked great for ice, snow, slush whatever got sprayed or dumped on the windshield. I live further south now, so winter weather isn't too bad, but I do drive a lot, so a good fluid is still important. Just want a "clean" winter fluid this time.
 
Whatever you use, make sure if your adding water to dilute it use DI water. That way at least the water won't contribute to any spots.

I have given up on washer fluids. They all make a mess. I hardly ever use wipers. I let the defrost melt the ice and use the 1Z ice stuff if its really bad. I think I used it 2x last year.

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After spending time and money to correct all the scratches out of my windshield, I want to keep it defect free. Yes, its a bit sick to not use wipers.
 
Orange Rain-X :D. I don't recall any residue, though now I'll be looking for one this winter!
 
I still use the orange stuff too. I don't like it because it makes the wipers smear in misty conditions. I notice it more at night.

Honestly, I'd love to switch to something else that didn't make a mess of my windows, but I can't find anything locally that works as well cutting through winter road spray/gunk that doesn't freeze.
 
Unfortunately, almost all de-icing and 'winter' screenwash products will leave residues. That residue is basically anti-freeze. In the absence of that particular ingredient, the de-icing effect is only very transient so you will characterise such a product as one which 'blooms' - when you wipe it away with the wiper, it will spontaneously re-freeze. There really isn't such a thing as a nice clean screenwash for winter use, the best you can do is avoid methanol products which are toxic.
 
PiPUK said:
Unfortunately, almost all de-icing and 'winter' screenwash products will leave residues. That residue is basically anti-freeze. In the absence of that particular ingredient, the de-icing effect is only very transient so you will characterise such a product as one which 'blooms' - when you wipe it away with the wiper, it will spontaneously re-freeze. There really isn't such a thing as a nice clean screenwash for winter use, the best you can do is avoid methanol products which are toxic.
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I don't know if they still do this, but I remember my '99 BMW came from the factory with alchohol based washer fluid. You could smell the fumes when you popped the reservoir cap. Stuff worked great!
 
Desertnate said:
I don't know if they still do this, but I remember my '99 BMW came from the factory with alchohol based washer fluid. You could smell the fumes when you popped the reservoir cap. Stuff worked great!
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Any respectable, low temperature, screenwash will have a large proportion of alcohol. Methanol is by far the cheapest of the options here but it is highly toxic. It is then something of a toss up between ethanol and IPA. Unfortunately, you need more than that, alcoholic solutions suffer the problems I highlighted above. What happens is that the alcohol 'flashes' away (even at those low temperatures) and what is left is (more or less) water which will then freeze again. That is why the antifreeze type additive is in there, it is not highly volatile (like the alcohol is) so it stays active for a bit longer stopping the immediate refreezing on the surface. Unfortunately, for the same reason it is effective, it leaves residues because it does not evaporate away again. It is water soluble so it really should rinse/wash away quite easily. Of course, if it then gets left, it will turn into a nasty sticky mess which is probably what was alluded to earlier.
 
Thanks for the input. I have Aquapel that I meant to put on last year (partially because I never got my windshield "clean") that I'll put on this year. Then maybe I'll just use some gentler and hope for the best. Unless I head back north sometime, I just deal with salty spray for the most part.

I'll snap a photo of the orange Rain-X issue on my old car. I need to finally get rid of it (the car that is), so pictures this weekend. The car is black, which obviously makes something like that more apparent.
 
Any opinions on einszett anti frost for winter, besides it's high price?
 
I have just started using this, and so far it is great. I contacted Einszett to see if I could use less, but they stuck to the 1 bottle to 3 bottles of water, which will protect to 18f. They suggested I could use a little less, but did not encourage it!
 
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