As the days start to get shorter and the light commences to dissolve it is clear that spring is almost up and autumn and then winter will soon be upon us. As this minute it is especially vital to have wiper blade attached to your motor which are in good condition. The decreasing light is one reason for poor visibility but poorly maintained wiper blade are another and at least these can be solved. Things get even worse when the snow commences to fall and ice cakes your wind screen in the mornings. The only recourse at times like these is to get some new top of the range wiper blade to help abate the dangers associated with driving in the winter. A direct threat to the well being of your wiper blade in winter come from the salt and grit placed upon the roads. This produces an alkaline solution which destroys paint and metal and even the rubber on your wiper blades.

Grit also includes many tiny and very hard particles which will get trapped under the windscreen wipers and cause the rubber to be abrasively abated down or could even scratch your wind screen. Also at this time of year using materials like anti-freeze in your washer fluid is an absolute must however even this will cause your rubber windscreen wipers to break more rapidly. Salt and grit will get mixed up with snow and make a thick dark mask on the wind screen which will obscure the driver’s vision and increase the chance of having an accident. So if you want to abstain from trouble on the roads this year it would be a nice idea to give your wind screen a wipe down regularly with some warm water. Another thing you could consider is buying some new windscreen wipers made from a more adequate material. There are special winter windscreen wipers seen on the market which are made from a thick rubber sleeve which and steel which are engineered to remove heavy snow falls from the wind screen. A more understated and all round answer is to opt for some new windscreen wipers produced from silicone instead.

Silicone has some amazing properties which will blow you away. When stacked up to traditional rubber wipers they persist for twice as long and will not crap out in the heat or cold. You no doubt will have noticed by now that rubber wipers have the aggravating habit of fixing solid to the wind screen. If you start them up in this position you risk burning out your electric motors or straining the metal and plastic arms quite acutely. Well silicone wipers don’t stick, just think of the bottom of a non stick pan and construe that to your wind screen. Silicone is even used in contact lenses due to this exact same property; it has a slippery surface which makes it ideal for use as a wipers component. Another nice property is on the flip side it doesn’t melt in summer as do normal wipers and will keep its integrity in trying conditions much better than basic wipers.

I propose approximately everyone at one moment or another had to endure the sound of noisy chattering replacement wiper blades going back and fourth astride the windscreen. Thankfully there is a technique to solve this aggravating issue and whats even more desirable is that you can do it yourself at your leisure. The chosen way to sort out this problem is to first circumvent it all together after all sidestepping is always better than remedy. For this argument it’s beyond all bounds vital to try and maintain a clean wind screen, it’s very necessary to clean your wind screen on a frequent basis using some warm water and a easy soap detergent. When doing this it’s also significant to remember to lift up the replacement wiper blades and clean definitely underneath them taking special care to abrade any grease build up located there. When the rain starts to fall and the wind screen glass becomes soaked the replacement wiper blades will be exposed for spreading any dirt chips on the wind screen to its entirety.

For this reason it’s very cogent to make sure you get every part sparkling clean and don’t do a half assed job. Next is the task of cleaning the wipers itself as any grease or dirt will again be smeared over the entire wind screen if these are not clean. Lift them up and give them a ok long scrub using plenty of water and elbow grease. The cause of the vibration is the presence of these tiny bits under the replacement wiper blades causing friction and making the wipers slip unevenly over its arc. At higher speeds the wipers may even start to vibrate quickly causing untold misery to the occupants of the motor vehicle. Rubber replacement wiper blades are the most despicable offenders; this is because the wiper blade is destroyed by things like water, ultra violet light and ozone, just the type of things your wipers will meet in other words. As the wiper blade becomes more and more worn the rubber wipers will loose its precious stretch and once that happens the wipers will jump and shudder over the glass continually.

Once the leading edge of the wipers is ablated by abrasive dirt and grit even more trouble is ahead for the unwary motorist. The extra surface area started by the cracks and fissures will then rapidly grow the process of erosion and water and pollution find their way into the centre of the wiper blade causing much damage to its core. Once the wipers has experienced a modicum of wear and tear in this fashion it soon becomes even worse as the pressure on the connections between the rubber wipers and the mechanical sweeping arm increases. This cause wrenching and ultimately even more noise and juddering and the wipers is violently wrenched away from its housing unit. This whole process is like one big repeating cycle which all could be conveniently side stepped by either keeping your windscreen washed or by buying some state of the art silicone replacement wiper blades. These bad boys don’t suffer from the usual iteration of erosion like their rubber cousins are susceptible too.

It is amazing the number of people that don’t know how to properly clean or polish and wax their cars. Many people use products that were never intended for their car and others use products and equipment that should only be used by properly trained professionals. Some never even wax or clean their cars. Then they wonder why their car is given a very low trade in figure at the dealer, or why their paint is dull and flaking. Go to Car Care for more information.

For the purpose of this article we interviewed numerous professional automotive detailers and similar professionals. We asked them what products they used and for tips that consumers could use. They pretty much came back with the same advice:

Properly clean the car: This is very important as the use of harsh, non-automotive products can actually harm your cars finish and make it wear quicker. Spray the car first and get it wet. Use the water to spray off dirt and other contaminates that will scratch your car if you immediately start using a sponge and water first. Also do not clean your car in the sun on a hot day. Do make sure you use warm water as it works best to loosen contaminates. After getting your car wet, use an automotive car wash solution and add to water in a bucket. Follow the directions on the bottle. Then wash the car. You will find it easier if you use a long handled wash brush (most auto parts stores have these). Be sure to wash and rinse in sections so the car wash soap doesn’t dry before being washed off. Then using terry cloth towels or chamois, dry the car off. Expert tip: use a squeegee. It is much faster and easier.

Remove stubborn contaminants: There will be dirt, bugs, tar, etc… that will be left after washing. There are many products that are made specifically for removing these items you’re your paint and car. The resounding answer from the experts was Meguiar’s bug and tar cleaner. Remove all the contaminants and follow the directions (some products can remove paint if not used correctly). Expert tip: 3M and other manufacturers make a plastic shield that can be applied over areas of your car’s paint like bumpers and behind the tires to protect from contaminants and rock chips. Refer to Car Care for more information.

Use a cleaner polish: This will remove any left over stubborn contaminates like ground in bug splatter on your painted bumper, acid rain etching, bird drop spots, and minor scratches. Use a circular motion, just like for wax. Follow the directions for that particular cleaner polish (some require a wet or damp applicator pad others don’t). Do the car one section at a time and use a clean section of cloth to buff once dry. Most cleaner polishes will dry to a whitish haze. Be sure to buff off all the haze and residue from the cleaner polish. When done the car finish will be really smooth. Expert tip: for deeper scratches, contaminants, etc… you can use an orbital buffer or polisher to apply the cleaner polish. Be careful and use low rpm’s (under 2000) anything above this and you risk burning the paint.

Apply several coats of polish or wax: There is a big difference between car wax and car polish. Car wax is usually a blend of carnauba and other waxes which will give a deep, wet look and new car shine. It comes in both a liquid and a paste, and it will not last as long as a car polish. Car wax is also less effective in high temperatures and can actually melt on hot areas like the hood. Car polish is a polymer blend usually with no wax. Car polishes can last 1 year between coats and is very durable protection for your paint. The experts recommend a car polish with Teflon in it for maximum protection and durability. The experts love the extra, deeper shine from car wax, but all agreed it was better suited for car shows. Whichever you choose, they are both applied the same way. Apply in a circular motion and let it dry to a haze. Then buff dry with a clean terry cloth or microfiber towel. Expert tip: Don’t use regular towels or diaper cloths as they can trap dirt particles and similar and leave scratch patterns in your finish. A microfiber cloth works best for removing dried car polish or car wax haze. 2 to 3 coats are recommended for maximum protection and shine. A good rule is to reapply the car polish or car wax at least 2 times per year. Expert tip: Apply car wax, not car polish (as car polish will leave streaks and smudges on glass), to your windows. Do one light coat and completely buff it off. The car wax will work better than the leading brand glass treatment for rain (it will also quite your windshield wipers). Visit Car Care for more information.