Wiper Blade

Wiper blade

REPLACE WIPER BLADES

Wiper blades play a significant role in keeping you driving safely, especially during rainy season, because in addition to wipe off water on the windshield, it can also be used to wipe away dust, leaf debris, insects or even stains for better driving visibility, therefore it should always be taken care of so that it is ready to use at all times.

service life

In general, the normal service life of wiper blades is approximately 6-12 months, depending on the brand and type, as well as the quality of the wiper rubber. But most general car users tend to neglect to replace the wiper blades, even if they are worn out. Using worn wiper blades can cause damage to other parts, such as scratching the windshield. Moreover, using worn wiper blades during heavy rain will inhabit visibility and may lead to accidents.

Factors that cause wiper blade worn out are the heat from the sunlight accumulates on the windshield causing the wiper blades to dry out, lose the flexibility and gradually wear out. Another factor is caused by usage, for example, if the dust is stuck on the wiper rubbers, it can also cause wear and tear like using sandpaper to polish windshields and wiper rubbers.

How to notice when it's time to change

For how to notice if it is time to replace the wiper blades, just simply check if the wiper blades can still wipe the windshield completely clean. The sign of unclean wiping due to the use of worn wiper blades or improperly installed are, there will be water spray in semicircles or lines and after wiping it still sticks and cause blurry lines on the windshield which is caused by using wiper rubbers that are dry out and unable to completely clean or remove the water from the windshield. Another sign of using worn wiper blades is that the chattering sounds while in use and stuttering or inconsistent movement which is caused by the friction between the wiper blades and the windshield.

When to replace wiper blades

Aside from visible damage such as tearing or corrosion, there are also some warning signs while using indicate that the wiper blades should be replaced as follows.

Stuttering and other irregular movement which is not smooth while using it.
Chattering sounds while in use.
Smudges or streaks appear when wiping the windshield.
Unable to wiped off completely water stains and there is a clear split while wiping.

How to choose wiper blades

Choosing wiper blades is also important. You should buy wiper blades that are made of good quality materials and flexible rubber for durable use. The frame of the wiper blades should also be made of metal to help prevent swaying from the wind at high speeds and to increase the weight of the wiper blades to completely wipe off the water from the windshield as well. In addition, the rubber texture of the wiper blades is also an important part. You should consider wiper blades that have a specific rubber texture that is suitable for use in our country, which will have special features that can maintain the quality of the rubber not to worn out too quickly. Some wiper blades may be low price but may deteriorate quickly due to poor quality materials.

Another important thing is that different car models use different size of wiper blades. Therefore, it is recommended to choose wiper blades that are standard size and match the specific car model. Your owner’s manual will tell you the length and type of wiper blades that best suited for your car or you can also check the car model specified on the wiper blade box as well. And it should be considered if it applies to the driver's side or the passenger's side. Because the wiper blades on both sides often use different sizes, if purchased the wrong size or wrong model, it may not be able to use. In addition, it is also recommended to buy wiper rubbers that are firmly contacted to the front-rear windshield and well fit with the wiper frames for the best performance.

Your wiper blades are essential for driving because they can either improve or inhibit visibility in the event that the wiper blades are worn out as well. Always making sure that your wiper blades are in good condition and ready to use to help you have good visibility in driving safely on the road.

How to maintain wiper blades

Clean the wiper rubbers regularly.

When the wiper blades have been used for a long time, either to wipe away water or to clean off the dirt on the windshield, the wiper rubbers often have various dirt stuck such as dust, mud or even bird droppings, which can cause the wiper blades to not work as efficiently as before. And it can also shorten the service life. Therefore, the wiper rubbers should be regularly cleaned by using a damp cloth to wipe along the rubber edge.

Avoid parking in the sun.

Regularly parking in the sun for a long time will cause the wiper rubbers to become dry and lack of flexibility because the rubbers are contacted with the heated windshield which make the wiper rubbers easily worn out and expire faster than it should be. Therefore, we should avoid parking in the sun or if it is necessary, we should not lift up the wiper blades because it will cause the spring on the wiper blade stalk to deteriorate which will reduce the pressure on the windshield and the efficiency of wiper control.

Regularly use wiper blades even when it's not raining.

One thing that can help maintain wiper blades to have a long life is to regularly turn on the wiper blades to make sure they’re still in functional condition and spray the windshield before driving out. Because in addition to making the windshield have better visibility, it can also keep the wiper blades from drying out as well.

Check the wiper rubbers.

Checking the wiper rubbers is not only to see if there is dirt on it, but should also check if the rubber is dry, cracked, split, or broken. If it is so, it should be replaced.

Check the windshield.

Apart from checking for dirt on the wiper blades, checking the windshield, including rear windshield if there are wiper blades installed, is another thing that should always be done. You should always check if there is dirt, stone chips or cracks that will cause damage to the wiper blades when in use.