How To Avoid Windscreen Wiper Damage This Autumn
The beautiful orange trees, cosy evenings and cinematic falling leaves may be beautiful, but potential damage to your windscreen wipers is not.
Naturally, the autumn brings a range of challenges for drivers and their cars, and is not just limited to the morning rush to demist the windows before setting off for work. Falling leaves in particular can cause damage to your windscreen wipers in a range of ways, and cause massive frustration further down the line when rain, sleet and snow are obscuring your vision.
How Autumn Leaves Damage Your Windscreen Wipers
Scratches – Pulling leaves back and forth across your windscreen could scratch the glass, particularly if there are small seeds and the occasional chestnuts to contend with.
Sap – Not only does it make washing the rest of the car frustrating, but the sticky sap from trees can settle on the windscreen and act as an adhesive, with the dried, hardened spots ripping small chunks out of the rubber.
Grit – Dust, dirt, grit and the rough texture of leaves can affect your windscreen wipers massively, as they are designed to sit flush to a smooth, even pane of glass – dragging grit back and forth is not only damaging the rubber of the blade, but more akin to sandpapering your windscreen than cleaning it.
How To Avoid Damage To Your Wipers and Windscreen
Change Your windscreen wipers – If you’ve made a habit of using your wipers to clear off leaves, it’s probably time to invest in a new set before the autumn showers and winter sleet kick in. You don’t need to take your car to a garage to replace your wipers either - check out our straightforwards fitting guides – it’s easy, cheaper and only takes a couple of minutes to fit your own blades at home.
Remove leaves by hand – Related to the above, clearing leaves from around your windscreen by hand BEFORE setting your wipers going is the best way to prevent damage. Even if you’re in a rush, sorry.
Use lots of washer fluid – Ensure your windscreen washer fluid is topped up so you can use it rather liberally in the autumn, clearing any dust or grit from the screen before your windscreen wipers pass over it. Using good quality washer fluid, rather than just water, will also help dissolve any sap on the screen.
Find Your Perfect Fit With Our Registration Tool
Ready to shop for your replacement wipers? Browse our collection of top brands including BOSCH, MICHELIN, Valeo, Lucas and more.
Use our handy vehicle search tool to shop windscreen wipers guaranteed to fit your vehicle. Then, when you’re ready to fit, watch our helpful fitting guide videos for your wipers to help you fit them in minutes.
