I used to rely on Decosol as the best performer but it seems to be long gone these days 😞

 

What do you recommend as an effective screen wash?

 

I've used the Holts concentrate for many years.

Lidl ultimate speed concentrate... when you get it...

Edited 13 December, 20196 yr by mac11irl
Turning into Shy... missing word..

Prestone concentrate from Costco, stock up when it’s on offer.

On 13/12/2019 at 18:10, mac11irl said:

Lidl ultimate speed concentrate... when you get it...

 

Used that before. Was in big bottles (more than 5l), went down to -60 and stated was suitable for fan jets. Not seen it in the shop for 5 odd years though, I still look every winter for it.

 

For many years I've been using Halfords stuff. I used to love the smell of the Apple flavoured Double concentrated stuff. Currently using the Citrus stuff, with no probs, but I don't use it neat.  Alternately, I once tried Quantum Screen wash, which was fine.

Edited 16 December, 20196 yr by Jim H

This recent thread might help too. (unless Mods can merge it together with this).

 

 

For my part of the country where it never really gets as cold as Jim H country, I've used Asda concentrate, with a good dash of  cheapo Asda washing up liquid. Washr stuff get rid of ice and wash uo iquid hits the oil. It' s horses for courses really.

8 hours ago, Jim H said:

 

Used that before. Was in big bottles (more than 5l), went down to -60 and stated was suitable for fan jets. Not seen it in the shop for 5 odd years though, I still look every winter for it.

 

For many years I've been using Halfords stuff. I used to love the smell of the Apple flavoured Double concentrated stuff. Currently using the Citrus stuff, with no probs, but I don't use it neat.  Alternately, I once tried Quantum Screen wash, which was fine.

 

Yup, think the batch i have says -70 neat! But only -10 at a 3water:1fluid dilution. It smells very chemically though. I am on my last 5litre bottle, havnt had it in stock for about 2 yrs now.. i bought 5 last time it was in

 

 

Same here with the Asda cheapo stuff, £2.50. 5ltr. Appreciate for some it may not suit some re protection sub whatever temp but my washer bottle and pipes haven't frozen yet as I can remember.

I don't buy the cheap stuff anymore (esp Tesco) since it dries to a crust in the jets.

 

I've used dealers own and Halfords premixed.

 

I also picked up 5l of BMW  -70c concentrated on Ebay for not a bad price (£18).

 

Best to stick to branded if you can.

This winter so far has had me using the least windscreen wash i have ever used up to this time in December.

Partly from it being more just wet roads than icy, but when icy there has been very little gritting where i have driven so no salted up screen needing more scooshes than normal compared to autumn / spring or summer.

Edited 17 December, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

16 hours ago, Kenny R said:

Prestone concentrate from Costco, stock up when it’s on offer.

 

Same here and also stock up when it's on offer. 50% during winter and 20% the rest of the year. Never had it freeze up or any gunk in the bottle. 

15 hours ago, VWD said:

I've used Asda concentrate, with a good dash of  cheapo Asda washing up liquid. Washr stuff get rid of ice and wash uo iquid hits the oil

 

Having read through all posts in both threads it seems - other than @VWD above - the main commentary is about the anti-freeze behaviour of the selected product.  Having now given the matter some more thought I now realise the main attraction of the Decosol products was their ability to clear the screen properly of traffic film, something that is increasingly difficult nowadays even with a dedicated screen cleaner now that we can't buy the petroleum-based cleaners any more.

 

So can I rephrase my original question?  What I'd really like to know is what screenwash solutions people use that effectively get rid of traffic film?

 

On 13/12/2019 at 18:10, mac11irl said:

Lidl ultimate speed concentrate... when you get it...

 

1 hour ago, StickyMicky said:

 

Having read through all posts in both threads it seems - other than @VWD above - the main commentary is about the anti-freeze behaviour of the selected product.  Having now given the matter some more thought I now realise the main attraction of the Decosol products was their ability to clear the screen properly of traffic film, something that is increasingly difficult nowadays even with a dedicated screen cleaner now that we can't buy the petroleum-based cleaners any more.

 

So can I rephrase my original question?  What I'd really like to know is what screenwash solutions people use that effectively get rid of traffic film?

 

 

Mine stands

the fact its good anti freeze is a bonus. 

28 minutes ago, mac11irl said:

 

 

Mine stands

the fact its good anti freeze is a bonus. 

 

Don't joke over that. My wife and friend topped up the windscreen wash on her car and asked if their was anymore in the garage as it was only a small bottle. Confused as normally mix up a few 5 ltr bottles at a time,  I went to find it for them. Handing them a 5 ltr bottle they gave the empty bottle of concentrated anti freeze back that they'd filled the washer bottle up with.

@CWARD: reminds me of "it's Frothy, man!"

 

4 hours ago, mac11irl said:

 

 

Mine stands

the fact its good anti freeze is a bonus. 

Mine stands, but if frost is no problem/you can solve the frost problem ,there used to be something called something like Clearalex ( which just seems to be the same stuff that  the OP used to use, but under a different name. I've seen it advertised on web sites, but none of the stores sell it. Biggest problem was mixing it properly as it was a powder. I seem to remember I used to mix it with meths in the company car to try and beat the frost problem.

  Best I've come up with is neat ( in winter )/ 50% in summer, Asda wash , with the addition of a dollop of the cheapest washing up liquid available .( cheapest because it tends not to froth, but does remove a lot of the traffic film). Advantage of the washing up liquid ( if you use a lemon one ) is that it helps mask the odour of the windscreen wash )

However, from time to time. I resort to a squirt or two of the same washing up liquid on the screen ( particularly around the wiper blade park position), and a wipe of the wiperblades.  Wipers are used to smear the screen and an old garden spray bottle used to get rid of the residue. I also keep a bottle of neat windscreen wash + a stronger solution of washing up liquid in the boot for times when the build up of traffic film gets too bad .

My father used to swear by an old newspaper and vinegar to clean a screen .

But ( bit O/T) , don't neglect the inside. I get Swimbo to clean inside with a soapy solution and then a proprietary window cleaner. ( Well if she must smoke in car, then she cleans her mess from th screen).

 

The snag with washing up liquid is the SALT !

On 17/12/2019 at 15:02, StickyMicky said:

So can I rephrase my original question?  What I'd really like to know is what screenwash solutions people use that effectively get rid of traffic film?

 

 

I think the VW stuff I've bought from dealerships was really good. It was also incidentally very good at not freezing.

 

I've not tried the BMW concentrate yet.

 

Halfords stuff is so-so for removing grime.

On 17/12/2019 at 15:02, StickyMicky said:

 

Having read through all posts in both threads it seems - other than @VWD above - the main commentary is about the anti-freeze behaviour of the selected product.  Having now given the matter some more thought I now realise the main attraction of the Decosol products was their ability to clear the screen properly of traffic film, something that is increasingly difficult nowadays even with a dedicated screen cleaner now that we can't buy the petroleum-based cleaners any more.

 

So can I rephrase my original question?  What I'd really like to know is what screenwash solutions people use that effectively get rid of traffic film?

 

 

The VW stuff and prestone are ok in the winter, in the summer I use the Sonax 100:1 concentrate, but that's no good for winter alone.

I tend to use meths on the windscreen to remove the oil film from time to time, but frankly there is only so much you can do.

 

Otherwise a decent dedicated Traffic Film Remover is good, but you've obviously got to be careful with dilutions and paintwork.

 

 

On 16/12/2019 at 23:29, VWD said:

For my part of the country where it never really gets as cold as Jim H country, I've used Asda concentrate, with a good dash of  cheapo Asda washing up liquid. Washr stuff get rid of ice and wash uo iquid hits the oil. It' s horses for courses really.

 

 

I have never used any sceenwash neat. Always dilute with water. I have a small measuring cylinder (upto 100ml) and use it with a 2l bottle. 50-100ml in 2l for Summer. 200-400ml in winter.  Not sure what temp it freezes, but had no probs.

 

 

I wish all cars had low washer fluid warning lights. I ran out on the way to work today,  😡 had to stop and pour water on screen on way back.

10 hours ago, punyXpress said:

The snag with washing up liquid is the SALT !

Two snags, actually. Salt is one, which is why I only add enough to the wash bottle to be usefull. When I do a windscreen and wiper deep clean , I always flush the screen etc with a lot of water. However a google on this came up with this

"“Washing up liquid does contain a 'salt' but this is the active ingredient and should not be confused with road salt. There is nothing in a washing-up liquid that will exacerbate corrosion – there's no sodium chloride salt to worry about.".

Second one is to select a washing up liquid which has a low froth factor and only use a minimum . Again, this also prevents gunging up of the jets. But in over 50 years of using washing up liquid, I've only had one car ( an ex repmobile) that suffered from gunged jets.

Jim- one reason I keep an emergency spray bottle of concentrate screen wash and extras washing up liquid in car. Just in case I run out on way back from shops. I used to use 50/50 all year, but I found that it wasn't the temperature, but the chill factor ( air temperature goes down with speed of air ) and the 50/50 wash was freezing on screen . When it gets really cold, I add some de icer to the bottle. problem then is that the de icer creates some measure of oily residue ,so I need more washing uo liquid to counter.

Edited 18 December, 20196 yr by VWD

Sodium in detergents is an issue, but then in winter on roads that are covered in sodium to alter the freezing point if H20 is it really an issue,

Acid Rain & industrial fallout is an issue, and all that other crap coming off road surfaces.

 

Maybe use baby shampoo like some use to wash cars, 

or just get windscreen wash.....

Root- in days of yore, if you lived in Jim H's area, you washed car AFTER a shower of rain. In Rootsville- it's possible that there's no need. Being an AA member, I wash mine at an IMO @50& off, meaning that a triple wax + underside wash cost me peanuts. Only problem is that you have to strip the wax off the screen or you will get streaks when it rains. ( There's a hole in the bucket----)