Topping Up Your Windscreen Washer Fluid

Windscreen washer fluid is a vital part of your car’s systems. It allows you to clean the windows in adverse conditions – whether these are a dry and dusty summers day where insects and pollen are impeding your visibility, or a murky winter spell where dirty water from the road is splashing on your windscreen.

It is vital that you keep your windscreen washer fluid topped up, as you never know when you will need to clean your windscreen in order to maintain visibility. You should generally top up with fluid whenever you open the car’s bonnet for any other purpose such as topping up the water in the car or checking the oil.

Most garages and auto-parts shops will sell windscreen washer fluid. This is usually supplied as a coloured liquid allowing you to easily view its transit within the piping system that delivers it to the windscreen. Always have some in your garage, so that you can top up whenever possible – don’t rely on being able to purchase some whilst you’re out on the road.

Refilling the reservoir is a simple job. All you need to do is consult the owner’s manual of your vehicle to locate the appropriate container within the engine for the fluid. This is of paramount importance as you will cause serious damage to your car if you fill the wrong container with windscreen washer fluid.

Once you have located the reservoir, check to ascertain whether or not you need to add fluid. The reservoir should be made of clear plastic allowing you to see the level of the fluid and there should be a marker that shows the optimum level of fluid. Remove the cap from the reservoir and place in a safe location before refilling the reservoir with fluid. When you are finished re-attach the cap and use a rag to wipe away and drips of fluid on the outside of the reservoir.

It is possible to make your own windscreen washer fluid. You can add a number of common household substances to fresh cold water to achieve this, including vinegar and vodka, instead of opting for a professionally sold product. Some people also recommend adding cleaning agents to the fluid all year round, such as a standard detergent or glass cleaning product that will help clean the windscreen. However if you do decide to go down this route you should always experiment by spraying a little of the mixed fluid onto your windscreen to check that it leaves no streaky marks.