DIY Windscreen Washer Fluid: How to make it and Refill it!

• Car Accessories,
• Nov 10, 2019

You might have been in a situation where you are in a car and you pull the windscreen washer lever (or button, or whatever mechanism your vehicle has for it) and to your surprise, nothing happens. There might be two major reasons for this: The first is that there is something clogged in the holes of the jet while the other is that the windscreen washer fluid is all empty! Obviously, it needs to be filled over time and would be depleted slowly as you use it. It can not always last, neither is it automatically generated in the vehicle (although this could be a great idea!).

In the first case, you would either need to poke the jet holes of the washer with something so small that it can reach inside it. A common pin is ideal for this scenario. However, if the problem resides not in the jet but in the container, then the solution is totally different, but simple as saying “Australia”. It is not difficult to achieve this task, neither is it much time taking. One thing it does require is a little bit of common sense and a very basic knowledge of the things under the hood of the car.

We are about to unload a bunch of information onto you. It is mostly just some DIY stuff but it may help save your life one day! Not only will this article cover the refilling part of the windscreen washer fluid, but as the title states, it will also ensure that you know how to make one yourself!

So, without further ado, let’s dig right into it!

How to make your own windshield washer fluid:

DIY windshield fluid is pretty easy to make. Although you could purchase a cheap washer fluid, it is sometimes out of reach of one’s hands to go out and purchase when one can simply make it at home. It would not give that much of a performance as something that is designed specifically to clean the windshield, however, it does the job pretty well. There are a few things you require in order to create your own windshield washer fluid (obviously).

Things you need:

The things you need to make a washer fluid are as follows:

 1- Container

 2- Water (distilled preferred, tap water works too)

 3- Window/Glass Cleaner

Steps to follow:

Assuming that you have everything you need in order to make your own windshield washer fluid, you need to follow the following steps in order to successfully create your own windscreen washer fluid:

 1- Separate the required amount of water:

You will need about a gallon of water. Take the water and separate it out into a container. Make sure that the container is large enough to hold this amount of water and still has some space left for the rest of the things we are about to add to it.

 2- Separate the required cleaning solution:

Now that we have the water in a separate container, it is the right time we do the same to the cleaning solution. Since you have chosen a glass or window cleaner, you will need to pour it into a cup and keep it aside for now.

 3- Make the solution:

Making the solution is the easiest part of the entire procedure. You just have to pour the cup full of cleaning solution into the container full of water. Voila! The solution is made!

 4- Mix:

It is always a good practice to mix the solution we have just made in order to ensure that it is made properly.

Precautions:

There are some things you should be mindful of while making your own windscreen washer fluid. It may backfire on you and ruin your windscreen if you are not careful about these precautions:

 1- Be mindful of the quantities you use while making the cleaning fluid. Do not underuse or overuse water or cleaning solution otherwise, it may be too ineffective or over-effective (such that it leaves marks or even ruins your screen), respectively.

 2- Ensure that the quality of the cleaning solution you use is good. A low-quality glass cleaner can have adverse effects.

 

Alternatives:

There are some alternatives that you could follow if you do not have the items available or if you do not feel like making a windscreen washer fluid out of glass cleaners. These are:

 1- Using Laundry Detergent:

Laundry Detergent serves as a substitute for glass or window cleaning solutions. You just have to make a solution of laundry detergent with water and it can be used. However, it is not recommended since it is not meant for cleaning screens.

 2- Using Ammonia and Dish Cleaner:

Concentrated Ammonia is a really dangerous thing, so be careful while handling it. Put a spoon or two of dish cleaning solution into the water and after that, pour half a cup of ammonia solution into water. Mix it carefully. It would then be safe and ready to use for cleaning the windscreen.

How to change windscreen washer fluid:

Now that you have made your own windscreen washer fluid, it is about time we learned how to fill it in your car. This procedure is actually easier than the previous one since all you need to do is open a cap and fill it up with the solution… with a little bit of precaution.

Where to add windshield washer fluid:

In your car, silly, duh. Just kidding! Well, that is actually true. The washer fluid actually goes into a small container located under the vehicle’s hood. It is covered with a bright-colored cap (usually blue or yellow) with a windscreen and sprayer icon printed on it. It is the same icon located inside your vehicle on the lever.

 1- How to change windshield washer fluid:

If you want to change the windscreen washer fluid instead of refilling it, there is a cap or plug under the washer fluid container or reservoir which you can use to drain the fluid. Once it is all out, you can put it back in and fill it up with fluid.

 2- How to refill windscreen washer fluid:

In order to fill the windscreen washer fluid, follow the steps below:

Open the washer fluid reservoir’s cap (brightly colored with a windscreen icon).

Keep on filling it with the washer fluid we just created (or one bought from market) until it reaches the line. If there is no line, just leave it empty from above a few inches.

Close the cap and test whether or not it works.

 3- Can you put water in windshield wiper fluid:

Yes, but that would not be much effective in cleaning your screen. There is no harm in putting water in the windshield wiper fluid container.

That was all we had for windscreen washer fluid! If you want to perform a car history check, VIN number check, track record, etc., head over to the QuickREVs website and let them do it for you with a simple click of a button!