Everything you need to know about D.I.Y. washer fluids

On most modern cars, windshields are made out of treated glass, which is essentially two curved pieces of glass surrounded by a laminated plastic layer. As such, treated glass is far stronger than ordinary glass.

Like many exterior parts of your car, a windshield will occasionally become dirty. This is a problem as it reduces visibility.

As such, modern cars are equipped with a wiper and a windshield fluid delivery system, which usually comes in the form of a spray nozzle. These two work in tandem to effectively remove gunk, mud, and silt on windshields.

Driving on long distances with your wash fluid reservoir dry can be pretty annoying

Sometimes though, like most car related perishables, we’ve run out of windshield washing fluid. Also, those can get a bit expensive, and are not readily available in some places. As such, here’s a guide on how to make your own windshield washer fluid using cheap and common household items.

How to make your own windshield washer fluid

If you’ve read through the bottle of your commercially available windshield wiper fluid, it’s pretty obvious that they aren’t using just plain old tap water for their mix. This is because tap water contains minerals, and sometimes even sediment that’ll either clog up your washer reservoir or worse – scratch your windshield.

As such, we highly advise you to use distilled water only when making your own windshield washer fluid.

Now, there are several “mixes” you can make. All of these can clean like commercially available wiper fluid brands, but they are definitely cheaper to make.

Also, Philippine tap water is particularly rich in particles, some large enough to scratch up your windshield

1. Dishwashing soap + distilled water

Fill a three-liter jug with about two liters of distilled water. Add a few drops of your favorite brand of dishwashing soap and then shake well.

Be careful not to add too much dishwashing soap as it will decrease driving visibility. Also, a thicker mix is harder for the wipers to clean off.

You can get these 1 gallon containers from your local hardware store for cheap

>>> Related: Simple Tips to DIY Your Windshield Washer Fluid

2. Dishwashing soap + ammonia + distilled water

Add one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid to a three-liter jug filled with two liters of distilled water. Next, add half a cup of pure ammonia that’s free from additives.

For this step, we highly advise working in a well-ventilated area while wearing gloves. Test this mixture by dabbing a little onto a clean microfiber rag and wiping it on your windshield. If it removes dirt whilst leaving no residue, it’s good to go.

3. The non-toxic choice

If you want a non-toxic windshield wiper fluid, then you might want to buy try the castile soap and distilled water mix.

What’s castile soap?

Castile soap is a vegetable-based soap that is made without the use of synthetic ingredients and animal fat. It is non-toxic, biodegradable, and you guessed it, primarily a beauty product.

Regardless, castile soap is a highly effective and very versatile cleaner that’s great for everything from washing your face to washing your windshield.

The average price for castile soap here in the Philippines is Php 300 per 250 ml so it isn’t that expensive.

You can buy gallons of castile soap from beauty product whole sellers

Like the other mixtures, use a three-liter jug and fill it with about two liters of distilled water. Next, pour in about 30 ml of castile soap, close the jug, and then shake.

As a safety tip, please label your concoctions regardless of whether they’re non-toxic or not.

4. The stinky choice

Vinegar is well known for its cleaning properties. Sure, it smells, especially during summer, but most of the time it rains here in the Philippines, right?

To make this mix, fill up your three-liter jug with two liters and add four cups of white vinegar. Close the jug and mix it well by shaking. Also, if you’ve found yourself to be driving in another country where snow is prevalent, adding more vinegar to the mix will prevent frosting.

>>> Related: 7 surprising uses of vinegar for car cleaning

Do note that vinegar that's exposed to the sun can become...sour smelling especially on hot days

Did you find this article helpful? If it did, read more automotive DIY maintenance tips here on Philkotse.com.