Things You'll Need:
- Garden hose
- Windshield washer fluid
- Pliers
- Screwdriver
- Wiper blade and assembly replacements (if needed)
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Step 1
Inspect the condition of your wiper blades. A good time to do this is when washing the vehicle. Make sure the rubber edges are sharp, smooth, straight, and clean so they can remove rain, snow, dirt, ice, and slush. The rubber must be flexible even in freezing weather so the blade flips over as the wipers change direction.
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Step 2
Inspect the entire wiper assembly including the frame and arm. A loose wiper blade can seriously scratch a windshield. Weak spring tension means aerodynamic forces can lift the blade off the windshield slightly at high speeds and cause chattering, skipping, or smearing.
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Step 3
Replace stiff, torn, and cracked wiper blades as well as bent, corroded, weak, or twisted wiper arms. Measure blade length and how the blade attaches to the wiper arm to make sure you get the right replacement. Better yet, take the whole assembly with you and there will be no potential for error. Buy high quality replacements since some cheap ones may not flex precisely to conform to windshield contours, thus leaving uncleared areas. Cheap arms and frames may also lift at higher speeds because they lack sufficient spring tension.
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Step 4
Tools are not usually needed to replace wipers.Replacing blades and wiper assemblies is easy and tools are usually not required. At most you might need a screwdriver and pliers. “Universal" replacements come with several types of mounting adapters. Read the instructions and use the right ones for your vehicle. Many wiper arms can articulate outward from the windshield while replacing blades, making installation easier.
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Step 5
Wipers need exercise, so operate them every couple of weeks. Wet the windshield first with your windshield washers or a garden hose so you're not operating wipers on a dry windshield. It may also be convenient to do this while washing your vehicle.
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Step 6
Keep your wiper blades clean to prolong their life. Use a clean cloth and windshield washer fluid for cleaning, or commercial wiper conditioners that both clean and restore wiper blade flexibility.
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Step 7
Check your windshield washer fluid level and top off with washer fluid. Don't use water since this can freeze in colder climates. Make sure the windshield washers are working properly and spraying a healthy amount on the windshield.
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Step 8
If your winters are especially severe you should consider heavy-duty winter blades. These have larger profiles to better remove snow. They also use rubber compounds that keep them flexible at sub-zero temperatures and prevent snow and ice from accumulating on the blade.
