One WD 40 hack that is very popular is to use the spray to fix screeching wiper blades.
Supposedly, after doing the whole procedure the wiper blades will be as good as new.
In this article, we’ll test this, see the outcome, and does all of this really work.
If you’re not in the mood for reading, you can watch a video at the end of this article or on our YouTube channel.
WHAT WILL YOU NEED FOR THE WD 40 HACK?
You’ll need a can of WD 40 spray and a clean cloth (one or more).
I must say before we start that this hack is only applicable if the rubber blades are still in good condition.
If they’re torn, chipped, or damaged some other way, then this won’t work at all.
In that case, it would be best to replace the wiper blades as soon as possible or at least replace the wiper refills.
HOW TO DO THE WD 40 HACK ON YOUR WIPERS?
The whole procedure is very simple:
1. RAISE THE WIPER ARM
Lift the wiper arm and put the wiper blade at a 90-degree angle as opposed to the wiper arm. Form a „T“ shape. This will make working much easier.
Best raise one wiper arm at a time. This is a safety precaution so you don’t accidentally hit the other wiper arm while working on the other.
If the wiper blade were to suddenly hit the windshield, it might chip or break it.
2. SPRAY SOME WD 40 SPRAY ONTO THE CLOTH
Spray on a couple of bursts, just enough to make the cloth moist.
Using a textile cloth is much better (at least in my experience) than using, for instance, paper towels.
Also, you may need more than one cloth, if the rubber blades are more filthy.
3. RUB THE RUBBER PART OF THE BLADE WITH THE CLOTH
The rubbing effect is best when you firmly press the cloth against the rubber blade and move it up and down, from top to bottom.
At first, the cloth will probably be very filthy but as you repeat the procedure, it will get cleaner.
Continue rubbing until the cloth is almost clean and has no black residue on it.
4. LOWER THE WIPER ARM BACK INTO PLACE
Once you’re finished, align the wiper blade with the wiper arm and lower it back into place.
5. REPEAT THE SAME PROCEDURE WITH THE OTHER WIPER
Do exactly the same just on the other side.
Once you’re finished, it would be good to clean the windshield using some glass cleaner and a paper towel. This way you’ll remove grease and filth from the windshield, improving the whole effect of the hack.
DOES THE HACK WORK?
Yes, but for a short time. At least from personal experience.
I had very screechy and „jumpy“ wiper blades before the WD 40 hack. Afterward, they went smoothly over the windshield, and the quality of wiping seriously improved.
Again I must say that the condition of the rubber blades was pretty good, to begin with.
But after a couple of rainfalls, the situation became more or less the same as it was before the hack. The wipers started to screech and smear, but to be honest, less than before.
When the screeching started, I repeated the whole procedure and the situation again improved.
The effect of the hack seemed to wear off over time.
CONCLUSION
The WD-40 hack is, in my humble opinion, a first-aid measure for your wiper blades.
A good option if you have, for instance, expensive wiper blades that you don’t want or can’t change at the present moment. The same goes for rare or older types of wiper blades.
You can also use this WD 40 hack for the rear wiper blade which is sometimes more expensive and harder to find when you have to replace it.
To be clear, nothing can replace new wiper blades and the wiping quality they provide. If the rubber blades are badly damaged, replace them as soon as possible as the safety of driving depends on it.
But if they’re still in good condition, this hack is certainly worth the try.
After all, it doesn’t cost much, can’t cause any damage, and will likely improve the situation to some extent. Especially if you can’t buy new ones.
Written by: Sibin Spasojevic
Former car technician, life-long car and DIY enthusiast, author for Despairrepair.com