How To Fix Frozen Windshield Wipers

Imagine this! You wake up to see a sheet of snow covering your street and tiny white crystals are still falling from the sky. At first you turn into the child you used to be and get excited. You could spend the day sledding, making a snowman, or throwing snowballs at your grumpy next door neighbor. But suddenly your excitement vanishes as you remember you have a whole day of work ahead of you. "Great, driving to work in the snow," you mumble to yourself. When you finally get outside to back your car out of the driveway and head to work, you realize that your windshield and windshield wipers are completely frozen.

If you have ever been in this situation before, we get it! Having to deal with frozen windshield wipers on a snowy day is a huge hassle, but we will give you some tips for getting your windshield wipers defrosted in no time. Wrench is always committed to providing you with ease and convenience, so if you find yourself dealing with a broken-down vehicle, you know who to call! Click here and book your appointment today!

For more winter car care tips, browse through our winter blog posts! We will tell you all about what to watch for when driving in cold weather or even what fluids you should top off before winter hits.

How To Defrost Your Windshield Wipers As Quickly As Possible

First, you need to relax and take a deep breath. The defrosting process will not be instant and you need to fit the urge to rip your windshield wipers away from the ice because this could damage them. To safely defrost your windshield wipers, get inside your car, turn it on, and hit the windshield defroster button. This will get the ice to melt, but it isn't an instant process. Just be sure not to turn on the windshield wipers as you might damage them if they are still stuck in the ice.

While you could sit there and wait for about 20 minutes, we know you might not have that much time. If that's the case, you can get outside of your car and try to brush off the loose snow and ice. You can use an ice scraper if you want, but be careful not to hit the windshield wipers or damage the windshield. You won't be able to get rid of all the ice with the ice scraper, but it will help.

You can also try spraying a defrosting solution. There are plenty sprays that you can buy, but you can also try making your own. You try using vinegar and water, pickle juice, or vodka and water. You just want to make sure that you thoroughly rinse off your windshield and wipers to make sure that none of the mixtures linger because some of the salt or other components might damage your car. If you make your own defrosting solution, you just need to be a little extra careful.

What NOT To Do When Defrosting Your Windshield Wipers

• Don't Pour Hot Water On Your Windshield
  Pouring hot water on a frozen windshield might cause the glass to crack. In this situation, it's better to be patient and wait for your windshield to defrost rather than have to deal with a full windshield replacement.
• Don't Force Your Windshield Wipers Free
  Like we mentioned earlier, don't pick at the ice stuck to your windshield wipers. It's better to let them defrost slowly because using too much force could damage your windshield wipers.
• Don't Turn Your Windshield Wipers On
  We also mentioned this earlier, but be careful not to turn your windshield wipers on accidentally or purposefully. This could damage the motor and cause them not to work anymore!

How Can I Prevent Frozen Windshield Wipers?

• Park Your Car Inside The Garage
  It goes without saying, but parking your car in a covered area away from the snow and moisture will be the best way to prevent this problem. If possible, we recommend parking your car inside a garage, but we also know that this isn't always possible.
• Cover Your Windshield Overnight
  You can also try covering your windshield with a variety of things like cloth, pieces of carpet, or even cardboard. Just simply covering your windshield and keeping the snow off of it will help drastically.
• Put Socks On Your Windshield Wipers
  To protect your windshield wipers from the ice, cover both wipers in long sock and keep them sticking up over night. The socks might freeze, but keeping them up will help protect them.

Your car's windshield wipers are very important. Without windshield wipers that are working properly, you could have problems seeing out of your windshield, putting you in harms way. If you find yourself in need of a windshield wiper blade or motor replacement, book an appointment with Wrench! Our mobile mechanics will come to your location and repair your windshield wipers so you can get back on the road safely.

For more information on how to change your windshield wiper blades, click here!