We are not too far from spring and you know what that means…April showers bring May flowers. I know what you’re thinking. April sounds so long away, but the reality is it is only a month and a half away, and even if we don’t get spring weather, we are sure getting winter snow right now. So making sure that your vehicle wipers are fresh and ready to take on whatever mother nature has to throw at them.

In this week’s blog, we have set out to help decide if it’s time to replace your wipers or not. Many of us know how important wipers are to our visibility when driving, but a lot of the time wipers are left behind when it comes to maintenance. So this week are determined to help give your wipers the love they deserve. Check out our tips below and stop by if you realize it’s time for a replacing!

When inspecting your blades, look for the following:

• Broken frame – detachment of frame arms at joints or connection points.
• Metal Corrosion – especially at joints and claws.
• Visible cracks, tears, and missing pieces on the rubber squeegees’ edge.
• Flex rubber squeegee back and forth to see if it is still flexible. Aged squeegees will have difficulty conforming to the shape of your windshield and create streaks.
• Check squeegee wiping edge for rounded edges which can prevent the wiper blade from making strong contact with the windshield and reduces wipe quality.
• Tug to ensure wiper blade has been securely installed on the wiper arm.
• Check that squeegee is secure in the wiper frame.

If you’re looking for a few tips and tricks that can extend the life of your wiper blades then lucky you because I’ve got those too!

• Clean your windshield every time you fill your gas tank.
• Gently wipe the rubber squeegee with a damp paper towel to remove any loose dirt or oil.
• Never use your windshield wipers to de-ice your windshield. Instead, either use an ice scraper or use your defroster to melt snow and ice.
• Pull your wiper blades away from the windshield during winter months to prevent ice build up on the rubber squeegee and to prevent them from sticking to the windshield.