Can I Add Water to the Car's Windshield Washer Fluid?
3 Answers
If you are in the northern region, you can add water because it helps prevent the windshield washer fluid from freezing. However, if you are in the southern region, adding water is not recommended as it may reduce the cleaning effectiveness. Below is some relevant information: 1. Windshield washer fluid, commonly known as glass water, is a consumable used in cars. High-quality windshield washer fluid mainly consists of water, alcohol, ethylene glycol, corrosion inhibitors, and various surfactants. 2. Windshield washer fluid, also known as glass cleaner, is widely used for quick dirt removal and bright cleaning of car windshields, rearview mirrors, home glass, office glass, door and window glass, and decorative glass. It offers comprehensive performance, is easy to use, and can even be homemade.
I've been driving for ten years and have occasionally used water as an emergency substitute for windshield washer fluid, especially during summer road trips when I couldn't find a supermarket. But honestly, water contains too many impurities that can easily clog the spray nozzles, and it leaves water spots all over the windshield. Nowadays, the blue windshield washer fluid at supermarkets costs just ten yuan a bottle—it contains cleaning agents that work great for removing oily films, and there are even anti-freeze versions for winter. If you really want to save money, using filtered boiled water is still better than tap water, but never use mineral water—the mineral deposits can build up, and a single nozzle cleaning at a repair shop could cost you 200 yuan.
We veteran drivers in Northeast China all know that you should never pour tap water into the windshield washer reservoir in winter! At minus twenty degrees Celsius, the freezing water can directly crack the plastic reservoir. My neighbor ruined his reservoir this way last year, and the repair cost was equivalent to twenty bottles of antifreeze washer fluid. Adding water regularly is even more troublesome—calcium and magnesium ions in tap water can form alkaline deposits in the pipes, gradually clogging the nozzle holes. In emergencies, you should use purified water, and after spraying, immediately refill with proper washer fluid to dilute any residue. Car washes keep specialized cleaning solutions to flush the pipes, but in reality, just adding two bottles of antifreeze washer fluid year-round is usually enough.
