If you happen to be a concerned car owner who has owned, you probably earn washer fluid because of how important it is for keeping your windshield clean. But, in most cases, you have probably never finished an entire bottle of windshield washer fluid, which will make you wonder if you could use a windshield washer fluid that has been around in your garage for quite some time. So, does windshield washer fluid expire?
As long as the windshield washer fluid bottle is left unopened, it will still be good even when it’s past its stated expiration date. And even opened ones are still good as long as lumps haven’t formed. Be concerned, however, when there are already lumps and it is past its expiration date.
You shouldn’t be too concerned about whether or not your windshield washer fluid has already expired. After all, it’s mainly just water and a few other chemicals such as alcohol that help prevent your windshield from freezing in the winter. Still, because it can be a bit too expensive to repair a damaged windshield, you have to be careful when using expired windshield washer fluid.
Read More: Does Transmission Fluid Expire?
Does windshield washer fluid expire?
Experienced and concerned car owners know for a fact that it is important to have a bottle of windshield washer fluid lying around especially when the season calls for it. Windshield wiper fluid, while meant for all seasons, is especially useful during extreme weather conditions especially during the winter because of how it prevents your windshield from freezing when you are wiping your windshield. It’s also useful in spring when the snow is melting. As such, it is almost a necessity in colder regions.
But, because you probably won’t need to refill your windshield wipers as often as you might think, there might be a bottle of windshield wiper fluid that has already gone past its expiration date lying in your garage somewhere. In cases when you don’t have time to buy a new one, can you still use that bottle? Does windshield washer fluid even really expire?
While windshield wiper fluid does indeed expire as you can easily assume from what its expiration date would say, that doesn’t mean that you still can’t use it. When the bottle is left unopened, there is little to no oxidation that will happen inside the bottle because of how it was kept sealed all this time. As such, it will probably be as good as new if you use it.
Meanwhile, even if the bottle was already opened and it has gone past its expiration date, you can still use it, especially if there are no lumps that have formed inside. After all, windshield wiper fluid is mainly just water-based but with a bit of added chemicals that allow it to keep your windshield from freezing during the winters.
However, be warned that using expired windshield wiper fluid can have some downsides as well especially if lumping has happened. Use expired windshield wiper fluid at your own risk. If you can, buy a new one, and don’t risk using an old bottle that has already gone past its expiration date.
How often should you change your windshield washer fluid?
Windshield washer fluid isn’t necessarily that important for your car’s regular maintenance but it is still nonetheless quite important during winter and spring because of all the snow that can easily get on your windshield.
In that regard, what you need to do is to make sure that you check your car’s windshield washer fluid maybe once a month. Pop open the hood to see how much fluid is in there. If there is only about a quarter of the fluid left, you should probably refill it with windshield washer fluid. Otherwise, you can leave it as it is and check again next month.
How to dispose of old windshield washer fluid
Windshield wiper fluid is actually designed to be safe to dispose of down the drainage hole. As such, if you have an old bottle of windshield washer fluid that has already gone past its expiration date, you can dispose of the liquid down any drain without any problems because the chemicals contained in it aren’t necessarily dangerous to the drains since the fluid is mostly water.
After you have disposed of the liquid inside the bottle, you can dispose of the bottle properly by placing it in a recycling bin. Since it is made out of plastic, it should be recycled properly to make sure that you are doing your part for the environment.
Best windshield washer fluid for your car
Check out these popular brands we recommend.
- Rain-X Washer Fluid Additive
Rain-X Washer Fluid Additive is not a washer fluid on its own but is actually an additive that you add to your existing washer fluid to make it more effective. What makes this product a favorite of ours is that it has a water beading technology that is great at removing a lot of things including snow, ice, bugs, and road spray on your windshield. Moreover, it also improves cleaning so that you don’t have to struggle to clean your windshield ever again. So, if you are interested in this product, you can grab it on Amazon.
- Nextzett Kristal Klar Washer Fluid
The Nextzett Kristal Klar Washer Fluid is a good budget choice you can go for if you are looking for a cheap windshield washer fluid that still does the job well enough. It is great at removing glare on your windshield to make it easier for you to drive. It also allows your windshield wiper to move smoothly and more efficiently while also helping in removing water mineral stains on your windshield. If you want to know more about it, you can check it out on Amazon here.
Sources:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2005-03-27-0503260311-story.html
