What's the secret to squeegeeing your windshield?

[Hack&Lube]

I'm so sick of my windshield getting splatted with mud and droplets every 5 seconds on every road in Calgary these past few days. I'm going through my wiper fluid so quickly otherwise I'm driving blind.

I've tried to use the squeegees at Esso when I fill up but I keep leaving streaks between each pass when I try to (what's the word) clean off the water with the rubber blade.

Is there some kind of secret technique or spiral or something I'm supposed to do? Doesn't help that the windshielf is sloped and curved so the rubber blade can't come down flush.

[Jayems]

What i do, is this.

Obviously, you cover the entire windshield with whatever they gas station choses to put in the bucket.

A key step is to now violently snap the squeegee towards the ground to shake off all excess liquid.

Position the squeegee paralell (sp?) to your hood. So you are leaning over and put it right in the middle on the windshield. Now, press down firmly and move up towards the roof of the car. When you get close, twist the squeegee and now bring it back towards you. So you make a kind of 7 shape. (a backwards 7). Continue doing that until that side is clean. Works like a charm every time.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Wipe off the squeegee with the available paper towel between passes. The secret is to position the squeegee so that the seam that opens up when pressing against the windshield gets wiped in the next pass - towelling off gives you more latitude to find this "seam" and position it correctly for the next pass.

[Winsor_Pilates]

start at the top, go all the way across, not just half way. And make sure you wipe the water off the squuegee after each stroke.

[ken0042]

I usually wipe the rubber between each stroke.

I also make sure each stroke covers about half the same area of the previous one.

The preceeding post was brought to you by the "Let's bait Fotze" Foundation.

[SeeGeeWhy]

What i do, is this.

Obviously, you cover the entire windshield with whatever they gas station choses to put in the bucket.

A key step is to now violently snap the squeegee towards the ground to shake off all excess liquid.

Position the squeegee paralell (sp?) to your hood. So you are leaning over and put it right in the middle on the windshield. Now, press down firmly and move up towards the roof of the car. When you get close, twist the squeegee and now bring it back towards you. So you make a kind of 7 shape. (a backwards 7). Continue doing that until that side is clean. Works like a charm every time.

That's what I do, too. Just make sure there is some overlap in the 'wipes' and you should be good to go.

Works for the side and rear glass, too.

[LK34]

Squeegee 101? Wow. LOL.


All I do is wash/squeegee the window, and then use the wipers to get rid of the streaks.:bag:

What's the point in trying to get it perfect when you go 5 blocks and it's dirty again?

[CaramonLS]

Here is how to do it with no streaks:

Cover your windshield with the Wash, then start with the wiper end in the middle bottom of your Windshield and basically draw an upside down "L". And repeat until your windshield is clear. Usually about 3-4 strokes each side.

[Nufy]

I usually wipe the rubber between each stroke.

The preceeding post was brought to you by the "Let's bait Fotze" Foundation.

I have a comment for this but my better judgement prevented me from typing it out.......:D

[Buff]

I've not seen this happen in Calgary as I do not live there, so I could be mistaken, but don't you have to stop at a red light in certain locations to have your window squeegeed?

[Hemi-Cuda]

what i'd like to know is the secret to installing wiper blades when they attach to the arms with a hook (specifically those new Reflex wipers that bead the water). i can get them on well enough, but no matter how much force i apply i can't get them to "click" in position, and thus they sit on kind of lose and don't require much effort to slip off

[CRXguy]

Instead of using the squeegy so often, apply some Rain-X on your windshield. I just did this last week, and I bought the Wal-Mart equivalent of the "Reflex" blades. Everything just beads off now, and no more streaks. Instead of holding the mist lever on in your car, just give it a couple quick squirts.

[the_hound]

DOMO, they jump to the pump for you ;)

[hockeygrl44]

Hemi Cuda, I'm so glad I'm not the only one that was having difficulty getting those damn reflex blades on. No matter what I tried I couldn't get them to "click" into place. The beading action with those only lasts so long though. I'm going to buy some of the rain-x soon. When my reflex blades were newer I was really impressed that the water would just bead away. Like CRXguy said you dont need to hold the mist. I found even just a pass of the wipers would get rid of the mess, without streaks. I'll definately save money on windshield fluid after I get the Rain-x.

[jolinar of malkshor]

What i do, is this.

Obviously, you cover the entire windshield with whatever they gas station choses to put in the bucket.

A key step is to now violently snap the squeegee towards the ground to shake off all excess liquid.

Position the squeegee paralell (sp?) to your hood. So you are leaning over and put it right in the middle on the windshield. Now, press down firmly and move up towards the roof of the car. When you get close, twist the squeegee and now bring it back towards you. So you make a kind of 7 shape. (a backwards 7). Continue doing that until that side is clean. Works like a charm every time.

Ditto.....but I only do the backwards 7 after I have done one side...usually.

[jolinar of malkshor]

I've not seen this happen in Calgary as I do not live there, so I could be mistaken, but don't you have to stop at a red light in certain locations to have your window squeegeed?

No....they jump on their skate board and hang onto the mirror while one is driving....they are usually done by the next stop like.

[Calgaryborn]

Start squeegee at top of window. Use good pressure, overlap, and keep the squeegee tilted(with the top of the squeegee leading ahead of the bottom).

[LK34]

I bought the Mopar flat wiper blades.

Have yet to have a problem with them.