Going to start making my own windshield washer fluid. Which is better to use as a deicer? Don’t laugh at me. Yes I live in north Texas. We do get below freezing at times, lol. Most concentrated washer fluids say to use methanol. Thanks.
That’s what I’m afraid of tooWhat ever solution that you make, hopefully it won't harm the paint.![]()
Screw it I’ll stick to the gallon jugs.Too much (MeOH) and you will damage the hoses.
I haven’t found it for 1.97 around me.Windshield fluid has to be some of the cheapest fluid to buy. $1.97 gallon at times. Could a person make it cheaper than that?
Thank you. I saw some blue concentrate. I may use distilled water with it.I use the individually sealed tablets. Works out to be .10 a gallon. In the winter I add 1/2 cup of 99.9% Isopropyl alcohol to the gallon of washer fluid. I'm good on washer fluid for the next 10 years
Windshield washer tablets - https://www.amazon.com/awave-bloom-Windshield-Gallons-Window-Glass/dp/B0B9S1FR6Z/
4 Gallons of 99.9 Isopropyl alcohol - https://www.amazon.com/MaxTite-Isopropyl-Alcohol-99-9-Gallon/dp/B08G57WSV2/
Had that happen to me on a company vehicle I used for the weekend. They had used water mostly. I filled the reservoir with a gallon of -20F. I never used the fluid on trip up and it was about 0F that night. Lines were frozen solid, I had to sit with engine running in an area away from wind for 30-45 minutes before it finally thawed.It isn't about being cheap. The gallon stuff you get at the store doesn't really "protect to -20* like it says on the bottle, and pills sometimes have a tendency to come out of suspension and clog the motor/lines. Get the gallon jug for convenience, and pour some 91% Iso alcohol in it. Whn you know its going to be one of those "Icer's", make sure you purge the lines until the ISO makes its way out onto the window. Otherwise, your lines freeze up while your reservoir stays unfrozen.
You can buy WW fluid that's rated for -49C so that's about 57% methanol (by volume). To be safe just keep your mix at 30-50% methanol.If you don't mix it right, to the point that it may damage your hoses, wouldn't it dissolve the wipers themselves?.,,
why poisonous methanol when ethanol exists, which is also less corrosive?Going to start making my own windshield washer fluid. Which is better to use as a deicer? Don’t laugh at me. Yes I live in north Texas. We do get below freezing at times, lol. Most concentrated washer fluids say to use methanol. Thanks.
Thanks I went ahead and ordered 99.9% isopropyl alcohol and blue windshield washer liquid. I plan on using a gallon of distilled water also,If you are mixing your own windshield washer fluid, I don't recommend using methanol.
Methanol is corrosive. "Methanol can cause corrosion in metals such as aluminum, magnesium, and carbon steel. It attacks the protective oxide layers on aluminum, leading to significant corrosion over time. Under specific conditions, such as when mixed with water, methanol can exacerbate stress corrosion cracking in carbon steel, especially if the steel is under tensile stress."
"Methanol acts as a solvent for many rubber compounds, leading to swelling and potential brittleness over time. Prolonged exposure can cause rubber to lose its strength and elasticity, making it less effective in applications such as hoses, seals and gaskets."
"Methanol's impact on plastics is generally less severe than on rubber, but it can still cause issues. Some plastics may resist methanol better than others; however, there are concerns that methanol can attack certain types of plastic components, particularly those used in automotive applications like washer nozzles. While immediate damage may not occur, long-term exposure could lead to degradation or failure of plastic components over time."
Ethanol and Isopropyl alcohol are better choices. That being said, most commercial winter (or all weather) windshield washer fluids contain methanol. Why? It is WAY cheaper.
The blue additive I ordered from Amazon said to use methanol. I went ahead and ordered 99.9% isopropyl alcohol like mentioned above.why poisonous methanol when ethanol exists, which is also less corrosive?