How to Take Care of Your Vehicle's Windscreen

Looking after your new windscreen:

Hundreds of windscreens are replaced in capital cities on a daily basis all around the world. A large percentage of windscreen replacements derive from motorists not looking after their windscreen. Almost all windscreens are replaced because they are damaged in one way or another but how many of these could have been avoided? Lets take a look at what we can do to get the longest possible life out of our windscreen.

It doesn't take much to scratch automotive windscreens, one major cause of damage is dirty or damaged wiper blades. Whilst driving around on roads dirt and dust builds up on our car including our wiper blades. Also small rocks and sticks can collect on top of the wiper blades and when it comes time to use them all that debris gets caught under the blades whilst in use and ends up scratching the glass, at times to the point where it becomes difficult to see out of, especially when driving into the sun.

Another major concern is using your wiper blades with a dirty windscreen. You may have took the time to make sure your wipers were free from dirt and rocks but if you don't clean your windscreen on a regular basis then just doing one of these things will be deemed useless. We also need to check every few weeks or so that the blades are still correctly installed. Most wiper arms are made from metal, if the rubber blades are damaged or not fitted correctly, the metal wiper frame could also rub against the glass and leave nasty scratches which can never be removed and leave you with no other option but to replace the whole windscreen.

While keeping your windscreen clean will ensure it will last longer, care must be taken whilst cleaning to not unintentionally scratch the glass. When cleaning your windscreen only ever use window cleaner or warm soapy water and a soft cloth or scratch free sponge. If your windscreen has hard to remove dirt or bugs do not try and scrub it off with a coarse sponge or brush as this will certainly scratch the glass. Instead soak the area with a soft sponge and lightly scrub the area, repeat this as many times as needed. This method is time consuming but you can be confident you wont damage the windscreen.

Stone chips to the windscreen are another common occurrence. Just because a stone has hit your windscreen and damaged it does not mean it needs to be replaced. A lot of the time stone chips can be repaired instead. A qualified technician can insert a specifically formulated resin into the affected area, stop the damaged area from getting worse whilst maintaining the integral strength of the windscreen. Most people don't realise this and leave the stone chipped area unattended, resulting in the damaged area cracking off, spreading all over the windscreen and needing a complete replacement.

Following these easy steps will ensure you will have a defect free windscreen and a safe and enjoyable time whist driving your vehicle.