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How to Make Windshield Washer Fluid with Windex

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If you have a car and you care about maintaining it, you know how important windshield washing fluid is. Commercial chemical cleaners are available, but they are not always safe. The good news is, you can use Windex to make windshield washer fluid. Read on to learn how to make windshield washer fluid with Windex.

A few words on Windex

Windex is a mixture of several chemical properties. Apart from water, it contains isopropanolamine, hexyloxyethanol and some other rubbing alcohol. Windex also contains ammonia, lauramine oxide and other surfactant agents.

Alcohols are very much like hydrocarbons, and that is why they are effective degreasing agents. They very effectively fight against oils and moisture. Using hydrogen bonding, the alcohol dissolves the oil. This cleaner also cleans oily smudges and fingerprints.

Windex evaporates easily, and is fairly volatile. And when you mix it with water, it causes the water to evaporate pretty quickly. That is why the glass you clean with Windex dries so quickly.

If the smudges are more stubborn, you need to use Windex with lauramine oxide, which is a heavy-hitting degreaser. This surfactant is also used in dish and laundry detergents. Lauramine oxide can be dissolved in both water and oil.

Windex contains a small amount of ammonia. The amount is less than 5%. Ammonia oxide, technically, is not a strong base. As a rule, bases bond with hydrogen atoms. As a base, ammonia is weaker than potassium hydroxides and sodium, but it can still drive hydrogen, removing proteins and oils.

When you are using Windex to clean glass surfaces, you have to remember a few things. To remove stains, spray them with Windex and allow them to sit for several minutes. The stains are removed over time, thanks to a mixture of ammonia and other ingredients. If there are more stains, a second application is necessary in some cases.

The application of Windex may result in streaking. To reduce streaking, you have to use a clean cloth rag to wipe the glass. We will focus more on that later. Before that, let us learn how you can use Windex to make windshield washer fluid.

How to make windshield washer fluid with Windex easily

Now we are going to provide instructions for making windshield washer fluid with Windex. If you are a car owner and DIY enthusiast, and if you are serious about making glass surface washer, you will find these instructions helpful.

As an owner of a four-wheeler vehicle, you know that the maintenance of your vehicle can not be imagined without windshield washer fluid. If you live in a normal climate, you will not have to deal with any hassle to clean off a windshield. But in extreme cold climate, you will have to deal with layers of grime and ice.

Inside the reservoir of the windshield washer fluid, a pre-heated fluid is stored. And when you squirt it on the screen, it instantly cleans the frost. It happens because in nature the fluid is a bit warm.

Windshield washer fluids are found in different forms. In North America, fluids are used in their diluted form. Antifreeze chemical fluids are used in other parts of the world. For safe driving, this fluid is of utmost importance. But if you do not refill the reservoir for any reason, there is still something you can do.

Well, if you are willing to spend some time, you can make some windshield washer fluid and store the fluid as a backup option. In emergency times, this homemade fluid can make your life a bit easier. By making some windshield washer fluid, you can save some money and time.

For this recipe, you need 1 pint of rubbing alcohol, ½ cup of soapy ammonia, and about 6 cups of water. Soapy ammonia is in fact 1 part ammonia, 4 parts water and a small amount of dish soap.

You have to gather the supplies. Once you have finished reading this post and you know how to make windshield washer fluid with Windex, you have to go out and gather the supplies. 

Make sure that you have gathered dish soap, water, rubbing alcohol and ammonia, basic funnel and measuring cups. Gathering the supplies is the big part of the process, because you will actually need very little time to make it.

The procedure

First, make your soapy ammonia. Take a liquid measuring cup and pour 4-5 teaspoons of water. Then take 2-3 teaspoons of ammonia and add it to the water. Ammonia should be treated the way bleach is treated. It smells foul, but you do not need to wear gloves if you do not touch it. Make sure it does not spill when you have poured 2 teaspoons.

Now you need to add some dish soap to the mixture. The ideal amount is 1 teaspoon. You can use your kitchen sink to do it. Use the funnel to pour the ammonia into the bottle. Then you have to add the alcohol.

There is no strict rule for the type of alcohol you should use, but 91% isopropyl alcohol is ideal. Add ½ cup of the alcohol to the soapy ammonia.

And finally you need to add water. To learn how to make windshield washer fluid with Windex, the first you have to know is that glass cleaners are mostly water. Add a couple of 1/3 cups of water to the bottle. Make sure there is still some room at the top of your bottle. Tighten the screw top and then shake it.

 Test this homemade solution in your bathroom before you wash your car windshield. Portion a few sections on the mirror. See the difference between this homemade solution and store-bought Windex.

 Chances are that you will not notice any difference between store-bought Windex and this homemade solution. You will be able to eliminate spots and grime with just one swipe with your rag.

Things to consider

 Learning how to make windshield washer fluid with Windex is not enough. When it comes to applying this solution, there are a few things to consider. Here are 3 important things to consider:

  • No matter what cleaning solution you are using, do not spray it directly on the surface. Spray it on a towel or rag and then use it to wipe the surface. If you do it, the solution will not drip within the frame or into the edges. This method of application will help you prevent erosion.
  • If you are not sure whether you should use this glass cleaner, read the user manual of the windshield. Do some research online and you will find a lot of information about that particular windshield.
  • To apply this windshield washer fluid, you can microfiber towels or paper towels. Microfiber cloths have multiple advantages. They do not have little particles of paper, and they can be washed easily.

 When it comes to cleaning windshield, Windex is the cleaner of choice for most people. There are few other windshield washer fluids that work so effectively. In this post, you have learnt how to make windshield washer fluid with Windex. Hopefully you will apply this knowledge and make some washer fluid.

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