Reviving old wiper blades - any tricks?
 

The Bosch Icon blades on my F-150 are starting to chatter after 1 year. I guess the rubber is starting to harden. I like them, but they are spendy. Any way to make them last a little longer?

Emery cloth? Alcohol? What works?

Usually chatter is from deposits on the glass or blade, I have read.

If the blades are not cracked etc, you might wipe them clean with a rag and som alcohol. Then you should clean your glass real well. There are several brands of glass cleaner and polishes out there.

When I finish the glass I like to put some RainX on it. Some people like it some don't.

I see you live in Wyoming. I would assume this means you have nasty winters and maybe hot summers? One trick used by cheap skates is to use old wipers during the dry hot season and put on the "good" blades during the rainy season. Also if you gett freezes it might be worthwhile to put on the old blades when you think the blades might get frozen to the glass or be used when the glass is like sandpaper.

If this doesn't work then you might look into new blades.

Jim Henderson

Rainy season? We have a rainy season? 9 inches a year, average.

You know, I've always used those cheap Amco blades and they work fine. I think a set is under 10 bucks and I easily get at least 2 years out of them. I personally don't like RainX. I used it for a couple weeks when my wiper motor went out and I was tracking down a replacement. It did a decent job at making the rain bead up and blow off, but it made my windshield fog really bad at night, and no matter what I tried, it wouldn't go away for a couple months.

I do the same thing and put in inserts every couple of years. That makes it cost about $3 per year.

www.super-lube.com
Clean off the wiper blades with alcohol, and put a coat of super lube multipurpose grease. let the blade sit for about 6-8 hours, and apply another coat. the blades will absorb this grease, and it is like hand lotion on dry hands. wash the blades with mild soap, to remove the left over grease. This grease is also used on waterproofing gaskets for electronic connectors and gaskets for radio housings. it will not deteriorate rubber like many lubricants. The lubricant spray works for this too. I also
use it for weatherstripping. Apply, reapply, wipe dry after it soaks it in twice. It also leaves rubber feeling rubbery, not oily.

I scrap a razor blade down each edge and wipe with alcohol.

There used to be a tool that did what rebocardo said. It would put a new cutting edge on the blade. You just slid it in the groove. If anyone knows where to get one i'd buy another in a heartbeat.
Rich.

Take some sandpaper and lightly sand the wiping edge of the blade

Nobody in town here will sell just the inserts anymore. They are tired of getting returns because they weren't the right length. This is not just the mom 'n' pop places; WallyWorld is the same way.