How to easily clean clogged windshield washer nozzles

To maintain good visibility in inclement weather, the operation of windshield wipers (the so-called wipers) is not enough. To wash away dirt flying from under the wheels of other cars, special sprayers are installed near the front window of the car. Their main problem is clogging of the calibrated holes through which clean water or non-freezing liquid is pumped. The issue can be solved in two ways: you need to clean the windshield washer nozzles or replace worn parts with new ones.

How to easily clean clogged windshield washer nozzles

If you actively use windshield washer nozzles, sooner or later the time will come when they fail and will have to be replaced.

Much more often, they simply become clogged, which leads to the need to visit a service station or clean them yourself. If the choice is made in favor of the second case, then you should know how to properly clean the windshield washer nozzles.

Features of using the glass washer system

Many drivers do not think about the importance of proper operation of the windshield washer system. The fact is that various contaminants that constantly appear on the glass significantly impair visibility, and accordingly, the safety of driving a car directly depends on this. In the slushy winter, you need to wash the dirt off the windows almost every couple of minutes, using not only the wipers, but also the clean water and washer fluid supply system.

This window washing system consists of an expansion tank, a powerful pump, pipes and nozzles that spray water onto the glass under high pressure, which eliminates all possible contaminants. In the cold season in winter, instead of ordinary water, a special non-freezing liquid is used, which has a low crystallization temperature, which prevents rupture of the pipes and the tank with nozzles.

The problem is that the water contains various dissolved salts and calcium, which subsequently settle on the tubes and nozzles, creating a dense calcium deposit, which ultimately disables the entire system. Therefore, to avoid such breakdowns, it is necessary to clean the washing system on a regular basis, for which special chemicals are added to the water.

Using ready-made chemicals or citric acid

In auto chemical stores you can find various specialized products, the main purpose of which is to eliminate such dense calcium formations and clean the windshield washer system. Despite their effectiveness, such products are still not widely used on the market, which is explained by their high cost. Therefore, you should not be surprised by the fact that many car owners use improvised means the old fashioned way, especially since they are completely safe and effective.

One of these time-tested folk recipes for cleaning the washer reservoir and the entire system is citric acid. The cost of lemon juice is minimal, and provided that the maximum permissible dosages are observed, plaque can be completely eliminated, returning the original elasticity to the pipes. The use of such a chemical allows you to remove contaminants from the spray nozzles, which again efficiently wash the windshield, ensuring its complete cleaning.

Citric acid effectively breaks down various solid deposits; it is an inexpensive and completely safe product to use. All you need to do is add a small amount of lemon juice to the water in the expansion tank, then lightly spray the glass with water so that the cleaning solution reaches all tubes and spray nozzles. It will be necessary to let this liquid work for several days, which will be enough to completely remove the existing plaque.

The undoubted advantage of using such citric acid is its minimal aggressiveness, which eliminates the possibility of damage to the paintwork at an increased concentration of the solution. However, remember that you should not use pure lemon for such cleaning, so it must be diluted with water, at least in a one-to-one consistency.

As an alternative to citric acid, you can use Coca-Cola, which does not contain sugar. It contains a small amount of phosphoric acid, which perfectly removes all dense deposits and cleans the washer fluid reservoir. Literally a half-liter bottle of Coca-Cola is enough to completely eliminate existing plaque. This service should be carried out at least once a year.

Cleaning methods

Now about how to clean the windshield washer nozzles. There are many methods that were invented by folk craftsmen. They are effective and easy to implement.

I'll tell you several methods. And you decide for yourself which path to take.

1. Application of a compressor. It is considered the most useful and fastest cleaning method. But you will definitely need the compressor itself. It’s not worth buying it just to clean the device. The compressor hose is connected to the nozzle nozzle and the air supply is turned on. Literally 30 seconds is enough to blow out all the dirt.
2. An ordinary medical syringe. It is inferior in efficiency to a compressor, but consumables and tools cost pennies. Water with a small amount of citric acid is poured into the syringe. All hoses from the nozzle are disconnected. It is better to read in advance in the operating manual of your car how to remove the sprayer on it. A special feature of the method is that the syringe is inserted where the water comes out and does not enter. That is, on the back side of the nozzle. This will make washing more effective.
3. A simple pin. Some people believe that you should not use pins and needles, since they can damage the glass washer spray. Well I do not know. I have used this technique many times and have had no problems. The main thing here is to be careful. Please note that pins only remove minor dirt. This is a kind of road method when you don’t have a compressor or at least a syringe with citric acid at hand. A pin or needle is inserted into the nozzle and the dirt is carefully picked out. Only those contaminants that have accumulated near the nozzle are cleaned. There's no point in going deeper.
4. Detergent and cleaning agent. The method is effective, but will require quite a lot of time when compared with other methods. Remove the nozzle and place it in a container with water and cleaning agent. Sometimes it is enough to hold the sprayer there for a few minutes. But after that you still have to wash it. With a syringe or a compressor, decide for yourself.

Cleaning jets on a car

To clean the windshield washer without removing the part from the car, try using a thin needle or pin. Carefully insert the end of the needle into the hole and push it all the way, then pull it out and check the operation of the sprayer. If the dirt plug was close to the outlet, a stream of water will throw it out.

When cleaning with a sharp, thin tool, observe the following safety rules:

1. If you use thick pins and awls, you risk damaging the calibrated hole. The nozzle will spray with an uneven stream that does not reach the top of the glass.
2. Do not push the tool too deep. The needle may get stuck tightly or break.
3. When cleaning, do not move the tool to the sides. The position of the plastic sprayer may be disturbed and the jet will begin to hit past the glass or through the roof of the car.

If superficial cleaning does not work, try rinsing the nozzle with a 20 ml syringe equipped with a thin needle. The algorithm is like this:

1. Prepare a soap solution that is enough for 2-3 refills of the syringe.
2. Disconnect the fluid supply tube from the sprayer.
3. Insert the needle into the spray nozzle and with a sharp movement of the piston, squeeze out the cleaning solution. Repeat the operation 2–3 times.

Warning. Do not backwash with a syringe with the supply tube connected. In this way, you will send dirt back into the system, which is why after the first turn on the nozzle will again become clogged with debris.

There are two other ways to clean injectors with disconnected tubes:

• insert a thin steel wire with a diameter of 0.2–0.3 mm into the nozzle, pulling it through using pliers;
• blow out the holes with a compressor.

The first option is not suitable for sprayers with two nozzles - the wire will probably not pass out and will get stuck. Blowing with compressed air gives excellent results when the compressor is capable of providing a pressure of 6–8 bar. Point the gun at the nozzle - if it is inserted into the fitting, the nozzle may fly out and get lost.

Washing with removal

In particularly advanced cases, nebulizers do not want to be cleaned using traditional methods - using needles, wires and syringes. There is only one option left - to remove the injectors from the car, wash them thoroughly, and if that fails, buy and install new parts.

On many modern cars, the sprayers are held in the holes by plastic clips. Dismantling is carried out in this order:

1. Find a narrow flathead screwdriver in the garage.
2. To remove the washer nozzle, use a screwdriver to pry the product at the bottom pad and pull it up.
3. Pull the element out along with the pipe.
4. Disconnect the handset. As a rule, it is pulled over the fitting without being secured with a clamp.

Reference. In some cars, the nozzles may be attached differently - you have to unlock the latches from below.

Immerse the removed element in a soap solution for a day or try treating it with a chemical detergent. Finally, blow out the nozzle with a pump or compressor and replace the nozzle in reverse order. Check where the jet hits and adjust the element if necessary. If the above manipulations do not lead to the desired result, simply replace the atomizer - the spare part is inexpensive.

How to Clean Windshield Washer Nozzles

How to clean washer nozzles | windshield ? Desired instructions

A good driver's license is one of the most important conditions for driving safely. when the windshield is flooded with dirt with insects stuck to it, and in other situations it protects the washing machine from getting dirty. An important component of this cleaning system are the nozzles through which water is supplied to the glass. But often they do not spray water onto the surface, this is not always a malfunction, it can simply get into the water pipe (flushing liquid)

Sooner or later there comes a time when the injectors fail and you need to replace them with new ones. But more often than not, they become clogged and you have to go to a service station or clean them yourself.

In the second case, you need to know how to clean the injectors. windshield washer

How to identify the problem and what you need to do to fix it

When the injectors begin to work much worse than before. while the jet pressure is greatly reduced or completely absent. it is possible that dirt got into them. In this case, they must be removed; you can do this yourself. To do this, prepare:

But before you start cleaning the windshield washer nozzles on a car with glass, you must make sure that the problem is clogged.

Immediately check the water in the washer .

Dismantling

It will be much better if you remove the nozzle, as this will be more convenient for adjustment. This will also be useful if you just want to replace it with a new one. In order to do this, you must first remove all suitable hoses. There is a nut for fastening, you need to unscrew it and then calmly remove the washer.

If it gets hard, it’s better to spray in WD-40 and wait a little, as too much force can break the washer. Putting it back is more difficult and you need to be even more careful here than when removing it.

New injectors will cost you about 300 rubles, and for AvtoVAZ models you only need to pay 60 rubles. The price may be slightly different due to the brand of the car; of course, they will cost more for expensive cars.

Adjusting the windshield washers is not difficult, but the main thing is to do it all carefully. For more information, watch the video instructions.

How to remove injectors?

Before cleaning the injectors, it is necessary to remove some obsolete parts. To perform this action, open the hood lid and disconnect the hoses leading to them from the old jets. After that, you need to press on the injectors from under the hood so that they go up. If this does not happen, you should pry them out using a thin knife or screwdriver from the outside.

Upon completion of cleaning, installing them in place is done in this way: after putting them in place, you need to lightly press on them so that they fit completely into the sockets, and only then connect the water supply hoses to them.

We clean the injectors with our own hands

If fluid stops flowing onto the windshield, you should first find out the reason. It is possible that the jets or the pipe through which the coolant flows are clogged. In this case, it is necessary to clean the parts.

Windshield washer nozzle

There are several ways to clean washer nozzles:

1. Blow out the nozzles using a can of compressed air.
2. You can use thin, hard-to-bend wire, such as a guitar string. It should be inserted several times into the nozzle nozzle.
3. Disconnect the tube from the nozzle and rinse it in the opposite direction using a stream from the syringe. Rinse until all contaminants come out the back.
4. If the above methods do not help, the jets need to be removed from the car, soaked overnight, rinsed well and reinstalled.

If cleaning does not help, then replacement is needed.

Accurate fault diagnosis

The first thing that comes to the mind of a car enthusiast who is faced with a washer failure on the road is cleaning the injectors with improvised means. The measure is justified when the nozzle is clogged with the naked eye - removing debris with a needle or pin will take literally a few minutes. But often the failure of nozzles is associated with other reasons:

1. Malfunction of the electric pump, which does not pump up water when the button is pressed.
2. Clogged supply pipes.
3. A banal lack of liquid in the washer reservoir.
4. Injector failure.

Before you start cleaning the jets, open the hood and make sure there is cleaning fluid. There are different situations: for example, the plastic tank is cracked, water leaks out, and the stain under the car is invisible due to rainy weather. A leak also occurs on the mounting flange of the electric pump.

If you do not hear the characteristic buzzing sound of the pump when you press the lever, immediately try replacing the fuse. Replacing the fuse link did not help - remove and repair the pumping device. Elements with a non-separable design have to be replaced with new ones.

It is not difficult to identify a tube clogged with dirt . Once you reach the bottom of the sprayer, remove the supply pipe, turn on the ignition and press the windshield washer button. If the electric pump hums and the water barely drips from the tube, it should be thoroughly cleaned and rinsed.