using anti-freeze as screen wash

[PKLD]

whats the worst that can happen if anything?

I went out to get the bottle and noticed it was empty - phoned g/f and she said 'is that the blue bottle? yeh i topped up the screen wash like you told me!'

[eldar]

Its good paint stripper, and kills cats. Apart from that, no problem...

[morgrp]

I would think it would be quite slimey and smeary - not recommended - doubt it would really do any damage as such

[PKLD]

morgrp said:

I would think it would be quite slimey and smeary - not recommended - doubt it would really do any damage as such

i'm liking this comment - more of these please. I'm dreading what I'll find once the snow clears!!

[NHK244V]

Will stain the paintwork for sure amd probably smear the crap outa the screen as well ?

[PKLD]

NHK244V said:

Will stain the paintwork for sure

would this be easily fixed by me or something more serious/costly?

[blueg33]

I have used it to strip paint from old panels, there is no way I would let the stuff near my car paintwork!

[zcacogp]

Apologies for being slow here, but what's the problem with stopping off to buy some screenwash on the way to wherever you are going? Every petrol station sells the stuff, as does every supermarket and even Halfords may stock some (although expecting them to provide something useful is a bit optimistic.)


Oli.

[Pints]

I doubt this will end well.

Note to self: keep anti-freeze out of reach of Mrs Pints.

[Munter]

zcacogp said:

Apologies for being slow here, but what's the problem with stopping off to buy some screenwash on the way to wherever you are going? Every petrol station sells the stuff, as does every supermarket and even Halfords may stock some (although expecting them to provide something useful is a bit optimistic.)


Oli.

The problem is his Mrs has already topped up the screen wash with the wrong stuff just because it was the screenwash colour. He's now wondering what the damage is. He's not suggesting it as a good idea.

[PKLD]

zcacogp said:

Apologies for being slow here, but what's the problem with stopping off to buy some screenwash on the way to wherever you are going? Every petrol station sells the stuff, as does every supermarket and even Halfords may stock some (although expecting them to provide something useful is a bit optimistic.)


Oli.

yes normally I would agree but it was my o/h! (and we live in the north of scotland which means even our tesco has run out of screen wash)

She has the car at the minute as she is at uni but when I said that she should check the paintwork - she then suggested getting an old brush to clear the snow off my poor TT.

Also standard screenswash even non-diluted will only work down to -5. that ain't good enough when:

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

Just to reiterate...think of antifreeze as paint stripper...even a few diluted drops will mark the paint.
Don't think I'm exaggerating either!

[Dog Star]

PKLD said:

Also standard screenswash even non-diluted will only work down to -5.

Anti-freeze will strip your paint. No question.

Also - I've had no problems with screenwash and I've seen -10 quite a few times in the last few weeks and even a -15. I might have heated jets though - but I don't think so.

Seriously - *don't* use antifreeze. If your OH has put some in the washer bottle then got a (unfrozen) hosepipe into the filler neck and "flood out" the mixture. If things are so bad that it is freezing then get a squirty trigger bottle and use that - stop every now and then to get out and squirt some on.

[muckymotor]

I find brake fluid works well as an atifreeze screen wash, the good thing is you don't need the high temperature stuff.

[PKLD]

Dog Star said:

PKLD said:

Also standard screenswash even non-diluted will only work down to -5.

Anti-freeze will strip your paint. No question.

Also - I've had no problems with screenwash and I've seen -10 quite a few times in the last few weeks and even a -15. I might have heated jets though - but I don't think so.

Seriously - *don't* use antifreeze. If your OH has put some in the washer bottle then got a (unfrozen) hosepipe into the filler neck and "flood out" the mixture. If things are so bad that it is freezing then get a squirty trigger bottle and use that - stop every now and then to get out and squirt some on.

I'm not suggesting in any way that this was a good idea by SWMBOS*! I've told her to leave it as I'll be down at the weekend and I was going to do exactly that: keep over-filling the washer bottle to clear it out the best I can.



*she who must be obeyed sometimes

[Dog Star]

PKLD said:

I'm not suggesting in any way that this was a good idea by SWMBOS*! I've told her to leave it as I'll be down at the weekend and I was going to do exactly that: keep over-filling the washer bottle to clear it out the best I can.

Can you not get her to do this asap?

[john_p]

If she's like every other woman I've met then she'll just ignore your instruction and think "typical man ! I only put a bit in it must be ok" and before you know it the whole car will need respraying..

[PKLD]

Dog Star said:

PKLD said:

I'm not suggesting in any way that this was a good idea by SWMBOS*! I've told her to leave it as I'll be down at the weekend and I was going to do exactly that: keep over-filling the washer bottle to clear it out the best I can.

Can you not get her to do this asap?

she's not using the car anyway so it's not like she out there spraying the stuff anymore - but it would have been used earlier this week. I said that if she needs the car again before I'm done then yeah she'll have to do it. but the car is stuck in the drive with snow so I should be ok!

Anything I should do in the meantime for the paintwork? what would be the best thing to clean it with just now?

[Dog Star]

PKLD said:

Anything I should do in the meantime for the paintwork? what would be the best thing to clean it with just now?

If it was me I'd just nip out with a little bowl or whatever of soapy water and just rinse down the area around the washer jets. The front pillars and mirror cowlings maybe and the roof - who knows where it has got. Boot lid? To be honest any damage is likely done by now although hopefully general snow and crud may have absorbed/diluted it.

[joebongo]

Tell her not to use the car, get a 50ml bladder syringe from a pharmacy and find some tubing (if you're near a hospital green oxygen tubing works well), and drain the reservoir down.

I'm sure there are more PH ways to do it but that's what I had to do with my overfilled rad once.