If the car wiper strips cannot be scraped cleanly due to aging, wear, broken blades, etc., NOVOFLOW recommends replacing the strips directly. However, for wiper strips that have not been used for a long time, they can still be cleaned and repaired.

Suggestions for cleaning and repairing wiper strips

1. Toothpaste cleaning:

Use the abrasive ingredients in toothpaste to remove the garbage attached to the surface of the wiper strips, making the strips flat. This gentle treatment method has less damage to the strips and is especially suitable for newly replaced strips. During operation, it can be repaired by multiple coatings.

2. Water grinding cleaning:

In many car maintenance videos, you can see sandpaper being used to polish the wiper strips. This rough method is not recommended. Because the rubber strips that need to be polished by sandpaper are basically aged or severely worn, and some car owners use dry sandpaper for polishing, the effect is of course immediate, not only can the rubber strip’s blade be polished flat, but also the blade can be thinned. This will cause certain damage to the rubber strips. If sandpaper polishing is really necessary, it is recommended to choose 2000 mesh (or 2500 mesh) water sandpaper to gently clean and repair the rubber strips, and try to avoid damaging the rubber strips.

3. Softening and restoration of rubber strips (suitable for slight hardening)

After the wiper rubber strips are aged and hardened, the surface can be softened by chemical methods to temporarily restore elasticity.

After cleaning the rubber strips, wipe off the moisture with a paper towel; apply silicone oil, vaseline or special rubber strip softener (silicone oil is recommended, which is not easy to get dusty) on the surface and edge of the rubber strips, let it stand for 5-10 minutes, and let the rubber strips fully absorb; finally, wipe off excess grease with a dry cloth, install the wiper back and test the wiping effect.

4. Replace the wiper rubber strip (complete repair plan)

When the rubber strip is severely aged (cracked, deformed), worn, and causes obvious water marks or abnormal noises when wiping, NOVOFLOW recommends directly replacing it with a new wiper rubber strip.

Steps to replace the rubber strip:

Purchase an adaptable model: Check the wiper size according to the model (unit: inches, common sizes 24/16, 26/14, etc.), and select the corresponding length of the rubber strip (some models require the entire wiper to be replaced).

Remove the old rubber strip: Press the clip at the tail of the wiper to pull out the old rubber strip; keep the metal support strip in the rubber strip (if any) for the installation of the new rubber strip.

Install the new rubber strip: Insert the metal support strip into the new rubber strip slot; align the wiper clip and push the rubber strip completely in to ensure that both ends are firmly fixed.

Test: Spray water test after installation to check whether the wiping is smooth, without jumping or abnormal noise.

Through regular cleaning and reasonable maintenance, the service life of the wiper rubber strip can be extended to 1-2 years. If the effect is still not ideal after repair, it is recommended to replace it in time to ensure clear vision and safety during rainy days. If the wiper bracket is deformed, the buckle is loose, or the rubber strip falls off frequently, it means that the wiper assembly is aging and the entire wiper (not just the rubber strip) needs to be replaced directly.
It is also necessary to maintain the wiper rubber strip in time during daily driving and cultivate good car use habits. For example, do not wipe dry, clean things like branches and leaves on the glass first, wash the car regularly, etc., which is better for the rubber strip than any cleaning and repair.

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