Screenwash with Rain-Ex

[white exec]

Carrefour have been selling an own-brand ready-to-use screenwash (5L) for some time. Heavily laced with IPA, it's been rather good at its job, including removing insects.

It's just been replaced by one from Krafft (looks as if they also made Carrefour's own) which contains Rain-Ex. Tried it this week: excellent stuff, and makes wiper action almost silent.

I see there are is also a Rain-Ex additive for screen wash. Not everyone likes Rain-Ex, I know.

[Mandrake]

My experience of Rain-Ex screen wash is exactly the opposite - it caused the wiper blades on my Xantia to groan and shudder something terrible every time I used it, I got the impression that it was slightly "sticky".

It wasn't until I used it all up and put some cheap and cheerful screenwash in that the problem abated. Given how much more expensive the Rain-X screenwash was I was highly disappointed. You'll find a rant about it in my blog about a year ago...

[white exec]

As I said, not for everyone and in all circumstances.

[mickeymoon]

As I said, not for everyone and in all circumstances.

I bought some of this in Tarragona last year and I thought it was excellent.

On the flipside, I think normal Rain-X is sh1te.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

[white exec]

Similar here, Mickey. Have often tried standard (yellow bottle) Rain-Ex, and it seemed pretty good for a while after application, but lost its edge within a week or so.
Maybe by constantly re-dosing with it (via the screenwash), results could be consistent. My local car wash obviously dispenses something similar (on Posh Wash), as rain just rolls off afterwards - for a couple of days.

[Hell Razor5543]

When I use Rain-X I will do a serious number on the windscreen (to make certain it is as clean as I can get it), and then I will apply Rain-X liberally (drivers side, passenger side, then repeat). After 10 minutes or so I will then polish the residue away. That seems to work for me (although I have had a company van that had some treatment on the windscreen that made the Rain-X ineffective).

[white exec]

Just pulled up the MSDS sheets for Rain-X products...
http://www.rainx.com/safety-data-sheets
Rather a lot of them!

Most are listed as containing alcohol, ethanol, acetone, water, and sometimes sulphuric acid - and nothing else! Was expecting to see silicone or something like that as well. Does the stuff work simply by ultra-cleaning the glass, and leaving no 'wetting agent' (i.e. surface tension reducer) behind?

[Mandrake]

Yay! I know what I want to put in my screenwash bottle - sulphuric acid!

[Stickyfinger]

I use RainX but ONLY on the side and rear windows, hate the stuff on the screen. I have always hated it as I find it causes shudder and squeaks.

Also very good on your house windows

[ekjdm14]

I tried rain-x on the ZX and would agree it was good on the side windows and mirrors but what a pain it was on the screen. I found it worked up to a point but then when the wipers had to be used it made a right smeary mess and was nigh on impossible to remove. Actually IIRC I had to replace the wiper blade as it was never the same after.

Not surprised though really if it has sulphuric acid in the stuff.... Scary

To be honest one of the best treatments I've found is Bob Heath visor spray from a bikers shop, it's for the inside of visors but works equally well to prevent misting up of car windows (and on experimentation, also has a half decent rain repellent effect on the outside glass)

[van ordinaire]

I got some Rain X cheap with a view to applying it to the rear windows of the C15, as rear vision in heavy rain is almost non-existant BUT can't recount my experience of it - 'cos no idea where it is!

On another note, however good a ready mixed screen wash is, it is fabulously expensive - & so, not for me.

[lexi]

Yeah,very scary to put a teeny amount of sulphuric acid in a screenwash. We were all brought up with soft drinks that contain phosphoric acid . Rhubarb also has oxalic acid in it. Then there is that other acid in tabs that produced "Acid Rock"

[Stickyfinger]

As a summer screen wash I use 1/4 cap of Stergene Handwash Laundry Liquid

[Mandrake]

Won't that have salt in it though ? That's the same reason it's not a good idea to wash your car using dishwashing detergent..

[ekjdm14]

I think for the amount likely to to get on the paintwork it'd be acceptable if it does. most screenwash concentrates state to try and keep away from paintwork I think anyway.