windshield washer algae

Post by **ogatrulle** » 13 Jul 2018, 20:20

Windshield washers stopped spraying recently. I pulled the pump and pulled the rubber plug "filter" from the hole and caught the contents of the washer reservoir. With the plug still out, I hosed the inside of the reservoir clean.

The screen of the rubber plug was completely clogged with gunk, and the washer fluid was full of blobs of green algae. Never seen that before.

Do any of you have favorite additives to prevent growth in the washer reservoir?

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 13 Jul 2018, 23:25

Algae? ... sounds like somebody been using tap water to save a pittance on Washer fluid. Flush the system with bleach that should kill off any clean out any Algae.

Post by **ogatrulle** » 14 Jul 2018, 10:32

Ha! There probably is tap water in there. I have a bottle of ww concentrate from some years back and may have made up a batch containing native flora. Didn't know until today that tap water could lead to this issue.

Time for some aquatic snails and maybe a goldfish or two.

Post by **Rattnalle** » 14 Jul 2018, 11:21

Tap water doesn't work as well for cleaning the windscreen either.

But if you're somewhere you don't need the antifreeze there are cheap washer fluid detergent tablets you can get. Makes it clean insects off much better and nothing should be able to grow in it.

Post by **oragex** » 15 Jul 2018, 03:50

Green color ? Might have been used green Rain-x windshield fluid. It can cover the sensor with gunk ( Same with the orange and yellow Rain-x although Rain-x may have fixed their formula recently. But in the past it was an issue, just google up Rain-x windshield fluid level sensor.

Can be fixed with a mixture of vinegar and water inside the reservoir - don't spray the windshield with this mix, leave it there a few days, then rinse. I got my sensor working back again this way.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KOeIwUUp2s