How effective are water-repellent sprays for your car’s windscreen?

Road visibility can be a significant challenge when the rain pours down in South Africa. While good-quality wipers are undoubtedly helpful, there’s another solution to consider. Today, we’ll discuss car windscreen water-repellent coatings, how they function, and whether they genuinely assist in shedding water from your car windows.

High-quality windscreen water-repellent coatings are effective and can enhance visibility during wet weather. They prove to be valuable when driving through rain.

That’s the straightforward answer, but let’s delve deeper into this topic to understand the extent of their effectiveness and their other advantages.

What Is Windscreen Water Repellent Coating?

Windscreen water-repellent coatings endow glass with hydrophobic properties when applied. This means the coating enhances the glass’s performance in wet conditions, allowing water, snow, and sleet to slide off the windscreen effortlessly.

How Do They Work?

Windscreen water-repellent coatings bond with the glass surfaces, increasing their water-repelling capabilities. In essence, these coatings create a hydrophobic layer on the car windows.

Where Can You Use It?

While you can apply water-repellent coatings to all car windows, they are helpful on the windscreen, the area most affected by rain. Some drivers also use them for the front side windows and rearview mirrors. This practice aids in enhancing visibility, especially when reversing in rainy conditions.

Nevertheless, using these coatings on interior windows is not advisable. They often contain ingredients that can cause eye irritation, breathing problems, damage to the dashboard, and harm to factory window coatings like tinted glass.

Benefits of Using Car Water Repellent Coatings

Water-repellent coatings offer more advantages than just repelling water:

• Water, snow, and sleet slide off the glass with ease.
• Visibility during rain, especially at night, improves.
• The lifespan of windscreen wipers is prolonged.
• Cleaning the glass becomes more manageable.
• Bugs, ice, and dust are easier to remove.

How To Apply Water Repellent Coatings on Your Windscreen?

Application methods may vary among products, but generally, you should apply water-repellent coating as follows:

1. Thoroughly clean the window.
2. Completely dry it with a microfiber cloth.
3. Apply a layer of water-repellent by spraying or using a microfiber cloth.
4. Allow it to dry slightly until a slight haze forms.
5. Buff the area with a clean microfiber cloth until you achieve perfect clarity and visibility.

Always refer to the product description for specific instructions, as some coatings may require different application methods, such as applying them to a wet surface.

Water Repellent Coating or Wax?

While some may consider using wax on their windscreen and windows, water-repellent coatings could outperform wax, according to experts. Water-repellent coatings create smaller water beads, making water slide off easier. Additionally, they are more resistant to washing fluid used in car maintenance, which contains alcohol that can quickly remove wax.

Windscreen water-repellent coatings are valuable products that can benefit every driver. They are affordable, even for professional-grade coatings, offering excellent value for money. Most importantly, they do work. It’s advisable for all South African drivers, especially those in rainy regions who frequently take to the roads, to apply a water-repellent coating to all exterior windows.

The improved visibility it provides is well worth the small investment. There’s nothing worse than struggling to see the road in heavy rain, and a modest investment in these coatings can significantly enhance visibility and road safety.

Disclaimer

This article concerns using water-repellent sprays on your vehicle’s windscreen.1

Water-repellent sprays improve your visibility while driving. Do you have car insurance to help you should you have an unfortunate event with your vehicle? Pick affordable car insurance with unique benefits such as fixed premiums*, reducing excess*, and leading service. Terms and conditions apply.

Please get professional financial advice from a certified financial advisor to ensure you select the appropriate financial services product to purchase.

This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.

Sources:

https://cardetailingplanet.com/do-car-windshield-water-repellent-coatings-work-should-you-use-it/

Also view:

Road Safety and your Windscreen