Screen wash tablets

[Paul52]

I'm running low on screen wash and wondered if anyone had experience of using the tablets you dissolve in 5 litres of water before filling the washer reservoir? I like the idea of reducing the amount of plastic involved but wondered if there is a down side, such as a residue building up in the washer reservoir over time and causing problems. (I have been using Michelin's concentrate sachets and been happy with them but they seem to have been taken of the market so I'm needing to look elsewhere).  Thanks.

[Urrell]

I have used this concentrate for a few years now, best price Tesco £3:50.
No1 screenwash in Auto Express 2021 screenwash tests.

[Ootohere]

With the Prestone or other windscreen washes best empty what is in before using and fill with fresh H20 and flush through before adding the new stuff.

Prestone sometimes reacts not well with other makes.  Sometimes even a mould forms. 

[MikeTheThinker]

I used to use Decosol and was very happy with its performance, but it seems to have gone from the market 😞

 

[Urrell]

35 minutes ago, roottoot said:

Prestone sometimes reacts not well with other makes.  Sometimes even a mould forms. 

I have never had a problem since switching from VW screenwash.
Cannot see anything on the net either, could you put up a link to those problems please.

[Ootohere]

Maybe there is no issue with mixing with VW screen wash.  Maybe it is an internet myth i am starting.

 

Maybe the H20 used was the issue.

 

So i can not sadly provide a link maybe other than mine from Briskoda were i posted,

as when i noticed the issue when using the Prestone i cleaned out the stuff to be sure of no issues.

I posted at the time when i bought the cheap stuff about 5 years ago in bulk because Tesco was clearing it. 

-23 Prestone, 

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/442175-windscreen-wash-frustration

 

Edited 10 January, 2022 by roottoot

[Ootohere]

PS  Just needed a google.     I see the posts in the Yeti owners club forum from @Urrell, @KennyR and other Prestone users.

Cant link.  just google

audi-sport.net  windscreen-wash-liquid-smelling-bad

 

[StevesTruck]

It might be the hard water round here, but I used the tablets it they clogged my jets up on a mk2 Octavia. 

[xman]

How are tablets going to give you protection against freezing? Doesn't that require alcohol?

 

Ahh, after a google it seems tablets don't offer any protection against freezing. The manufacturer suggests dissolving them in a an antifreeze windscreen solvent....

 

https://www.303products.co.uk/shop/303-instant-windscreen-washer-tablets/

 

I use Vauxhall Trade Club* Concentrated Screenwash, bought from my local Vauxhall dealer at trade price about £3.50 for 5 litre.

 

*Now Distrigo, the TPS of Stellantis.

Edited 10 January, 2022 by xman

[KenONeill]

2 hours ago, Paul52 said:

anyone had experience of using the tablets you dissolve in 5 litres of water

I prefer using one of the blue readymix screenwashes, that will stop freezing down as low as -20C.

[AnnoyingPentium]

I just buy a bottle of screenwash from Tesco's as and when required since I shop in there anyway.

[skomaz]

I have some screenwash tablets but only use them in emergencies...   It saves carrying a bottle of liquid around.

[MATT0693]

I was gifted a box of 72 Carplan tablets before, they didn't cause any issues (summer use), in the colder months it did freeze up and my headlight washers wouldn't retract into the bumper.

Certainly worth checking what protection they offer and how cost effective they are. The ones I had required two tablets per litre and there was no movement for summer/winter use, so 36L of screenwash should have cost me £24.99
 

I currently use Drivetec screenwash with rain repellent. I pay roughly £27 for 25L of concentrate that can be mixed down to as little as 15% in the summer, I get around 100L from it over the months.

The rain repellent is an added bonus, it seems to work reasonably well on the motorway etc.

 

[PetrolDave]

17 hours ago, roottoot said:

Maybe there is no issue with mixing with VW screen wash.  Maybe it is an internet myth i am starting.

I always use the Holts concentrate screenwash but a few years ago an Audi dealer topped up with the VW screenwash at a service and when I checked under the bonnet the next weekend there were visible lumps floating around in the screenwash reservoir. Fortunately I hadn't had to use the washers that week so the lumps stayed in the reservoir, I drained the reservoir and refilled with my Holts plus water and threw the VW screenwash away.

[cheezemonkhai]

I think any cheap screenwashes where there isn't enough alcohol, or where people run very dilute concentratiuons or even water in the summer can cause problems with scum build up.

 

That being said I've used VW, sonax, Vauxhall, halfords advance concentrated, autoglym, the blue prestone from costco and also the yellow one when it was needed in a hurry and can't say I've had any problem with any of them. I used to live in very hard water areas and now live in soft and the only thing I found in hard water was that some of the cheaper ones (non VW) did allow the hard water deposits to build up on the fan jets, which then had to be cleaned out with vinegar etc.

 

I also keep a bottle of the 100:1 sonax in the car for emergencies, but that's only summer grade and gets a splash of something winter rated in it as soon as I get home/to somewhere that sells it.

[Ootohere]

I have heard and have no idea if a myth, but the screen wash with water repellent in can have the silicone in it coat the washer bottle level sensors and stop them working.

 

As to water hardness or softness all i know is that the Public Supply where i live gets the water from the same source as Bottled Water is taken from and sold around the world.

Tasty water for much cheapness right out the tap.

 

People who travel and might need to top up washer bottles with H20 and concentrate around the UK are unlikely to know anything about what comes out taps in that area other than it should be water. 

[TruckbusUK]

I concur with Prestone  being mixed with other screenwashes causes issues ... I tend to use 25L Carplan from one of the big factors, but when I used a bottle of Prestone in an emergency, I got white gelatinous lumps forming in the screen bottle ... after returning home and cleaning it all out and replenishing with the bulk Carplan ... issue never returned albeit I never reused Prestone again.

 

My experience and opinion.

Edited 11 January, 2022 by TruckbusUK

[TruckbusUK]

Just now, TruckbusUK said:

I concur with Prestone  being mixed with other screenwashes causes issues ... I tend to use 25L Carplan from one of the big factors, but when I used a bottle of Prestone in an emergency, I got white gelatinous lump forming in the screen bottle ... after returning home and cleaning it all out and replenishing with the bulk Carplan ... issue never returned albeit I never reused Prestone again.

 

My experience and opinion.

Should state water is from a soft water area on the wet west coast. 

[Paul52]

Thanks to everyone for their advice and thoughts. I hadn't realised that the tablets don't give anti-freeze properties and life's too short to spend working out whether or not I'm going to have to add anything to the washer bottle for winter protection and if so what and how much. I've got to go to Screwfix anyway so I've added 5l of Prestone to the order which is good to -10°C which should be more than sufficient down here on the South Coast. (Not as cheap as Urrell has been buying it at Tesco  at just over £5 but it will probably last me the best part of 6 month so I'll not lose any sleep 😊).

Thanks again. 

[gumdrop]

Prestone or VW screenwash, I do sometimes use Halfords concentrate.

 

*Tablets I found they sometimes crumbled rather than dissolved this

caused blockages so you still needed to carry water*

 

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/product-reviews/65265/best-car-screen-wash-2021

Edited 12 January, 2022 by gumdrop

[cheezemonkhai]

Out of interest, those who have problems with the prestone, is it the yellow or the blue (colder temperature) one that they see issue with?

I only use the concentrates and have mostly used the blue, so when I finish the yellow it will be interesting to see.

[Mickvrs220]

Using demon freeze in mine now its winter ,seems decent stuff and its not expensive.