Obviously, it’s important to clean your windshield before you head out on the road. It’s just as important to make sure that your vehicle is equipped to handle the rain, bugs, and debris that your windshield will come into contact with once you’re on the road. Luckily, it’s relatively easy to make sure your vehicle is ready for sudden rainstorms that come on in the summer and the bombardment of bugs while driving on the Interstate.

Maintaining & Maximizing Your Windshield

Here are a few ways to make sure your vehicle is ready to maintain your clean windshield:

Check your wiper blades. Blades can deteriorate for a number of reasons including ultraviolet light from the sun and airborne debris such as sand, dust, snow, and ice.

• Inspect your wiper blades every time you change the oil. Rain-X suggests that you look for broken frames, metal corrosion, and visible cracks and tears from the rubber squeegee. Flex the rubber squeegee back and forth; if the squeegee doesn’t flex, it won’t conform to the shape of your windshield as well and will create streaks. Chances are if your windshield wipers are giving out, you will notice by the streaks or unwiped areas that they leave behind.
• Prolong the life of your blades. When you wash your car, clean the inside edge of the blades with a soft cloth to keep mud and dirt from building up. Every time you fill up with gas, clean your windshield; most gas stations provide squeegees for you to use.

Keep your washer fluid full. At least once a month, depending on how often you use your fluid, refill your washer fluid. Most gas stations sell washer fluid, and it’s inexpensive. Plus, refilling your fluid is usually pretty easy to do.

Get cracks and chips fixed immediately. Typically, it’s an easy repair. If you wait, the crack might spread, and it could mean replacing the entire windshield. Having cracks and chips can impair your sightline, and those chips can also trap dirt, which can wear down your wipers.

Keeping your windshield clean and free of debris is just as crucial to your car and your safety as regularly changing your oil and making sure your brakes are up-to-code. It doesn’t take much time to maintain your windshield, wipers and washer fluid. You’ll be glad you did the next time you’re caught driving in a thunderstorm.