To start off, I am going to say I'm a big fan of products like RainX. They work great! Many times, it'll be raining and I don't even have to use my wipers, which is great. It's also very cool watching the water bead up and run off the windshield. And to clarify, I'm not calling out just RainX here, but they are the main company at fault because they're so big and distribute the most of this stuff.

The thing is, using water repellant in a washer fluid is not good idea at all. Often times, it will cause the wiper blades to skip across the surface, which is really annoying and defeats their purpose, and can also cause additional and unnecessary wear on the motors. This is caused by the fluid simbly being sprayed on and left alone to run off or be pushed by the blades. Because of this, it can't properly coat and treat the windows to repel water. Not to mention, when you use washer fluid, you want to... well... wash your windows! So all the dirt, bugs and random gunk from the road is being smeared with silicon and all the other good stuff that's supposed to be repelling water. This usually just makes the mess much worse. It also streaks the windows and the paint around them, leaving nothing but a hazy mess that's even harder to see out of than before.

Not only can it not do its job of actually cleaning the windshield, but it can even mess up your washer sprayers, pump, and reservoir. The reason for this is that when left to sit in the tank, the stuff that's suppose to repel water starts to separate from the liquid and gunks everything up. This often is worst on VW cars where it can even mess up the sensors. Due to this fact, this lawsuit resulted.

https://www.classaction.org/rain-x-lawsuit

However I won't leave all you reading this left wondering, "What else is there to use?" Now, we're not at all sponsored by the companies I am about to recommend. I've just personally used their products and they have great reviews on Amazon.

RainX Original

The original RainX works great. It's what I currently use on my car and my parents' cars. The difference is you apply it to a clean windshield and let it cure, forming a coating right on the glass that will repel water and keep your windshield a bit cleaner. I will recommend cleaning the window very well with isopropyl alcohol diluted in water or even clay baring the windshield. The idea here is that less stuff between the RainX and the glass the better. I also tend to do 2 coats and let it cure for up to 20 minutes before buffing it off for the best results. But that could be overkill for most people if you don't live somewhere where there is heavy rain.

Aquapel

The next product is Aquapel. While I personally haven't used this yet, I have seen many glowing reviews for it, and intend to give it a try as soon as my RainX supply starts getting low. The main promise with this product is that it will last longer than RainX, and it will bead water better. The same tips apply here; The better you clean the window prior to applying, the better the result. Refer to the paragraph above for optimal results, and don't forget to closely follow the instructions.

Now onto washer fluid. This part is tricky because the better the fluid cleans, the more likely it is to strip the water repellant properties of the products I just mentioned over time. A good fluid should not freeze, it should clean gunk off of a windshield to improve visibility, and it should be safe on paint. I do recommend using wiper fluid only when you need it. The best thing to do to keep your windshield clean is to wash it with glass cleaner and apply the glass treatments I recommended above.

Kristall Klar Washer Fluid

 

This is a concentrated formula, so you'll have mix it with water. The concentrated formulas tend to be cheaper in the long run too. This specific product is what most high-end German car dealers use, so you know it has to be good. This makes about 12 gallons, and does a good job at removing bugs and debris all with a nice citrus smell.

303 Washer Tablets

If you're someone who uses their wiper fluid like crazy and wants the best value, it has to be 303 tablets. For under $10, you will have about 25 gallons of fluid. However, if you live somewhere where it freezes often, you'll want to add some isopropyl alcohol to prevent it from freezing and damaging your washer system.

Final thoughts

In the future, I'll go ahead and update this with other recommendations as I try new things. I have also seen some people make their own fluid at home and have great results, so that's definitely something I'll try and make a post about in the future to let you know what works and what doesn't. If you have any questions or comments, drop them below!