How to Soften Wiper Blade Rubber

Wiper blades not only keep rain water off a car's windshield, they also help provide a clear viewing area for the driver. Therefore, keeping your wiper blades working and in top shape is important. Hardening of the blade's rubber, however, can reduce their effectiveness. This hardening occurs naturally over time as the blades are exposed to sun and other elements. If the rubber on your wiper blades has hardened, a few things will help restore their usefulness.

Things You'll Need:

• Vinegar
• Cloths
• Petroleum jelly
• Soap

1. Lift the wiper blade arm up and away from the windshield

Lift the wiper blade arm up and away from the windshield. This will give you easy access to the blades.

2. Inspect the blades for cracked or torn rubber

Inspect the blades for cracked or torn rubber. If the rubber part of either blade is torn or frayed, then the blade needs replacing.

3. Put a small amount of vinegar on a cloth and gently wipe the vinegar the entire length of both of the rubber wiper blades

Put a small amount of vinegar on a cloth and gently wipe the vinegar the entire length of both of the rubber wiper blades. Wipe the blades twice, gently, making certain that the vinegar has cleaned the blades as well as soaked into them.

4. Wet another cloth with plain water and gently wipe it along the rubber of the blades

Wet another cloth with plain water and gently wipe it along the rubber of the blades to remove any excess vinegar. Wipe with a dry cloth to dry the rubber.

5. Dip a cloth into petroleum jelly and wipe it along the entire length of the rubber of each blade

Dip a cloth into petroleum jelly and wipe it along the entire length of the rubber of each blade, making certain that the jelly has a chance to soak into the rubber. Do not wipe off the blades; allow the petroleum jelly to air dry for at least 10 minutes.

6. Lower the wiper arms back onto the windshield

Lower the wiper arms back onto the windshield. The rubber on your wiper blades has now been treated and should work for several rains.

Tips and Warnings

Clean the entire windshield with vinegar followed by a water-and-soap wash to remove grease and any wax that has built up over time.

Avoid getting the petroleum jelly on the windshield. If the jelly gets on the windshield, clean it off with a cloth dampened with vinegar, followed by a vigorous wiping with a cloth dampened with plain water.

Video: How to Make Windshield Wiper Blades Like NEW in 30 Seconds

Helpful comments on this video:

• I think the black stuff that comes off of the wiper blades is actually the graphite that the blades are initially coated with to keep them from skipping and squeaking. A better solution MIGHT be to clean the blades and then run a 9b graphite pencil along the edge of the blades. Wd40 would work temporarily but as someone else said, it will degrade the rubber and it won't last.
• This will work for a short period, but eventually you need to replace the blades as the edges get rounded and will not act as a squeegee for removing the water from your windshield as designed. If there was actually a way to cut the blades back to expose a fresh squared edge then this would work better at rejuvenating the blades.