Top 10 Best Windshield Washer Fluids

1. Editor's Pick: Prestone All Season 3-in-1 Windshield Washer Fluid

Prestone offers a variety of high-quality windshield washer fluids and we’ll take a look at three of the company’s products. The first is an all season 3-in-1 solution, specially engineered to keep your windshield clean and clear all year long. It’s protected against freezing in temperatures down to -27°F (-32°C) and is a de-icer to help melt ice quickly. The solution also features a bug wash that penetrates even the toughest residue, breaking down and removing bugs from your windshield. Helping make sure your glass is streak and glare free is water repellent advanced beading technology.

This solution is ideal in most weather conditions, especially if you live in an area that encounters snow or ice. It’s a pre-mixed fluid, so you don’t have to do anything but fill up your reservoir with it. It is however, a bit on the pricier side for a single gallon of solution when compared to concentrated solutions that you have to mix yourself.

2. Best Concentrate: Nextzett Kristall Klar Washer Fluid

One of the highest rated and most popular windshield washer fluids on Amazon is the Kristall Klar washer fluid from Nextzett. It’s a 1:200 concentration, so each bottle makes over 12 gallons of washer fluid when mixed with water. The product is reasonably priced and promises to deliver glare and smear-free cleaning. Its formula quickly removes bugs and dirt from your windshield when used, while lubricants help reduce water skipping and shuddering. To top it all off, the Kristall Klar washer fluid features water softeners that prevent hard water mineral buildup, which could cause jets to clog.

It’s also ammonia-free, so it won’t harm chrome, paintwork, rubber, or plastic. Nextzett says it leaves a fresh citrus scent and does not contain toxic methanol.

This product, however, isn’t recommended for areas with freezing climate. Nextzett does offer an Anti-Frost Concentrate for winter and year-round protection in colder environments.

3. Best for Winter: Prestone De-Icer Windshield Washer Fluid

While Prestone’s all-season washer fluid is capable of winter protection, you may live in an area that has real harsh winter conditions. That’s where the company’s De-Icer windshield washer fluid comes in, designed specifically for winter use. It freezes at the same -27°F (-32°C) temperature as the 3-in-1 solution, but it is engineered to quickly remove ice and frost from your windshield.

The solution has high methanol content, along with ethylene glycol to prevent dangerous re-freeze. Like other Prestone windshield washer fluids, the De-Icer leaves a durable, hydrophobic shield on the glass, helping prevent road spray from sticking.

4. 303 Products Instant Windshield Washer Tablets

These super concentrated tablets claim to deliver three times the cleaning power of an ordinary wash. Just one single tablet produces one gallon of windshield washer fluid, making this one of the most cost-effective products on our list. It may not be as easy as just pouring fluid into your reservoir, but it doesn’t take a lot of time to drop one tablet into a gallon of water either.

The solution is formulated to completely remove bugs, road film, dirt, and grime from your windshield after it’s been mixed. It is also non-toxic, biodegradable, and safe for rubber and paint.

You can also add these tablets to anti-freeze windshield wash for winter use.

5. Prestone Bug Wash Windshield Washer Fluid

If bugs are a bigger concern than snow and ice, you may want to take a closer look at the Prestone Bug Wash windshield washer fluid. This advanced washer fluid is designed to remove bug residue, road grime, bird droppings, and tree sap from windshields. The cleaning solution claims to penetrate the toughest residues, breaking down and removing up to 99.99 percent of all bugs. It also leaves a barrier to help stop bugs, grime, and other residues from sticking onto your windshield. And like Prestone’s all-season solution, its Bug Wash fluid has water repellent advanced beading, to help repel water.

If smell matters to you, this solution leaves behind a fresh citrus scent.

6. Aqua Charge Windshield Washer Ultra Concentrate

A popular concentrate on Amazon comes from Aqua Charge. One quart of the solution makes 55 gallons of finished washer fluid, making it one of the most cost-effective options available. It wipes to a streak-free shine thanks to proprietary ingredients that remove bug residue, road filth, bird droppings, and tree sap. The solution is methanol-free, but if you want it to work in the cold, you’ll have to add methanol for a freezing point of -20°F (-29°C). The normal freezing point of Aqua Charge’s fluid is 32°F (0°C).

Just keep in mind this is a concentrated solution, so it’s not ready to be used straight out of the bottle. If you don’t mind having to take the time to properly mix the solution and you aren’t looking for anything fancy with your windshield washer fluid, Aqua Charge is great on your wallet.

7. Rain-X All Season 2-in-1 Windshield Washer Fluid

Rain-X is a well-known brand for its water repellent and the company offers its own windshield washer fluid. The 2-in-1 all season formula works against light snow and ice, effective to -25°F (-31°C), while powering off bugs, road grime, and salt. Along with melting precipitation, this windshield washer fluid also applies Rain-X technology to the windshield, giving it a hydrophobic protectant to help bead water. It is formulated with de-ionized water for improved visibility and streak-free cleaning.

The Rain-X solution is a pre-mixed solution, so you’ll simply have to pour it into your reservoir. It’s a bit on the more expensive side when you compare it to concentrated solutions that you mix yourself, but it’s comparable to other one-gallon solutions.

This product is ideal for car owners who live in an area that experiences rain and snow. Since it applies Rain-X technology to the windshield, it offers protection against the rain as well. Like Prestone, Rain-X has a full lineup of washer fluids, including an all-season option, de-icer, and bug remover.

8. GUNK Concentrated Windshield Washer Solvent

This windshield washer concentrate from GUNK is an ammonia formula designed to help clean off smears and bugs. It’s a bit pricey for the amount you get, but it’s lighter on your wallet if you don’t heavily use your windshield washer fluid since you only have to buy what you need, rather than having the rest of a bottle sit on the shelf for a while. Each six-ounce bottle makes 1.5 gallons of fluid.

This formula works down to 18°F (-8°C), so keep that in mind if you live in an area with snow and ice. It’s a no frills concentrate that doesn’t offer anything fancy, but does its job well.

9. Sonax Clear View Windshield Washer Concentrate

Another affordable concentrated solution is the Sonax Clear View windshield washer concentrate. Designed to remove insects, oil, grime, silicone, and films without leaving streaks, the solution is also compatible with plastics and Xenon headlamps, so it could be used on headlight washers. It’s phosphate-free and offers a fresh lime scent. The concentrate can just be mixed with tap water, since it has an anti-lime effect to protect against hardness.

This concentrate is well known for needing just a small amount to produce a large quantity of usable fluid, so it’s also very cost-effective, so long as you mix it properly. Although it says it can be mixed with tap water, you may want to use caution if you live in an area with really “hard” water, since it could clog the nozzles over time. It’s recommended to use mineral or filtered water if you have hard water from your faucets.

10. McKee's 37 Anti-Frost Windshield Washer Fluid

McKee’s 37 is a lineup of high-end popular car care products, and one of the most expensive washer fluids on the market wears its name. A gallon of the company’s Anti-Frost windshield washer fluid is three to four times more expensive than its competitors, but buyers swear by the product in extreme winter conditions. Now, keep in mind it’s a hyper concentrated solution that you add to your existing fluid, so you’ll get more use out of a gallon than a conventional washer fluid. Not only does the formula remove dirt and road film without leaving streaks or smears, it helps increase safety by keeping your windshield clear during inclement weather.

This product is ideal for those who live in an area that sees heavy snowfall. A special additive in the formula coats the windshield to prevent it from re-icing, helping ensure your windshield isn’t iced over every morning. McKee’s 37 says this fluid will not harm paint or surrounding trim.