How to fix clogged windshield washer nozzles

Moab

Moab

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Maybe this will work for you. It didn't for me. Last post is a link to a good universal replacement set for 5 bucks. That's the route I've gone.

(EDIT - Don't use baking soda and vinegar. ONLY use vinegar. Apparently all the baking soda does is neutralize the vinegar. And don't soak it overnight. A half hour should do. You might even try a bathroom cleaner that gets rid of water deposits. I think the pin does most of the work.)

So one of my nozzles was clogged completely. I was just going to replace my nozzles. As my Jeep is almost 20 years old.

But then saw it was a $30 or so per set. So I turned to youtube. And used baking soda, vinegar and a safety pin. Now their like new.

Soaked them in baking soda and vinegar overnight. (mix slowly as it foams up big time) Used a safety pin to clean out the holes. And my nozzles are like brand new. Easiest fix so far. Probably wouldn't even take an overnight soak. I think they were clean within a half hour or so.

Taking them out is as easy as removing the tubing, pinching the base clips from inside the hood and pushing out thru the top. Replace by simply pushing them back in from the top. And pushing the tubing back onto them.

 
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Interesting - I wonder what the point of his mixture was since the Baking soda, once mixed with the vinegar, neutralized the acid in the vinegar decomposing the vinegar's acid to water and carbon dioxide (H2O & CO2). I suspect he would have gotten the same result by soaking in water alone. Now had he continued to add vinegar past the reaction point he would have then been soaking in a vinegar solution. But he did not meaning he soaked the nozzles in water for 12 to 24 hrs.
 
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05 Blue Unlimited said:
Interesting - I wonder what the point of his mixture was since the Baking soda, once mixed with the vinegar, neutralized the acid in the vinegar decomposing the vinegar's acid to water and carbon dioxide (H2O & CO2). I suspect he would have gotten the same result by soaking in water alone. Now had he continued to add vinegar past the reaction point he would have then been soaking in a vinegar solution. But he did not meaning he soaked the nozzles in water for 12 to 24 hrs.
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LMAO! And here I sat stirring up the solution every few hours to get it to foam up again. I think simply pushing the pin thru probably did it. Next time I'll use vinegar alone. In another 10 years. When it clogs again. lol. (shaking my head in disbelief!) Thanks for posting this.
 
05 Blue Unlimited said:
Interesting - I wonder what the point of his mixture was since the Baking soda, once mixed with the vinegar, neutralized the acid in the vinegar decomposing the vinegar's acid to water and carbon dioxide (H2O & CO2). I suspect he would have gotten the same result by soaking in water alone. Now had he continued to add vinegar past the reaction point he would have then been soaking in a vinegar solution. But he did not meaning he soaked the nozzles in water for 12 to 24 hrs.
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Is there anything better than vinegar? I was thinking about that bathroom cleaner that breaks down water deposits. TLP or something like that. I don't recall.
 
Well I'm glad I used the baking soda then. LOL! I'll edit the original post.

This went downhill fast. :)

That's what I get for watching YT videos. I knew there was a reason I prefer getting my advice vetted on a forum. This post being a prime example. lol.
 
i ordered a new mopar nozzle, it was $20 but it fit perfectly. it however did not fix the weak stream issue. thinking about replacing the hoses next to see if that does the trick
 
mike.s said:
i ordered a new mopar nozzle, it was $20 but it fit perfectly. it however did not fix the weak stream issue. thinking about replacing the hoses next to see if that does the trick
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Gotta link?

I've got my nozzles soaking in straight white vinegar and salt. And the check valve from the passenger side. It's a white piece of stiff tubing about one inch long. Has a ball bearing and spring in it. It allows the passenger side to take in water but not let it go back down the tubes. I assume to keep it primed. It's about two inches from the passenger side nozzle on my '99.

My passenger side nozzle does not blow air or water out of it. So it must be clogged with hard water deposits. I looked up how to get rid of them and it said vinegar and salt. Been soaking overnight. Hope that cures it. But even my drivers side is wonky. It hits both the drivers side and passenger side of the windshield. And at weird heights.

If I can pick up oem for $20 I'm just going to do that. This is the second time I've tried unclogging mine.
 
Atheos said:
I used CLR and a hypodermic needle. The sharp ends on the needle help to scrap away the built up deposits.
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That's a great idea. I gave up and found some used oem's on ebay. I also had a bad white connector. With the ball in it. That keeps the lines primed. It was beyond repair. Once replaced I got mine back up and running on both sides of the windshield.

I was trying to think of CLR last week. I knew it got rid of deposits from water.

Were you ever able to adjust the direction of the stream by moving the nozzle heads? I heard you could do that. But never got it to work.
 
Atheos said:
Yes you can direct them once they are free any way you want.
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Finally this thread has taken off. LOL. After all my fails.

I'm gonna give that a try. Because even the oem ones I bought need to be redirected. I have some needles in my shop. Will just have to pick up some CLR.
 
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