The weather in this part of the world is always a given and because of that it's probably worth checking your wiper blades to ensure that they are operating well.  If your windscreen is not clear after using the windscreen washer, there are some tell-tale signs of worn out wiper blades. Good visibility is absolutely essential when driving - especially during wet weather when vision may be obscured by water, road splash, sleet or snow on the windscreen. But good visibility requires wipers that are in good condition. If the wipers are chattering, streaking or otherwise failing to wipe cleanly and consistently, you may need new blades. Here are some of the main tell tale signs:

• Lines appearing on windscreen - A wiper blade's rubber can harden or become damaged with age and weather, leaving fine beads of water on the windscreen.
• Bands appearing on windscreen - Hardened or aging wiper rubber can cause thicker, longer bands of water on the screen.
• Chattering - A deformed wiper element can cause blades to judder across the screen, leaving radial streaks.
• Unwashed Margins - A deterioration in the wiper blades or decreased wiper pressure can leave parts of the windscreen unclear.
• Noise - Noisy wipers may be a sign that the wiper element is deformed or hardened, as a result, the wiper blade structure will then wear.
• Judder - A deformed wiper element, wrong adaptor or blade aging can result in jerky and noisy wiper arm movement
• Wind Lift - If high speeds persistently cause the wiper to miss parts of the screen, either the wiper blade or wiper arm may need to be replaced.

To rectify the issues start by cleaning the outside of the windscreen with a mild detergent. Your windscreen is clean if beads do not form when rinsing with clear water. Clean the blade by wiping it with a cloth soaked in a washer solution. Rinse the blade with clear water. If the windscreen is still not clear after cleaning the blades and using the wiper, replace the blades. In the UK & Ireland where we get a good bit of use out of our wiper blades, wipers should probably be changed every six months. Here at MicksGarage we have a huge range of Bosch wiper blades to suit pretty much every make and model of car. 

Check out the below wiper blade fitting demonstration with Rob from MicksGarage: