Can You Use RV Antifreeze As Windshield Washer?

 Are you wondering if you can use RV or Marine antifreeze as a windshield wiper fluid? Well technically, you can. But you may want to decide against it, as antifreeze can be very corrosive and hard to clean. Some people may surprised at the many different uses of RV antifreeze, due to being non-toxic it can even be dumped on the ground in most cases. However RV antifreeze is still recommend against as a windshield washer fluid.

If you insist on using antifreeze as windshield wiper fluid, make sure you are using RV antifreeze. RV antifreeze is non-toxic and safe to dump most anywhere. Keep in mind that while it is non-toxic, it still isn’t a good idea to keep it around young children or pets.


The benefit to antifreeze, however, is that it would prevent freezing and clear ice off of your windshield.

But antifreeze is general can also damage your car’s paint or corrode wipers and windshield gaskets. Also, it can be pretty messy and hard to clean. The oil lubricant that is in antifreeze will leave an oily coating on your glass. The benefits to antifreeze, however, is that it would prevent freezing and clear ice off of your windshield.

Another thing about RV antifreeze is that it is made with an oil based lubricant that is made for engines and not for cleaning your windshield. Windshield washer fluid however, is made with mostly alcohol which is best for cleaning your shield.

Continue reading to learn some of the best uses for RV antifreeze:

What Are The Best Uses For RV Antifreeze?

While RV antifreeze, or antifreeze in general, would not be good to use as windshield wiper fluid; there are many other great uses for it around your RV home. From winterizing too defrosting, check out these great ways to put your RV antifreeze to use:

  • Winterizing. Of course the most popular use for RV antifreeze would be to winterize your RV. When preparing your RV for the winter months, flush some antifreeze through your water tanks and drains. This should prevent them from freezing or bursting, even in the coldest of temperatures!

  • Prevent water systems from rusting. While antifreeze is typically used to keeps things from freezing or bursting, it can also help prevent rust. This is just another great reason to annually flush your water tanks and drains with RV antifreeze. You can identify RV antifreeze by it’s pinkish red color.

  • It can be reused. No matter what your use for RV antifreeze, it can actually be reused. While most people recommend you don’t reuse for more than two years, it can still save you some money. However, RV antifreeze is usually pretty affordable and can be found at most local hardware stores or online.

Check out these awesome and super useful products for winterizing your RV:

1 Gallon Windshield Washer Fluid

Here is some awesome windshield wiper fluid that is much better than using RV antifreeze. While depending on the kind you get, washer fluid can be pretty inexpensive and safer for you to use. RV antifreeze isn’t made for cleaning your windshield and could intentionally cause damage to your car. Try this windshield washer fluid instead!


RecPro Non-Toxic RV Antifreeze

While RV antifreeze isn’t suitable for windshield washer fluid, it is still useful for winterizing and caring for your RV. This is a great brand that prevents freezing up to -50 degrees. Check out this great non-toxic antifreeze that is a must have for any RV owner.


Camco Antifreeze Winterizing Kit

This kit made by Camco is great for when you are ready to flush antifreeze through your tanks and drains. Simply attach this hose attachment to your tank/drain and pump the antifreeze through. When spring arrives, you can use this same attachment to pump water through the drains and pipes to get rid of any of the excess antifreeze.

Camco 25ft Water Hose

This water hose is another great way you can flush water or antifreeze through your RV’s systems. This hose reaches 25ft and is made specially for flushing black and gray water tanks. Check out this awesome hose that is great for both winterizing and de-winterizing.

We hope this article helped you determine whether or not you can use RV antifreeze as windshield fluid. Sharing problems and solutions can make RV living so much easier. So if we didn’t include something that you have experienced, please leave a comment below to share with others. Until then, enjoy, be safe and have fun RVing!

Comments