Windshield Wipers Up or Down? The Winter Debate Settled
Now that the snow and ice has arrived, it's not uncommon see parked cars with their wiper blades propped up. Smart preparation or does it do damage?
Quick Reference: Windshield Wipers Up or Down
- Prop them up: protects the rubber blade and the wiper motor, and makes clearing snow and ice off the glass easier.
- Leave them down: guards the springs in the blade arm, discourages vandalism, and lets the defroster free the blades.
- What the pros say: several wiper makers and AAA back lifting the blades before ice arrives. AAA says leaving wipers up does not weaken the springs.
- How readers voted: in a 2018 poll, Up won with 425 votes, Down took 197, and 191 said they do not get snow at all.
When the first hard freeze of winter rolls through, you start seeing them in every parking lot: cars sitting with their windshield wipers propped straight up off the glass, like a pair of arms reaching for the sky. Folks do it in anticipation of precipitation, namely ice, and over the years it has become a real trend. So is propping your wipers up a smart way to prepare, or does it do quiet damage to your car? Here is what both sides say, and how to keep your blades in good shape either way.
Here Are the Two Schools of Thought
Ask ten neighbors and you will likely get two firm camps, each with good reasons. One side lifts the blades the night before a freeze. The other leaves them flat against the glass and lets the car do the work in the morning. Both are trying to protect the same thing, a set of wiper blades that costs money to replace, so it helps to lay out the case for each.
Propping Wipers Up
- Prevents damage to the wiper motor, should you turn on the ignition and have accidentally left the wipers switched on while they are frozen to the windshield.
- Prevents damaging the rubber when you would otherwise have to chisel the blades away from the glass.
- Makes clearing away snow and ice from the windshield easier, since the blades are not buried under it.
Leaving Wipers Down
- Prevents damaging the springs inside the blade arm, which stay under less tension when the wipers rest in their normal position.
- Discourages vandalism, since raised wiper arms are easy to grab and bend.
- Treats a frozen blade as a non-issue, because the defroster releases frozen blades once the car warms up.
So Which Is Correct?
Several wiper manufacturers recommend lifting the wiper blades up before things get icy, to protect the rubber blade, and the American Automobile Association (AAA) claims that leaving wipers up does not weaken the springs. So the biggest worry in the “leave them down” camp, tired springs, does not appear to hold up. If you do choose to leave them down, it is important to give your car enough time to warm up. The defroster will release frozen blades from the windshield, no chiseling required.
The honest answer is that either choice is fine for your car. Propping up wins on convenience and on saving the rubber from a hard freeze. Leaving down wins on tidiness and on keeping raised arms out of reach on a busy street. Do what fits your winter and your parking spot.
How to Keep Your Wiper Blades From Freezing
Whichever camp you land in, a few simple habits keep blades working all winter and save you a spring replacement. None of this takes more than a minute the night before a freeze.
- Lift the blades before the ice, not after. Once they are frozen down, pulling them up can tear the rubber edge you are trying to save.
- Never run the wipers to break through ice. Forcing a frozen or ice-caked blade across the glass is the fastest way to burn out the wiper motor or shred the rubber. Let the defroster do it.
- Cover the glass instead of the blades. An old towel, a piece of cardboard, or a rubber-backed floor mat laid over the windshield keeps ice off both the glass and the blades, and it lifts away clean in the morning.
- Slip a sock or a store-bought cover over each blade. It keeps the rubber from bonding to the glass on the coldest nights.
- Switch to winter beam blades. Their one-piece rubber housing has no exposed metal frame for snow and ice to pack into.
- Top off with winter washer fluid. A blend rated well below freezing keeps the reservoir and nozzles from icing up when you need a clear view most.
For clearing the glass itself, the National Weather Service winter safety guide is a good plain-English refresher on defrosting, scraping, and driving once the storm hits. Give yourself the extra five minutes. A clear windshield is worth far more than a set of blades.
Where the Wiper Debate Matters Most
The wiper debate is a winter thing, and how much it matters depends a great deal on where you park. In the snow belt, freeze-thaw cycles and ice storms make blade care a weekly chore. In the Deep South, it may only come up during a rare ice event. When a deep freeze does push south behind a polar vortex, drivers who never worry about frozen blades suddenly need the same tricks as folks up North. Here is a rough regional read.
| US Region | Does the Wiper Debate Matter? |
|---|---|
| Northeast & New England | Yes. Frequent freeze-thaw swings and ice storms |
| Great Lakes & Upper Midwest | Yes. Heavy snow and lake-effect ice |
| Rockies & Mountain West | Yes. Hard overnight freezes at elevation |
| Pacific Northwest | Sometimes. Mostly during cold snaps and valley ice |
| Southeast & Deep South | Rarely, except during a winter ice event |
| Southwest & South Central | Rarely, but hard freezes do reach in |
In Canada, the debate is settled by the season itself. From the Prairies to Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes, propping the blades or covering the glass is standard winter practice from the first freeze until the thaw. If you want to plan a car wash or a garage day around clear weather, our Best Days Calendar lays out the good days ahead, and the long-range forecast shows when the next cold snap is due.
You Weighed In
We posed this question on Facebook back on January 15, 2018 and asked fans to weigh in on the subject. Here is how you voted:
Voting results:
Up: 425 votes
Down: 197 votes
Don’t Have Snow: 191 votes
Up carried the day, but plenty of readers stood by leaving the blades down, and a fair share do not deal with snow at all. What do you think? Tell us in the comments below.
Windshield Wipers Up or Down: Frequently Asked Questions
Should I leave my windshield wipers up or down in winter?
Either is fine for your car. Propping the wipers up protects the rubber blade and the motor and makes clearing snow easier. Leaving them down keeps the arms out of reach and lets the defroster free the blades once the car warms up. Wiper makers and AAA lean toward lifting the blades before ice arrives.
Does leaving wipers up weaken the springs?
According to AAA, no. Leaving wipers propped up does not weaken the springs in the blade arm. That was long the main argument for leaving them down, but the American Automobile Association says it does not hold up in practice.
How do I free wiper blades that are frozen to the glass?
Start the car and let the defroster run until the ice bond softens, then lift the blades gently. Do not yank a frozen blade or chisel it off, which tears the rubber edge. If you are in a hurry, a de-icer spray or lukewarm, never hot, water can speed things along.
Is it bad to run the wipers to clear ice or snow?
Yes. Forcing the wipers across a frozen or ice-caked windshield can burn out the wiper motor and shred the rubber blades. Clear the glass with the defroster and a scraper first, then use the wipers only on a wet, ice-free windshield.
How can I keep my wipers from freezing to the windshield?
Lift the blades before the freeze, or lay a towel, cardboard, or floor mat over the windshield so ice never reaches the glass or the blades. A sock or a store-bought blade cover works too, and winter beam blades resist ice better than framed ones.
Do raised wiper blades get damaged or vandalized?
Raised arms are easier to grab and bend, which is why some drivers leave them down on busy streets. On your own driveway it is rarely a concern. If vandalism worries you, cover the whole windshield instead of standing the blades up.
This article was published by the Staff at FarmersAlmanac.com. Any questions? Contact us at questions@farmersalmananac.com.
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
- Farmers' Almanac Staff
I’ve lived in Colorado, Massachusetts and Maine and it really depends on a couple of variables. If it’s icy, leave them up. If it’s a nice dry powder snow then leave them down. One has to take into account the type of precipitation that is going to happen. Icy – definitely up and snow you have to gauge if the precipitation is going to cause the wiper blades to freeze to the windshield. If so, then put them up. And if the winds are blowing strong like the winds of Thor then leave ‘em down. Just remember to thaw the frozen wipers and glass and remove any excess snow or ice to avoid damaging the wiper motor. Think and you will be alright!
Thanks for sharing your thoughtful insights on this hot topic, Peter! Best wishes from all of us at FA.
I never put them up I see no reason too. When I clean the car from snow I always start the car put the defroster on and clean leave the windshield for last. By then the windshield is melting and the blades do not stick and I have never ruined my blades. I pick them up clean them and remove the snow and ice.
I park in the garage.
Snow doesn’t fall only when you park in the garage.
I have a debate at work, (Tamworth Australia) no snow, no ice small amount of rain.. But the sun and the heat cook’s EVERYTHING!! my view is to lift the blades UP. Leaving them down under spring pressure and heat ruins the blades very quickly. My workmate wants them down as she says the UP position bends the blades….. (true or not??)
I call it the alien wiper time, lol, maybe in the 70s when you were driving a LTD that took 6 hours to warm up, cars these days have killer heater systems that make short work of any ice and snow, just plan ahead and warm your car up.
There are other cars that have their wipers buried like a Malibu and it’s just better to leave them down also,my answer? I don’t bother with them, I plan ahead
As a 20+ year veteran of long haul trucking, I’ve learned a few tricks or 7 on winterizing a vehicle hacks. Blades up?… YES!!! It also works well with a beach towel draped across the entire windshield, for ice OR snow!!! Very minimal effort on prevention AND cleaning!!! Not to mention, less time in the cold! Clear your door(for entry and starting.. don’t forget the defrost… oh wait not needed.. CRANK THE HEAT!), turn on rear window defroster(if not covered as well), go back inside and finish your coffee! Enjoy your day, aaaaand…. You’re welcome!!! ??
I’ve never left thecwipers up and have never had anymore issues than those who do. If it snows, they can be in the way to remove snow and with ice you still need to thaw the ice off the windshield to run thecwipers without damaging the blades. I live in North Eastern Washington and we can get 6 to 12 inches of snow overnight or during the day. I’ve had to thaw and scrape ice regularly, but when it’s 10 degrees out I hit the remote start to warm the vehicles.
So the wiper manufacturers recommend putting them up. Hmm? Could they have an alternative motive? Nah, I have been doing it for years in Northern Illinois and no issues with the springs. Have ruined a few blades leaving them down.
Mine are up right now. I got up one morning and everything was frozen. I use a windshield washer that has an deicing agent in it, so I hit the washer without thinking. The blades were froze solid and tried to engage. oops.
I leave mine up because relying on the defroster to melt the ice around them doesn’t always work. It frustrating trying to get the wipers loose, and sometimes the rubber gets damaged.