While performing my annual car washing the other day, I was dismayed to notice that the repetitive motion of the windshield wipers has actually carved permanent semi-circular streaks into the windshield.

If debris on the rubber wiper blades could do such a thing over time, I figure some micro-fiber wiper blades would smooth things out a bit if you used them when it's not raining. (This would exclude use in England, from what I hear).
-- MikeD, Sep 19 2010

[MikeD] If I understand correctly, the dismay didn't happen until you washed the car, which you do annually. So the solution, unlike the windshield, is clear: don't wash the car so often.

If you do go the fine-abrasive route, though, I suggest you take it further: with appropriate modifications* this could be used to grind replacement lens elements for the Keck, or Hubble telescope or similar astronomical optics.

*Who, after all, hasn't dreamed of owning windshield wipers calibrated to sub-angstrom accuracy?
-- mouseposture, Sep 19 2010


//Just wash your car more, buddy.//

Vs.

//don't wash the car so often//

I'm leaning towards [mousey's] suggestion.
-- MikeD, Sep 19 2010


So, you don't live where bugs come out on summer evenings, eh? What, like Antarctica maybe? Where I live, fully half of the local bug population has seen my car traveling down the road as an opportunity to end it all and commit suicide on my windshield. For me, at least, duct-taping a spatula to my wipers might be a more practical solution.
-- Grogster, Sep 19 2010


Perhaps add a second screen wash system filled with T-cut or similar fine polishing abrasive.

Don't use it while driving.
-- Twizz, Sep 20 2010


no! You need random orbit wiper blades!
-- WcW, Sep 21 2010



random, halfbakery