Why it’s Actually a Bad Idea to Leave Your Windshield Wiper Blades Up

When the snow starts to fall, the Minnesotans put up their windshield wipers. It's like clockwork. We've got snow in the forecast? Everyone, put up those windshield wipers!

I see it EVERYWHERE, sometimes when we aren't even expected to get snow. It's like, there's snow on the ground, therefore, I need to have my wiper blades up AT ALL TIMES.

If you're someone who puts up your wiper blades, I'm here to blow your mind a little: Did you know that it's actually bad to put up your wiper blades?

ALSO READ: Charming SE MN Town Named One of the Most Beautiful Places to Visit in the Winter

Is it Bad to Put Up Your Windshield Wiper Blades?

According to BatteriesPlus, it's not a good idea to put your wiper blades up, and here's why.

The wiper blades are held snugly on your windshield by a spring. When you put your wiper blades up, you're stretching the spring out.

Of course, if you're doing this for a short amount of time to clear your windshield, that's not a problem. But if you're leaving them up for hours, that can cause issues. If you stretch out that spring too much, the wipers won't sit as nicely on your windshield when you put them back down, and then they won't clear snow and rain as effectively.

Get our free mobile app

How to Keep Your Wiper Blades from Freezing to Your Windshield

The main reason we all put up our wiper blades is to keep them from freezing to our windshield. So, if we aren't supposed to leave them up, how do we keep them from freezing?

All you have to do is cover them up! Get some cloth, an old towel maybe, wrap it around your wiper blades, and that will keep them from freezing to your windshield. Problem solved!