Remember to clean the arm and hinged parts as well. Hinged parts of the wiper assembly can stiffen with dirt and grime, contributing to squeakiness. For severely dirty wipers, you may need to use several pieces of paper towel. If your paper towel is somewhat flimsy, double it up before wiping or use a rag. If your wiper blades don’t stay in position when pulled away from the windshield, hold the blade away from the glass with your free hand and clean them one at a time. [1] X Research source

Undiluted white vinegar can be substituted for glass cleaner. Add it to a spray bottle and use it as you would glass cleaner. Avoid getting vinegar on painted areas of your car. [2] X Research source Ammonia based cleaners can damage tinting and cause plastic to degrade quickly. Ammonia-free glass cleaners should be clearly indicated on their label. [3] X Research source

Blades that are too tight won’t be able to alternate back and forth to trail behind the wiper arm smoothly, which causes chattering and squeaking. Wiper blades should never appear to “dig” into the windshield or remain vertical as they sweep across the windshield. [7] X Research source

ArmorAll. Apply a liberal amount of ArmorAll to a piece of paper towel. Using circular motions, work the ArmorAll into the rubber of the blade to soften it. [8] X Research source Rubbing alcohol. Dampen a paper towel with rubbing alcohol. Gently buff the rubber of the blade with the rubbing alcohol dampened towel. WD-40. Use this technique sparingly, as too much WD-40 can dry out rubber. Spray a little WD-40 on a paper towel, lightly apply it to the rubber of the blade, then wipe it dry. [9] X Research source

Generally, fasteners can be tightened with a wrench by turning them clockwise and loosened by turning them counterclockwise. [10] X Research source You may need to experiment with the tightness to find what works best. Ideally, the blades should be held firmly in place, but should still be loose enough to sweep back-and-forth across the windshield.

The film left behind by certain automotive surface products can increase the friction between the wiper blades and the windshield, creating unpleasant noises, like squeaking. [11] X Research source

On some cars, there may be a push-tab or tension hook attaching the blades to the arm assembly. Release these kinds of fasteners with your hands and slide off the blade. Depending on who you ask, you might hear that you should change your blades every six months or once a year, but it’s always a good idea to before the rainy season.

With time and use, the assemblies holding your wiper blades in place can become misshapen or inflexible, contributing to squeaking.