# My windshield washer duct is clogged; safe to use a pin? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 13, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822 "2010-01-13T19:24:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/1 "2010-01-13T19:24:33Z")
That’s what most of the google results say. Needless to say I am wary of just shoving things in there. However, it is the DRIVER’S side (of course!) and I need it cleared. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/2 "2010-01-13T19:33:15Z")
Depends on the car. My auto dealer (Toyota) said a pin could damage a sensor there. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/3 "2010-01-13T19:40:14Z")
Sorry, I didn’t know it made a difference. 2001 Toyota Corolla. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/4 "2010-01-13T19:47:31Z")
Audi dealer used a straightened paperclip. This also allowed him to aim the jet a bit, it’s on a tiny ball swivel. I would pick paperclip over pin, because a pin is sharp enough to rip a second hole (or whatever the expression is) in the duct, while a relatively blunt wire will not. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/5 "2010-01-13T19:51:35Z")
Have you tried disconnecting the tube from the other end and just blowing really hard? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/6 "2010-01-13T20:21:22Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Have you tried disconnecting the tube from the other end and just blowing really hard? Um. What? Really? I’m not putting my mouth on anything under the hood of my car. I’ll try the straightened paperclip, tomorrow morning in the sunshine. ---
**Author:** ![Qwakkeddup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/90ced4/32.png) [@Qwakkeddup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwakkeddup)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/7 "2010-01-15T06:07:11Z")
Before using a pin, visually inspect the lines for a kink or crack. If you can see them of course. Or possibly the plastic line may have fallen off. Be gentile with the pin though, you don’t really want to damage the spray nozzle, I use to take them off and use the gas station air hose to blow them out. Brute force with a pin or wire was the last resort. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/8 "2010-01-15T12:04:16Z")
It might just be frozen. Hit it with a hair dryer. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/9 "2010-01-15T14:19:56Z")
The term “duct” may be confusing things here. The only part of a windshield washer system that I’ve seen clogged is the nozzle jet. The most efficient way to unclog it is to use a pin or piece of stiff wire to poke the clog out. It will not be harmed by doing this – it’s made of hard plastic, usually with a steel ball jet. As mentioned, the ball can be swiveled, with the pin in its hole acting as a lever, to aim it. Be aware that it’s easy to unintentionally swivel it (changing the aim) when cleaning it out. I’ve never heard of sensor related to this. It doesn’t make sense to me. I can’t imagine what it would be sensing, nor the logistics of mounting a sensor (relatively huge) to such a small device. ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2010, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/10 "2010-01-15T22:16:48Z")
It probably varies from car to car, but a paperclip would be too big to insert into the nozzle of my car’s window washer. Even a pin could be too big. A sewing needle might be better. ---
**Author:** ![icbm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@icbm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/icbm)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/11 "2010-01-16T06:42:35Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Have you tried disconnecting the tube from the other end and just blowing really hard? I used a can of electronics cleaning duster “air”, with its little tube inserted into the washer nozzle’s end under the hood. Worked a treat, blew a tiny splinter of what I guessed was wood out. I used a small strip of some non Saran brand cling wrap around the tip of the duster’s tube to make a better seal. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-windshield-washer-duct-is-clogged-safe-to-use-a-pin/524822/12 "2010-01-16T07:31:00Z")
When I was on the line, I used a single strand of stainless steel wire (off a manila parts tag) held in a pair of needle nosed pliers to clean nozzles. Paper clips and pins are way way too big.