Most of us take for granted many of the wonderful technologies that we have today. One example would be the windshield wipers. Can you imagine not having windshield wipers? Even after the windshield wiper was invented in 1903 it was not electric.

Instead, the driver had to reach out the window and do it by hand. This could be kind of tricky and dangerous to do while driving down the road. In 1910, the windshield wiper became a standard item on cars, but was still not made electric for years.

Even though the windshield wiper is a great feature to have, they can still be irritating. It's amazing how often windshield wipers need to be replaced. This great little invention seems to wear out quite quickly.

The rubber wears quickly causing the blade to not properly clear the windshield. Of course the one spot that seems to quit working first is right in the driver's line of vision. For most people this is quite irritating, and causes a trip to the store for a new set. Here are a few things that will shorten the life of your windshield wipers and have you making the trip even more often. One cause of quick wear on windshield wipers is when they are used to remove hard snow.

How many of us get in the car in the morning, start it, and turn on the windshield wipers? I know that I've been guilty of this one. You don't have time to start the car, or clear the windshield properly, so you just use the wipers. This may clear your windshield for you, but it is hard on your wiper blades.

The blades are just rubber and using them to scrape the hard snow off the windshield can cause them to become deformed. Another cause of quick wear would be trying to use your wiper blades to scrape the ice off the windshield. When it's that cold outside who wants to stand outside and scrape the ice off their windshield? It can be especially damaging if you just squirt a little windshield washer fluid on the windshield to get the ice wet, and then use the wiper blades to scrape it off. This little trick seems to work pretty good, and quickly too. The problem with this is it will also cause your wiper blades to become deformed and not work properly. Winter is not the only time your windshield wipers may become damaged.

Some people use their windshield wipers to get dirt or sticks or other debris off their windshield without using the windshield washer fluid. Using your wiper blades on the dry glass is not good for them. If you need to get debris off your windshield you should use the windshield washer fluid first so that the blades can move easier. The fluid allows the blades to glide smoothly across the windshield instead of scraping and making that horrible noise they make when it's dry. When your windshield wiper blades start to chatter when you use them, or start to leave streaks you may want to invest in a new set. Just remember what causes extra wear on your windshield wiper blades, and try to avoid doing it.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as Performance Car Parts at http://www.performance-parts-plus.com