How to de-ice your car windscreen
YOU might be annoyed spending a few extra minutes in the morning to de-ice your car.
As snow, ice and freezing temps become the norm, here are a few tips to clear the windscreen more easily.
What's the best way to defrost your windscreen?
While many people opt for classic methods like boiling water or scraping with a credit card to be free of the frost, we regret to tell you that both of those can cause damage to your motor.
There are ways to remove frost from your screen without damaging your car or forking out on an expensive de-icing solution.
One easy method is to mix up a solution of water with a teaspoon of salt, before pouring it over any affected areas.
Mixing together three parts of vinegar to one part of water will also do the trick in a matter of seconds - with no damage to your vehicle.
How to prevent your windscreen frosting overnight
Stop the winter pre-commute stress with this simple tip.
Soak an old towel in a solution made up of water and table salt and then place it over your car windows the night before.
As salt lowers the freezing point of water, moisture is prevented from frosting over on your screen.
You can also make a frost-fighting solution by mixing one part of water to two parts of alcohol.
Why does frost form on cars?
Just like when condensation fogs up vehicle windows, the temperature outside doesn’t have to drop below freezing for your windscreen to frost over.
When you switch off your car engine, the temperature inside the car drops.
Just as the ground temperature can be colder than the air above it, the glass surface of a car tends to get cooler quicker.
What to avoid when de-icing your windscreen
It is not advisable to pour boiling water on to your car windows when the temperatures outside are cold.
The sudden warmth hitting your windscreen could lead to the glass cracking.
Even de-icing hacks such as dragging a sandwich bag full of warm water over the windscreen could cause damage.
Despite being able to clear the glass in seconds, experts believe the change in temperature could cause the windscreen to expand and crack.
Never use anything other than a car-specific scraper to remove the frost from your car.
Scratching off the ice with a credit card or sharp object can cause your items to snap or your screen to become scratched.
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Also be careful NEVER to leave your car unattended with the motor running while you go in and grab something to help you remove the ice.
Aside from being an opportunist thief's dream, it's also against the law as drivers have to be "in control" of their vehicle at all times.
It's worth waiting a few extra minutes to make sure the glass is clear and safe to drive before you head out.