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3 of the quickest and safest ways to defrost your windshield this winter
When cold winter weather arrives each year, millions of motorists are left looking for ways to quickly and safely defrost their car’s icy windshield so they can head off to work or drop their kids off at school.
Drivers have numerous ways of de-icing their car’s windshield but some fast-acting hacks such as pouring hot (or even boiling) water onto your car could actually be dangerous and cause the glass to crack. With that said, here are three tried, tested and above all safe ways to quickly defrost your cars frozen windshield.
3. De-icer and ice-scraper
The most common method of defrosting your cars windshield is to break out a bottle of de-icing spray and a scraper to clear away any snow and ice.
If you dont have any dedicated de-icer to hand, there are several homemade solutions that could work instead.
These include mixing water with rubbing alcohol or a teaspoon of salt or a combination of three parts vinegar to one part water in a spray bottle which will create a liquid solution that will melt the ice and not refreeze.
2. Start your engine and crank up the heater
To assist with the above method and melt the ice quicker, start your cars engine, crank up the heater and turn on any windshield defrosting settings your vehicle has.
On top of that, turn on your air-con (yes, we know its cold) but it will help to remove moisture from the air and stop the inside of your windshield from fogging up while youre sitting in the car. Also ensure air recirculation is turned off for the same reason, as it prevents fresher and drier air from getting into the vehicle.
If you plan on wiping away excess snow or ice from the outside of your vehicle while its warming up, do not leave your car unattended as it has become common for opportunist thieves to target vehicles that have been left with their engines running while they defrost. If you need to nip back into the house, turn off the engine and take your keys with you.
As an added fascinating fact, this method is actually prohibited in certain areas around the world, such as Germany, where it is reportedly illegal to leave your car idling as it produces lots of air pollution and could land you with a fine. Similar laws apply in the UK and Ireland where its illegal to leave your car unattended with the engine running on a public road.
1. Windshield cover
This method stops you from needing to defrost your windshield altogether as covering your cars windows overnight prevents them from freezing in the first place.
You can buy a basic purpose-made cover for in the region of $10-$15 while more expensive versions, that can cover your side and rear windows as well, are available at slightly higher prices.
For a homemade alternative, you could always place an old towel or two (or even some cardboard) on your windshield and tuck them inside your doors to keep them from blowing away or hold them down with your windshield wipers.
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Warning against online hack
A popular online hack to defrost windshields that has emerged on TikTok and Instagram in recent years is to fill a plastic sandwich bag with warm water and rub it gently on the windshield to melt the ice without pouring hot water directly onto the glass.
The ingenious solution does have its pitfalls, however, as a UK roadside assistance firm, The AA, has warned that the melted ice could potentially refreeze. This could result in you having to break out the scraper anyway but it could also prevent the windshield wipers from moving or even freeze the door handles shut depending on where the melted water has drained.
On top of that, there is also the risk of introducing too much heat too quickly to a frozen windshield which could potentially cause the glass to crack.
If you are planning on giving this method a go to defrost your windshield, ensure that the water is lukewarm at most and that once the ice has melted, wipe away any water that remains so it cant refreeze on your windows.
