With a temperature of around -5C this morning, there has been a lot of conversation about how long it’s taken people to de-ice their car windscreens and what has and hasn’t worked. We’ve taken a look on-line to see what other sites recommend when it comes to de-icing and there are many differing opinions – some make great sense, others make us raise our eyebrows a little. So, based on our experience and being aware that you may have some other ideas (let us know in the comments!) here’s our guide on how to de-ice your windscreen.
- Leave some extra time! Depending on the make/model of your car and where it’s been parked, it can take up to 15 minutes to de-ice your car to the point where it is safe to drive.
- Don’t just clear a small area in front of the driver – this is not a legal state in which to drive – the full windscreen must be clear of ice and demisted
- Use a scraper (a credit card will work but we can’t guarantee what it will do to the chip…) to clear the screen – or a brush if it’s covered in snow. Knives, CD’s and other sharp implements are not a good idea.
- Don’t pour water over the screen to de-ice it. On mornings like this it will just freeze again (making you even more work) and can spill onto the floor making it icy where you want to stand
- Don’t pour boiling water over the screen either – especially if you have any chips in the screen you haven’t had filled yet. The difference in temperature can cause the glass to shatter and that will just be expensive.
- Use a propitiatory de-icer in a spray form – these usually contain alcohol which lowers the freezing point of water significantly and will cause the ice to melt. Make sure your windscreen wash contains a large proportion of de-icer during the winter months too. You can get small sprays of lock de-icer which contain even more alcohol to save you having to use a hair-drier on the door.
- A spray of salt solution will de-ice your windscreen but it won’t do your paintwork much good if it stays on there
- A mix of water and vinegar (1 part water to 2 parts vinegar) will not help clear the ice but sprayed over a clear screen can (apparently) help stop ice forming. Again, it won’t do your paintwork much good if it runs on to it.
- Using the warmth of your hand will help to start the ice melting – it may also be very painful and not very good for you at all. It’s amazing what you can find on the internet.
There is much discussion as to whether you should use your car’s heater to clear the screen. In most frosty situations using the heater to clear the screen works – and if you have Ford with a heated front screen, this is exactly what it’s there for. If it’s really cold the sudden heat blown on to the windscreen can cause it to crack but that’s more likely to happen in really, really cold countries. If you’re not sure, start the heat on a medium level and build it up.
The downside to running your car stationary and using the heating, is that it does use more fuel and there is the environmental argument too – but that’s your decision. Equally, if you’re running your car, don’t go back inside whilst it defrosts – there are a huge number of car thefts at this time of year because cars are left open with the keys in.
Finally, wait until the ice has started to melt before you use your windscreen wipers – using them over the ice will just damage the blades.
So there you have it – our definitive guide (we hope) of how to de-ice your windscreen. If you’ve any top tips, please do let us know.