Waking up to an icy windscreen when you’re running late can ruin even the best of mornings, but it often can’t be prevented in the winter months.
As tempting as some online hacks may seem, don’t be fooled into causing lasting damage to your windscreen for the sake of saving 10 minutes. Follow our tips to discover the best ways to de-ice your car and save you time – or even better, save you from a scratched windscreen.
Don’t use boiling water
Many people think it’s a good hack to pop the kettle on in order to quickly defrost the windscreen. Hot water melting ice makes sense – right?
Unfortunately this isn’t the case. If you have a tiny crack on your windshield and pour boiling water over it, it fills up. Over time when it refreezes, the water inside the crack will expand and make the crack bigger – causing more noticeable, lasting damage.
Even if this doesn’t happen, it can also cause thermal shock due to the rapid temperature changes. It may save time, but it’s going to cost you further down the road.
Utilise your air-con & heating
There’s often confusion about whether to use heating or air-con to defrost an icy windscreen. The best solution actually happens to be a mixture of both.
Heating will warm the glass to clear any condensation on the screen, whilst air-con removes the moisture in the air, to help the windscreen clear quicker.
When doing this, it’s often tempting to start your journey when some of your windscreen is still misty. Mornings are a rush and the sides will clear up after a few minutes – but this is where hazards are most commonly found. Keep yourself safe and wait a little longer until your screen is fully clear.
Keep an ice-scraper with you
Sometimes in life, the simple methods are the best. Using an ice scraper is a fail-safe way of clearing your windscreen without causing any damage. Even if you prefer a different method, it’s always handy to keep one in your car just incase as they’re inexpensive.
The one important thing to remember is to ensure it is a proper ice scraper. Some people use makeshift scrapers with things they have in their car – such as CDs or bank cards. This is a huge no-no, and can cause lasting damage to your screen.
Don’t leave your car unattended
Winter can be the perfect opportunity for thieves: your car is running with the engine on – but you’re not there.
Police warn about this every year, yet many people still fall victim to it. It’s easy to forget, but do not leave your car running unattended whilst defrosting your windscreen.
Not only is it a case of having your car stolen by an opportunist, but in many cases your insurance won’t be able to help you pick up the pieces.
Winter can be a tricky time for drivers, so don’t ruin your journey before it’s even began. Follow our tips to make de-icing your windscreen a breeze this winter.
If you’ve got chips or cracks in your windscreen, it’s best to get these sorted before the winter. See if we can help today.
