Ways to Stop Your Car Windscreen from Freezing this Winter

The quickest way to ruin a winter morning? A frozen-over windscreen.

Amongst the general dangers of winter driving, the last thing you want when you’re about to head out to work is to have to scrape at your windows for half an hour. So let’s take a look at some tips that’ll help you prevent this situation. Or, failing that, some ways to manage it more quickly than the old credit card trick!

How to stop your car windows from freezing

The most surefire way to prevent ice on your windscreen is to park your car in a garage. But, admittedly, not everyone has access to a garage. So what are the other options?

• Invest in a car cover — these can range anywhere from £20 and £300, with their effectiveness at preventing ice increasing with the price (to a point!). Bonus: no sap or bird droppings on your car.
• Cover your windscreen. If you can’t afford a car cover, covering your windscreen with a blanket or cardboard will do wonders. But keep in mind that the wind may have other plans for your make-shift cover!
• Use de-icer preventatively. Some de-icer sprays can be used on your car windows the night before, preventing the build-up of frost.
• Use white vinegar. Some say that rubbing white vinegar (or even half an onion) on your windows each evening will prevent ice in the morning.

Our last top tip here is to park facing east — where the sun rises.

Make your own de-icer

Did you know, you can actually make your own de-icer to use preventatively or on icy mornings? And you have a few options so that you can use the ingredients it’s easiest for you to get your hands on — you might even have some already!

Vinegar de-icer — mix three parts white vinegar and one part water

Salt de-icer — stir 2 teaspoons of non-iodised salt into 4 cups of distilled water, boiled (leave it to cool before using)

Alcohol de-icer — combine two parts rubbing alcohol and one part water

Fill a spray bottle with your solution and store your de-icer inside so that it doesn't freeze. Now, you can spray on your windows each evening before the frost sets in, or use them to get ice off in the morning.

How to defrost car windows

If it’s particularly cold or you haven’t managed to set up some preventative measures, you might be wondering what the most effective way to defrost your windscreen is.

First, start by using your de-icer and pouring or spraying some on your windows. Let it get to work for a minute or so before attempting to scrape the ice off.

Rather than using a credit card or old CD case, it really is worth buying a proper window scraper. Use this to scrape the ice. If it’s a particularly cold morning and frost has well and truly settled in, you may have to spray another round of de-icer.

Whatever you do, don’t reach for the kettle. The thermal shock (the contrast between the cold and hot) can result in a cracked window and an expensive bill to pay.

Use your car heater effectively

Believe it or not, starting off with cold air will be more effective than hot air, which can often create steam and fogged windows. Slowly increase the temperature as the air inside your car dries out.

Eventually, the heated air will stop frost from re-forming on your screen and any remaining ice will slide away — use your windscreen wipers to get rid of the excess!

This technique of starting cold and moving up to hot air will not only help you get ice off of the exterior of your windows, but it will also demist the interior. Find out more about why air con isn’t just for summer in our blog here.

Keep your windscreen well-maintained

Believe it or not, a poorly-maintained windscreen can result in an MOT fail — but perhaps more importantly, an accident. The regular maintenance of your windscreen area plus a good de-frosting technique can’t be underestimated.

In general, keeping your windscreen clean and free of debris will also help make those winter mornings easier. So, make sure that your windscreen washer fluid topped up and that your wiper blades are working properly.

If you need a new set of wipers to see clearly on the foggier, chillier mornings, get in touch with us today.