How to de-ice your car safely and avoid breaking the law on frosty mornings

Lets be honest, most of us will reach for a bank card to make a little gap, or even pour boiling water over the screen to be able to see on frosty mornings. Be warned – these methods could lead to a cracked windscreen or even a fine, so it can be confusing to know what works best!

Don’t worry. We list some ideas to keep your windscreen frost-free.

As the temperature drops below freezing, the water vapour in the air becomes super-cooled. This causes frost and ice (we know this bit!)

But the temperature doesn’t have to go below freezing for the windscreen and windows to freeze over.

Because the windscreen and windows are made of glass, they freeze over much quicker than any other surface of the car.

Using anything other than a car ice scraper could lead to a scratched windscreen.

But more serious is the possibility of a £60 fine and three points on your licence for driving with limited vision.

You could also risk a fine of £20 and three penalty points for leaving your car to defrost while the engine is idling. And if you’re out of the car while you’re doing this, it’ll be an easy target for thieves

It’s relatively easy to get hold of some de-icer, a windscreen cover and a cheap ice scraper for your car. You can even get a scraper with a built in glove to keep your hands toasty. 

But if you’ve run out, or if you don’t want to fork out, there are some home remedies that can help.

Water and salt

A solution can be made using water and a teaspoon of salt. This can then be sprayed on using a misting spray bottle, or wiped on using an old towel.

This should be used sparingly though, as salt can damage the windscreen, as well as collect around the washer fluid nozzles. The paintwork should be avoided too, as salt can corrode the metal.

Water and vinegar

If you don’t want to use salt, one part water to three parts vinegar will work just as well. As a preventative measure, you can spray this mixture on the windscreen night before you travel too.

Water and alcohol

A mixture of two parts alcohol or surgical spirit to one part water is also effective.

A soaked towel

Alternatively, you can soak a towel in the salt-water solution and place it on your windscreen and windows overnight. This will act as a preventative measure and hopefully keep your windscreen frost-free. 

Because these solutions have low freezing points, they make short work of the frost. Which makes them perfect for de-icing.

A recent viral idea used hot water in a food bag – then dragged across the screen, but beware – it can create a thermal shock by rapidly changing the temperature of the glass. This could cause your windscreen to expand and crack – or make any existing chips or cracks much worse.

So, a bit of advice before heading off to a shift;

• Make sure you leave plenty of time to de-ice your car fully. About 10 minutes should do it.
• Check your route. Try to keep to major roads that are more likely to have been gritted.
• ‘Better late than never’ definitely applies. Drive to the conditions and take your time.

Thanks to confused.com / The Sun newspaper for the info