Winter mornings are bad enough as it is with cold temperatures and frost, but many of us are often also met with the problem of iced-up car windows.
Frozen car windows are not what you want to see first thing in the morning, especially if you have to get behind the wheel.
While there are countless methods for de-icing your car, it’s important drivers do so safely and without breaking any rules.
For example, one TikTok account has sparked the resurgence of a popular tip for defrosting your windscreen – but drivers should be warned it could lead to a fine.
In a short clip, East Midlands mechanic @eden_tyres_and_servicing shared a four-step process on what they claimed to be ‘the best way to defrost your window screen’.
Their method involved blasting the heating as soon as you get in the car, switching on the air conditioning to soak up excess moisture, turning off the car’s air-recirculation feature and cracking the windows slightly to ‘get rid of the humidity’.
The video quickly went viral on TikTok, scoring 25,000 likes and hundreds of comments.
However, some users were quick to point out that leaving your engine running while parked is known as ‘car idling’, which could lead to a fine.
Under regulations 98 and 107 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, leaving the engine running on a vehicle parked on the public road is an offence, which also aligns with rule 123 of the Highway Code.
According to the RAC, failing to turn off your car engine when instructed could result in a fixed penalty notice of £20, which will increase to £40 if unpaid within a specific time frame.
‘The fine can also be increased to £1000 if you are repeatedly caught doing it,’ its website notes.
While this rule does not apply to leaving your engine running on private land, such as driveways, the RAC advises against car idling regardless of location.
The British automotive service also warns leaving your engine running poses a risk of car theft – if the vehicle is left unattended. Not only that, it’s also harmful to the environment.
Idling increases the amount of exhaust fumes in the air – contributing to the ozone, regional haze and global climate change.
So if you’re looking for fail-safe methods to de-ice your car without these risks, Metro has gathered tried and true tricks.
How to de-ice your car as quickly as possible
Saltwater mixture
All you need is table salt, water, and an old towel.
Simply mix up a saltwater solution, dunk the towel in it and leave it on the windscreen overnight.
Alternatively, in the morning you can mix up a saltwater solution and wipe or spray it on the glass using a plant sprayer.
Avoid the metal on your car, though, as salt is corrosive.
The science bit is that saltwater freezes at a lower temperature than normal water, so will melt it away.
Alcohol spray
If you’ve got no salt in, you can mix surgical spirit or indeed any booze with water (two parts alcohol, one part water) instead, as both also freeze at low temperatures.
Vinegar
If your house is teetotal – or you just don’t fancy wasting some precious booze – then just mix three parts white vinegar with one part water and spray that onto glass the night before as a preventative or in the morning.
The sandwich bag trick
Putting hot water in a ziplock sandwich bag and simply sliding it across the windscreen is a quick and safe way to defrost your car.
Just make sure to have a cloth ready to wipe off the melted water.
The old towel trick
If you can’t be bothered with all of the above then you could just try and prevent yourself the hassle in the first place.
To do that cover your car in a towel, sheet, newspaper or large bit of cardboard before any dew or ice forms.
Soft brush
If your car is not just covered in ice but snow as well then the best way to rid yourself of it is with a soft brush.
You can buy special ones for cars – but the brush that came with your dustpan should also work just fine.
Don’t just focus on the windscreen – the AA says that it is important to make sure your front grill is clear as well to avoid overheating.
You should also not forget to brush your lights.
Here's what the AA says about de-icing your car
Get up at least 10 minutes early to give you time to prepare the car.
Don’t drive off like a tank-commander, with a tiny hole cleared in the windscreen.
Clear all windows using a scraper and de-icer.
Use a cigarette lighter to warm a key for a frozen lock. Don’t breathe on the lock, as the moisture will condense and freeze.
Plan routes to favour major roads which are more likely to have been cleared and gritted.
Put safety before punctuality when the bad weather closes in. Allow extra time for winter journeys but be prepared for the inevitability of being late for work due to unexpected delay.
De-icing ‘hacks’ you should avoid
Alongside idling, these are some other common de-icing ‘hacks’ that could actually cause damage to you or your car:
- Using a credit card, CD case or something metal like a scraper – This can scratch the glass
- Pouring hot water over it – The temperature difference can cause the glass to crack
- Using a portable hairdryer or other heated appliance – This is extremely dangerous as it could lead to electrocution
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