You won’t be smiling if you can’t de-ice your car in the morning… (Picture: Getty)
Winter mornings are bad enough as it is, 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.
With the recent cold snap sending temperatures plummeting, mornings could become more of a chore for the next week at least.
Luckily there are plenty of simple tips to de-ice your windscreen, and it doesn’t involve any expensive sprays that only last for a couple of uses.
Metro.co.uk has collected the best tried-and-true methods to ensure you’re not late to work.
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.
What’s your go-to method? (Picture: Getty)
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’s got to say 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
These are 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
MORE : Why you should water your plants with coffee this winter
MORE : What are the coldest temperatures ever recorded in the UK and the world?
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Plus popular ‘hacks’ you should avoid.
