The definitive method for defrosting the windscreen without damaging it

Follow these simple steps to defrost your windscreen and avoid the most common mistakes when doing so.

At this time of year it is very common for the windscreen of our car to be frozen in the mornings. Many people resort to the traditional ice scraper or hot water to solve this setback, two options that are highly inadvisable due to their low effectiveness and negative impact on the windscreen’s service life. If you want to keep your windscreen in good condition and save time in the process, follow these effective instructions for removing ice from the windscreen.

Preventing the windscreen from freezing

Preventing ice from forming is the best solution for this problem and the one your car’s windscreen will appreciate most. Simply place a more or less thick blanket over the glass to stop the pane from freezing overnight. If you don’t have a blanket of these characteristics at home, or you simply don’t want to ruin the one you have, you can use instead several thick sheets of cardboard, car cover tarpaulins or several layers of newspaper. In any case, the blanket will always protect the windscreen from the cold better.

A home remedy to prevent the windscreen from freezing is to pour over it a solution of water and vinegar the night before. The mixture should consist of three parts vinegar to one part water.

What you should NEVER do to defrost the windscreen

If ice has already taken hold of your windscreen, never pour hot water over it, as the drastic change in temperature could crack the glass. Likewise, you should not use salt to defrost the glass, as contact of this substance with the glass can cause scratches, and its corrosive power could damage the car’s bodywork, especially its paint.

The definitive method for defrosting the windscreen without damaging it

1. Start the engine, turn on the heating and direct the air vents towards the windscreen

With this action we will achieve a gradual defrosting of the windscreen, which reduces the risk of cracking the glass due to a drastic change in temperature. When carrying out this action, it is advisable to lower one of the windows slightly to eliminate any possible ice that may have formed inside the vehicle (this does not usually happen). It is very important to start the car in an outdoor area, or to do so for a limited time in an enclosed area. In this way, we will avoid possible carbon monoxide poisoning (from exhaust fumes).

2. Pour salt water, coolant or alcohol to remove the remaining ice with a scraper.

With the first step we will reduce the thickness of the ice layer on our windscreen, but in many cases we will need to carry out this second step to defrost the glass completely. To do so, we will pour a little salt water (never salt on its own), coolant (it has antifreeze properties) or alcohol onto the glass, which will help us remove the leftover ice with a scraper.

In this step it is important to use the right tool for scraping, otherwise we could damage the car’s glass. Plastic scrapers are sold in any car accessories shop and are the most recommended, but as an alternative you can also use a credit card (plastic) that you don’t feel too attached to.

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