This Is How You Can Safely Remove Ice From Your Windshield
While winters are amazing and full of festive spirit, this season can wreak havoc on your car. To be more specific, we’re talking about the ice and snow that freezes over the windshield and makes it impossible to drive.
So if you’re one of the people who dread winters because of this, we’re here for you. Removing ice from your windshield might be a tedious task, but it’s not impossible. In this article, we’ve given you a step-by-step guide on how to de-ice your windshield safely.
STEPS TO REMOVE ICE FROM YOUR WINDSHIELD
Turn on the heater
Before trying anything, turn on the heater and set it to defrost. We also recommend keeping the heater set at the highest setting. This will help melt or thaw the ice from the inside and make it easier for you to remove it through other methods.
Use a de-icer spray
After turning on the heater, the next thing to do is use a de-icer spray. There are two ways you can make a de-icer spray easily at home. The first is to mix two parts of isopropyl alcohol with one part of water and spray it on your car.
Alternatively, you can add some road salt to the water and use this concoction as a spray. But if you don’t like these options, you can always go for a store-bought de-icer spray. Once you have this, spray it on your windshield and let it sit for one to two minutes while the heater melts the ice from the inside.
Bring in a windshield scraper
Windshield scrapers or ice scrapers are designed especially to get rid of the ice and snow on your windshield. The metal or plastic ridges on these tools serve the purpose of removing big chunks of ice. But to do so with ease, it’s important to follow the first few steps we’ve mentioned in this blog.
So while your car’s defroster and the de-icer spray work their magic, go in with a windshield scraper and use the ridged side to remove large chunks of ice. It’s recommended that you start from the top of the windshield and work your way down. But be careful — if you use too much force or tap your windshield with it, you might just end up breaking the windshield. Many windshield scrapers also come with a soft-bristled brush for you to easily brush the snow off your windshield once it has defrosted.
SOME ADDITIONAL TIPS
Though we’ve told you how to safely remove ice from your windshield, there are still a few things you should be careful about. First, never use a windshield scraper on the hood or doors of your car as it can cause scratches. Second, do not dump a bucket of hot or cold water on your windshield to de-ice it as the thermal shock could cause it to crack. Plus, after you’re done wiping your windshield, make sure to remove the residue from the de-icer spray with a brush or cloth.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Now that you know the right way to de-ice your windshield, make sure you never drive your car without doing so. We hope you found these steps helpful for dealing with the dreaded consequences of winters. If you have any more tips for fellow car owners out there, let us know in the comments.