There’s nothing more annoying on December mornings than waking up to a car that’s covered in ice and frost; however, if you face this problem regularly, there may be an easy way to solve it. According to the RAC (Royal Automobile Club), using a simple button combination can help to remedy the issue much more quickly.
The topic recently came up on Reddit when a driver detailed exactly what different car buttons do, and some can help to speed up clearing ice from windscreens. Little you may know, it’s pretty essential you make use of them in the mornings, with the RAC agreeing with the essential winter driving advice.
There are other methods you can turn to in a bid to speed up the process too. In fact, a number of household staples can also be used to help rid ice.
A social media user posted: “Hey everyone! Winter’s almost here, and I keep seeing new drivers with fogged up windows, shivering in their cars, pressing random buttons hoping something works. So here’s a simple breakdown of how your car’s climate control system actually works, and what those confusing buttons do.”
Focusing on frost, they continued: “Front defrost button (windshield icon with upward arrows). This sends hot, dry air directly to your windshield to remove fog or frost. Use it whenever your glass fogs up.
“It automatically turns on the A/C (to dry the air) and turns off recirculation (to let in fresh air). Rear defrost button (rectangle icon with wavy lines). Heats the rear window and sometimes side mirrors. Use it for frost or condensation on the back window. It shuts off automatically after a few minutes.”
What does the RAC say?
The RAC also notes you can use a few buttons to help defrost your car quickly. After turning on your engine, there are some helpful tools you can use to help melt ice.
The website states: “The first is the defrost setting. Although it might be found in different places on the vehicle, it will be within reach of the driver.
“You will also be able to turn on the fan and point it in the direction of the windscreen and/or passenger windows. Drivers will need to melt the ice on both of these to see out the front, use the wing mirrors and have a better field of vision.
“There will also be a button that looks similar, which will melt the ice on the rear windscreen. Other vehicles will also have the option of heated windows. [These] will use very thin mesh wires within the windscreen, which are able to heat to a high temperature quickly to melt the ice.
“Some cars will also have an option to do this on the rear windscreen and wing mirrors. If possible, turn all of these settings to the highest temperature possible.
“This will melt the ice quicker, and they are designed to only reach a heat that won’t damage the glass.”
How can you prevent frost?
If you’re looking for ways to prevent your car from freezing in the first place, there are a few things you can do. One of the best tactics to use is to attempt to stop the build-up of ice overnight.
There are two ways you can do this. However, those who have a garage or somewhere they can park to protect their vehicles from the cold weather, should make use of these areas to help prevent freezing.
If you park in a street, you can use a car cover and place it on your windscreen overnight. You’ll still probably have to turn on your air conditioning and windscreen heaters, but it will reduce the sheer amount of time you have to spend wiping ice off your car.
When you’re not using it, just make sure you clean it properly to ensure mould doesn’t stick to it. You can also get door and mirror covers too.
The RAC adds: “The door mirror covers are applied like bags that go over the casing and are then tied shut.” They could be handy to invest in over the winter months.
