We have all been there. You’ve got up for work, and it’s freezing. After dressing yourself and having a quick breakfast, you jump in the car, and, lo and behold, you can’t see a thing. The windscreen is frozen over. Luckily, there’s a method you can use to make the road in front of you visible again. Sara Deutsch posted a handy video on TikTok. She wrote: “Teen drivers need to know this! Frozen windshields are about to be a thing with all the cold and snow.”
In the clip, she says: “If you have a windshield that is frosted over, make sure you put your visors down, so that it stops the airflow. It creates a faster defrost on your windshield. So if you ever have like a sheet of ice, or when it’s frosted, put this down. Because otherwise you can just feel this air just come straight up over [you].
“If you put this down, it creates a block, so that it actually defrosts faster.”
The AA has its own step-by-step guide as to how it says is best to defrost your windscreen.
Firstly, make sure your wipers aren’t on. If they are and are frozen to the screen, the plastic could tear off.
Next, turn on your engine, and use the warm air blower and window heaters to defrost the windows.
The air con can also help to remove moisture from the air, and stop the car from steaming up.
Then sweep the snow, and make sure the lights are clean and working.
Finally, scrape off the ice on the outside of windows using a scraper and de-icer if needed.
It’s important not to drive off until all the windows are clear, experts highlight.
Hot water should not be used, they add, as well as even lukewarm liquid.
“Glass expands quickly when hot or even warm water touches it,” the AA says.
“But it’ll contract quickly too as it cools down in the cold air.
“That flexing can make the glass crack even if you’re using lukewarm water – especially if it had small chips or cracks already.”
