It’s tough enough to get out of bed during the long winter months; it’s even tougher to jump into a freezing vehicle in the early morning as you get ready to commute to work. Not only do you suffer, but your vehicle can suffer too in the form of dead batteries, frozen door locks, and icy windows and windshield.
The trick to properly caring for your vehicle during the winter is to be patient and meticulous. Don’t just drive off with frozen and fogged up windows. Not only will you be a danger to yourself, but you become a danger to others.
Here are a few tips and tricks to get your car ready on a cold, wintery morning.
What Best To Do
- Start your car and turn on the defroster. Once you start your car, turn your heat to the defrost setting. Give your windshield and rear glass about five to 10 minutes to warm up and begin to defrost.
- Use a de-icing spray. Many de-icing solutions can be found at most auto stores. You can also make one at home using saltwater or an alcohol solution. Regardless of what you use, just spray it onto the icy windshield and wait for the frost to dissolve. The ice will also begin to melt and break apart. You can then use your ice-scraper to remove the remaining ice.
- Pour cold to lukewarm water on a frozen door handle. This helps make the ice become soft enough for you to scrap it off.
- Use a plastic ice scraper or soft brush.
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What Not To Do
- Don’t use a hairdryer or portable heater. These solutions might seem logical, but they are cumbersome and could be dangerous with the amount of water around.
- Don’t pour water on a frozen windshield. This can cause the glass to crack. If it’s cold enough, hot water thrown into the air turns into powder upon contact.
- Don’t use a spatula, key, or metal scrapper. Do not use anything metal to clean your windshield. This method will scratch your windshield or damage your paint. If at all possible, use a plastic ice scrapper to remove any and all ice and snow.
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