How to stop your frosty windscreen from making you late

As we really settle into the winter months, it’s becoming a familiar sight to see our car windscreens frosted over in the morning. There is nothing more frustrating than running late for work or the school run and then realising that you have to wait another ten minutes for the ice to melt off your car. Luckily, we’ve got some handy tricks to get rid of ice quickly and safely so that you can be on the roads in no time.

Prevent ice to begin with

The best way to avoid waiting around in the mornings is to make sure there’s no ice in the first place. Grab yourself a windscreen protector to put on your car overnight, or DIY one with a large piece of fabric or cardboard. When you wake up, your car windscreen should be completely clear and ready to go. Avoid using fabric if there’s rain on the forecast as you could risk it sticking to the glass. If you’re worried about this, try using a towel soaked with water and table salt instead – the salt will give it a lower freezing point.

Alternatively, try spraying a solution of one part water to two parts vinegar on your windscreen before you go to bed. In the morning, your windscreen should be frost free. You can also buy night before de-icer if you’re looking for something more convenient, but making your own will work out more cost efficient in the long run.

Create your own de-ice solution

Meteorologist Ken Weathers suggests making a solution of one part water to two parts rubbing alcohol to spray on your windscreen on a frosty morning. You can also use the solution you made to prevent ice as a way to melt it if you forget the night before. Not only will this quickly get rid of the ice, but you can store it in your car all year round so you’ll never forget it. Again, if you want something more convenient then you can pick up de-icer in the shops.

Better to be safe than sorry

The RAC warn to avoid ‘portholing’ – where you only get rid of enough ice to see straight out rather than completely clearing the windscreen. Having all your windows and mirrors frost and mist free is vital. Fight the urge to just boil the kettle and pour it over the ice because this can crack the glass, and similarly scraping it with something like a credit card rather than a proper ice scraper can leave nasty scratches. Using your windscreen wipers over the ice will damage them, so avoid doing this too. As long as you prepare yourself beforehand and follow these tips, there’s no reason why you should need to drive dangerously this winter.