Running a car

How to stop your windscreen freezing

Hands up if you forget that windscreens ice over in the winter until you get to your car, about 5 minutes late as usual.

*shoots hand straight up*

Why do we do it? We have smartphones that tell us it's -2. We have weather forecasts. We have memories. And yet we still arrive at our cars and stare blankly at the thick layer of ice that stands between us and our day.

How to keep the ice off your windscreen

1. Cover your windshield to prevent frost forming

You can a) buy a nice windshield protector or b) ugly DIY it with a twice-folded sheet. Both work and both will make you feel like a complete champ when you get rid of any ice with a quick flick of your wrist and set straight off.

Tips for keeping the windshield ice-free:

• If you're DIYing it with a folded sheet, you'll need to dry it before using it again or the whole thing will turn to ice real quick. You'll also need a plastic bag in the car to put it in after your smug removal.
• If you're placing anything on your windshield overnight, use your windscreen wipers to secure it. Just pull 'em out, put the cover on and put them back into position.
• Don't use newspaper. It's thin enough that it could freeze straight to your windshield, meaning a lot of nasty scraping the next day.
• You can also use rubber bathmats! They stay on the windscreen securely, peel off easily and they dry super quickly.

Bonus tip: tie plastic bags over your wing mirrors. Good look.

 

2. Use night before de-icer

This appears to be a miracle product. Night before (or pre-icer) de-icer works by stopping frost sticking to your windshield, so it's easier to clear away in the morning.

You can pick some up for about £3 so it's well worth giving it a go. The tricky bit is being organised enough to remember to do it so you don't have to dash out in your PJs in the middle of the night.

3 things NOT to do

• Leave your engine running and go back inside to fetch something - thieves operate in winter too!
• Dash boiling hot water straight from the kettle. It could crack the windscreen, freeze quickly and stick your wipers to the glass. If you want to use water, luke warm only.
• Drive off before the windscreen and mirrors are fully clear of ice, snow and mist. Super dangerous and you could even get pulled over for driving without due care and attention.

ingenie driver's best de-icing tips

It depends on how late I'm running! If I'm on time, I'll crack out the water. If I'm early, it's the heating on full whack so I can also get toasty. If I'm running late it's grab the spray and pray! 😂

Cameron

Turn on my heated windscreen and turn up the heating - by the time I've scraped all the side windows, the front and the back are defrosted.

Shirley


Luke warm water does the trick for me in seconds!

Thomas


Ice scraper all the way.

Isla


How do I de-ice my car? With difficulty as I'm too short to reach the middle of the windscreen. I have to fetch my Husband to finish the job!

Tracey


Updated: 19th Nov 2020

So, that gets you as far as sitting in your slowly-warming car. Get all the help you need for actually driving in ice and snow.