Winter Survival 101: How To Defrost Your Windshield in No Time

Tackling a frosted windshield while still trying to soak in the morning caffeine is not the most pleasant task. It takes precious time and, even when you do it properly, you still have to endure the freezing air. That is, when you have the tools needed for the job. Without them, you’re just off to a miserable start of the day.

The first thing you should know is that there is no fast lane for defrosting your windshield. If you try to cut corners on this, you will most probably end up with a cracked glass. That’s not to say that there isn’t an easy way to do it. Take your time, pay attention, and you’ll be able to drive off the lot with clean windows without much work. Here are some simple tips on how to quickly defrost your windshield – windows too.

The first rule might sound a little counterintuitive, as it seems the quickest way to a nice clean windshield. Whatever you do, never pour hot or even warm water on the windshield in order to remove ice. Going from extreme cold to warm or hot will make the glass crack and you will be ruining not only your day but your budget too.

Things speed up a little bit when you have a little warmth to work with. So, the first thing you should do when you enter your car is to start the engine. Turn on your heater to the defrost or maximum temperature settings. Airflow should be directed toward the windshield. Depending on the engine, the air should be warmer in about 5 minutes and will start working toward melting the ice on the windshield.

Turn on the air conditioning, no matter if this sounds silly. This will help remove moisture from the air and prevent the windows from fogging up. Thus, you will only have to remove ice from the outside, pretty clever if you ask us. It also helps to turn air recirculation off, as outside air has less moisture.

If there is a lot of snow over the windshield (and other parts of the car) it is time to gently remove it using a soft brush. When you get to the ice layer on the windshield and windows it is time for some chemistry to do the heavy lifting. For that, you use a defroster spray to cover the entire glass area. You can buy one from a car store or gas station, or you can DIY one using readily available ingredients. We suggest using a spray bottle filled with 1/3 cup of water and 2/3 cup of isopropyl alcohol.

Wait a couple of minutes until the defroster works its magic then use a sturdy plastic ice-scraper to break the ice and remove the patches of ice off your windshield. Never use a metal scraper or other metallic objects, as those might scratch or damage the glass.

Once this is done you will be rewarded with a nice view out your clean windshield and windows. Do not drive off unless all the ice and the fog are gone. Instead, sit back inside the car, especially as the heater has already heated up the car to a pleasant temperature.

In the end, it’s easy to make defrosting your car from a chore to a nice morning workout. And make up for the time spent around the car by getting out of the house a little earlier. If you know other tips for defrosting your car, we would love to read them in the discussion panel below.