Winter is officially here and the next few months will be filled with plenty of below zero days, snow, slush, and, worst of all, ice. Braving the elements at this time of year is no laughing matter, and ice, in particular, can wreak havoc on your car’s windshield. If you’re looking to remove ice from your windshield in an efficient and effective manner this winter, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know about how to get ice off a windshield.
How to Prevent Ice on Windshield
Knowing ways you can prevent ice from getting on a windshield is just as important as being informed on how to remove it. If you can save yourself the effort of having to get ice off your windshield and stop it dead in its tracks, why wouldn’t you? Here are some methods you can use to do just that:
· Salt Water: Spraying your windshield with saltwater at night will prevent ice from forming since this liquid freezes at a lower temperature than normal water.
· Rubbing Alcohol: Drizzling a solution of two parts alcohol and one part water on your windshield at night will also prevent ice from making its way onto your windshield for the same reason as saltwater.
· Vinegar Spray: If you don’t have saltwater or rubbing alcohol handy, applying a mix of three parts vinegar and one part water will have the same effect as the previous two methods.
· Windshield Cover: Windshield covers are an ingenious invention that prevents ice from forming on your windshield and protects your windshield from scratches and cracks.
· Car Mat: Although car mats may not cover your entire windshield, they effectively protect it from the elements and prohibit ice from forming on your windshield.
If you’re wondering how to keep frost off a windshield, all of these methods effectively work against frost too!
How to Get Ice Off a Windshield Without a Scraper
A scraper has been the tool of choice for most Canadians to get ice off their windshield for quite some time now, but let’s face it – manually scraping the ice off your windshield is a lot of work! If you want to put your scraper away this winter and save yourself the extra labour, here a few other methods you can use to get ice off your windshield (and how to get frost off a windshield while you’re at it):
1. Home-Made Isopropyl Solution
A home-made isopropyl solution of 2 parts alcohol and 1 part water can easily melt down both the ice and frost on your windshield. This is because the freezing point of water is 0 degrees Celcius, the freezing point of isopropyl alcohol is -88 degrees Celcius, and the freezing point of the mixture is -11.67 degrees Celcius.
Simply create the mixture of isopropyl alcohol and water in a spray bottle, let the engine of your car warm-up for 10 minutes, turn on your defogger, and spritz the isopropyl solution onto your windshield. After a few minutes, the ice should come right off!
2. Store-Bought De-Icing Fluid
Alternatively, you could use a store-bought de-icing fluid to tackle the ice on your windshield. Store-bought fluid works in a similar way to the isopropyl solution and should be applied in the same manner. The only real difference between the two is that the store-bought solution typically contains propylene glycol or ethylene glycol as well as thickening agents, wetting agents, UV-sensitive dye, colours, and corrosion inhibitors. You also don’t have to take the time to make it yourself!
There you have it – all the ins and outs of how to remove ice from a windshield. Now you’re all set to get through the winter and keep your windshield ice-free! And if your windshield ends up getting nicks and cracks in it once winter is all said and done, North Auto Glass can help with that.
At North Auto Glass, we specialize in windshield repairs and windshield replacements, and we pride ourselves on providing the most affordable auto glass rates in the region. We back up all our auto glass replacements with a Lifetime Warranty so you can rest easy knowing your vehicle will be taken care of no matter what winter throws at it. Contact us today and take advantage of our top-of-the-line auto glass repair and auto glass replacement services!
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