Winter is coming. As the weather begins to dip below freezing at night, you can expect to wake up to frozen windshield on cold winter mornings.
Not only are frosty windshields inconvenient, they can signifiants obscure your field of vision and make driving extremely dangerous. It’s important to understand the best methods for defrosting a windshield in order to keep it and you protected.
Why Windshield Freeze
Before we get to defrosting a windshield, it’s helpful to understand why windshields freeze.
When it’s misty or rainy, water can collect on your windshield. At night, when the temperatures dip below freezing, that water can freeze, leaving an icy sheet on your windshield in the morning.
Many people’s go-to for defrosting a windshield is to crank the defroster and hope for the best. But for those of us that doing have time to wait around for ice to melt, other methods for defrosting a windshield become necessary.
Here are our tips for defrosting a windshield quickly and safely.
4 Methods for Defrosting a Windshield
Isopropyl Alcohol
One of the best methods for defrosting a windshield is using isopropyl alcohol.
Isopropyl alcohol is great for quickly defrosting ice. This is because isopropyl alcohol can actually lower the freezing point of water, causing the frozen water molecules to unfreeze faster. This phenomenon is called “Freezing Point Depression”.
Isopropyl alcohol can be applied all over your windshield and doesn’t cause any damage.
Instructions:
Mix a 2 to 1 alcohol and water solution together and store in a spray bottle. When your windshield is frozen, apply liberally all over and wait several minutes. The ice should begin to melt pretty quickly. You can pick up a bottle of isopropyl alcohol at most convenience stores or pharmacies.
Salt
Salt is also a great option for helping to quickly defrost a windshield. Just like isopropyl alcohol, salt is commonly used to melt ice since it can also help lower the freezing point of water. You’ve probably also noticed road ice spread on roadways and freeways when temperatures dip below freezing. This is to help keep ice from forming and causing issues for drivers.
Be warned: Tread lightly when using salt on a windshield. Too much raw salt on a windshield can actually cause damage to your windshield once it’s wiped off. The safest way to use salt to defrost a windshield is to create a saltwater solution and apply it sparingly. It should a similar affect to the isopropyl alcohol.
Ice scrapers
Ice scrapes are a great investment, especially if you live in a an area where it’s consistently frosty in the mornings. They effectively remove ice from your windshield without causing much damage.
Water
On icy mornings, many people turn to water to help defrost their windshield. And while this can work, it’s important to make sure you’re applying it properly.
Never use hot water to defrost a windshield. This can increase the likelihood of cracking your windshield.
Instead, slowly pour lukewarm water onto your windshield to melt the ice.
Stay safe out there!
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