Let’s face it, no one enjoys plowing and de-icing their car while we’re on the run and the winter cold is bone-chilling. Fortunately, there are several tips that make it easier to defrost the windshield to save time while avoiding damage to your windshield. Let’s win this battle against the frost together!
Keep in mind that it is always better to prevent the formation of frost than to wait and scrape. We give you some tips, most of them affordable, that will allow you to de-ice your windshield easily.
Affix a cardboard or an anti-icing sheet to the windshield the day before precipitation or very cold weather. It will suffice to remove it before departure.
When the winter season begins, rub your windows with a solution of white vinegar (or 90° alcohol) and water using a cloth (dosage: one volume of water for three times more than vinegar). Always have a bottle of this mixture and a cloth handy to be able to repeat the operation every day before very cold weather on dry windows. Don’t have white vinegar? Use a halved potato or onion to scrub your windows with! The protective film left by these vegetables will prevent frost on your windows. A good old efficient “grandmother” trick.
Prepare a winter windscreen washer and prevent your windshield wipers from freezing, pour two thirds of demineralized water, one third of 90° alcohol and a drop of dishwashing liquid. Why this composition? The alcohol protects your windows from the cold and makes them less sensitive to humidity, while the demineralized water avoids the deposit of limescale and the dishwashing liquid allows the cleaning of the windscreen with the deposit of a protective layer.
Have your car windows treated with an Aquapel ® treatment . A treatment of this type is very useful in winter, because the ice adheres to the water-repellent treatment and not directly to the windows. This makes it easier to remove the ice and scratch the windows. To learn more about the Aquapel MD treatment , visit our page on the subject.
What about gel on your locks? Put a piece of duct tape over your locks the day before it gets really cold. All you have to do is remove it before unlocking your vehicle. To prevent freezing, you can also spray a lubricant in the vehicle’s locks a few times during the winter.
Equip your vehicle with a remote starter . An excellent way to warm up the car and facilitate defrosting, without going outside. Lebeau Vitres d’autos offers you four different models of remote starters. Don’t hesitate to read the article “How to choose the right remote starter” for more information.
Did you forget to apply your white vinegar solution or put on your protective cardboard when you got home the night before and this morning your car is covered in gel? Don’t panic, here are emergency solutions to remove the frost that has already formed on your windshield.
Too late, my windows are covered with frost.
Spray on your frozen windows with a solution made up of water and salt (dosage: one volume of salt for one liter of water). The salt will help melt the gel through a chemical reaction. After this operation, you will be able to remove the remaining gel very easily. The same operation is possible with a mixture of 90° alcohol and water (dosage: one volume of 90° alcohol for times more water).
What should be avoided at all costs and why?
Pour hot water on his windshield! For what? Contact between hot water and your windshield will cause thermal shock which could cause it to crack. It is better to bet on prevention techniques. In addition, in very cold weather, the water could freeze quickly and cause you to lose more time than expected.
Overheating your windshield by directing all the hot air into it. For what? Contact between the extremely cold air from outside and the warm air from inside your vehicle will cause too great a difference in temperature that the laminated glass (part of the windshield glass) does not support.
Start driving with your windshield or windows still frozen. Indeed, due to lack of visibility, you could put yourself in danger for barely a few minutes saved.
In winter weather and especially to win your battle against frost, here is what we advise you to have in your vehicle
In addition to always keeping an emergency kit in your vehicle to deal with extreme cold, it may be useful to keep the following items:
A snow brush fitted with a scraper and/or a hand scraper.
If you want to prepare your vehicle for winter by opting for an Aquapel ® treatment , use our center locator to find the one near you.
