Turn on the car. Put the defroster on the hottest setting and turn on the air conditioner (many modern cars automatically engage the air conditioner when you turn on the defroster).
Step2
Set the defroster fan to low.
Step3
Brush snow off the windshield.
Step4
Spray de-icing solution on the windshield. (You can make your own de-icing solution--a mixture of half water and half vinegar.)
Step5
Scrape the ice off the outside of the windshield using an ice scraper or, in a pinch, a credit card.
Tips & Warnings
Pouring hot water on an icy windshield can crack the glass.
on 3/21/2006
Hot water can crack a windshield, but lukewarm water does the job in seconds without the risk of cracking. Boil a very small amount of water in the kettle (few inches), fill the rest with cold water (you should be able to put your hand in the water and it feel lukewarm). Turn the engine on, turn the blowers on (avoids condensation), turn the wipers on (to get rid of the water quickly) and simply pour over the windshield. Not recommended in temperatures below -6 degrees since it will ice up again very quickly before the wipers can get it off.
on 11/22/2005
During the winter, an interesting phenomenon can occur when there is snow on your car. It can be very dangerous. If there is a large amount of snow over the back of the hood (closest to the windshield), be sure to remove it BEFORE turning on your defroster. If you don't, the heater will pull in the cold, moist air, which will cool the air near the windshield to below its dew point. When this happens, your windshield can become nearly opaque. In some cases, it can take up to 15 minutes for this to happen, so you could get caught on the highway with zero visibility. Take heed. I've had this happen before, and when it does, there's really not much you can do but pull over and wait for the air to rise above its dew point again.
Comments
Anonymous said
on 3/21/2006 Hot water can crack a windshield, but lukewarm water does the job in seconds without the risk of cracking. Boil a very small amount of water in the kettle (few inches), fill the rest with cold water (you should be able to put your hand in the water and it feel lukewarm). Turn the engine on, turn the blowers on (avoids condensation), turn the wipers on (to get rid of the water quickly) and simply pour over the windshield. Not recommended in temperatures below -6 degrees since it will ice up again very quickly before the wipers can get it off.
Anonymous said
on 11/22/2005 During the winter, an interesting phenomenon can occur when there is snow on your car. It can be very dangerous. If there is a large amount of snow over the back of the hood (closest to the windshield), be sure to remove it BEFORE turning on your defroster. If you don't, the heater will pull in the cold, moist air, which will cool the air near the windshield to below its dew point. When this happens, your windshield can become nearly opaque. In some cases, it can take up to 15 minutes for this to happen, so you could get caught on the highway with zero visibility. Take heed. I've had this happen before, and when it does, there's really not much you can do but pull over and wait for the air to rise above its dew point again.