The Best Way to Get Ice Off a Windshield

It's common to find a layer of ice under snow on your car.

Ice builds up on windshields during the winter. The ice blocks the driver's vision, making driving not only unsafe but also impossible. The time it takes to remove the ice depends on how much ice there is. Thicker ice takes longer to remove. To prevent heavy ice buildup, scrape the windshield daily if ice accumulates on it, or between snow or sleet showers. Beating or smacking an icy windshield can crack or break the glass. Scraping is a safe method to clean the debris.

Things You'll Need

• Spray bottle
• Broom
• Rubbing alcohol or liquid deicer
• Ice scraper

Instructions

1. Turn on the car and turn on the windshield defroster.

2. Brush the loose snow off the windshield with a broom.

3. Pour rubbing alcohol or deicer into a clean spray bottle.

4. Coat the ice with rubbing alcohol or deicer, according to thesimpledollar.com.

5. To scrape, start at the bottom of the windshield. Hold the ice scraper firmly with one hand. Place the other hand on the upper part of the handle. Set the blade against the ice at a 45-degree angle. Use short back and forth motions to loose and remove the ice.

6. Brush off loose pieces of ice with the broom.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear winter gear, especially gloves, when outside in the cold. The defroster will melt the ice at the bottom of the windshield first. Snow is heavy, so use a broom with a strong handle.

References

• The Simple Dollar: Fighting a Frugal Battle Against Ice and Snow