You know the feeling; you’re late to a meeting early in the morning but your car looks like an icicle in the driveway. The weather seems to have conspired with workplace practices to ruin your day from the get-go.
You can rest easy though, because we’re about to tell you the quickest and easiest ways to defrost your car windows.
Water, Alcohol, and a Spray Bottle
Sounds easy, right? That’s because it is.
This method was popularized by Knoxville, Tennessee, weatherman Ken Weathers. All you need to do to say goodbye to your defrosting troubles is: Mix 1/3 part water and 2/3 part isopropyl or rubbing alcohol together and pour it into a spray bottle. Then, simply spray the solution onto your windshield and windows. That’s all there is to it. The ice will disappear in front of your eyes instantly. A scraper may still be needed to remove some of the excess chunks of ice.
If your car doors and windows are frozen shut, you can simply spray the solution on the car handles.
Isopropyl has a freezing point of -128.2°F. This is well below the 32°F freezing point of water. This allows the solution to work its magic and melt away the ice without freezing over itself. This also means you can leave the spray bottle and solution in the car without fearing that it’ll freeze over.
Some people can be concerned that the alcohol in the solution may wear out the paint. However, there’s very little if any alcohol that gets on the paint. In any case, if you wash and wax your car as much as is recommended by your car’s manufacturer then you should be okay.
Ice Scraper
You can go the old-fashioned route and scrape hard ice off your windshield. For soft snow, make sure to use a soft brush. Some scrapers are configured so they have both on either side. Of course, this is not the prettiest or the fastest way, but it’ll get the job done.
Lukewarm Water
You can always douse your windshield and windows with lukewarm water to melt away most of the ice. You may think that using hotter water may make your job easier but DO NOT try this. Hot/boiling water on a frozen or cold window can cause the glass to crack or shatter. Lukewarm water is your friend.
Car Heater
Your car’s heater left running for five minutes will aid the defroster and allow the wipers to brush the slush or snow right off. Of course, this method means you have to plan ahead a little. So, make sure you work that out first and don’t leave your car unattended or unlocked when running.
Has the harsh winter weather been unkind to your car’s windshield? Has it got chips and cracks? Auto glass service San Antonio provides expert windshield repair and replacement services 24/7, anywhere in San Antonio. Contact us now to get a quote. Call (210)793-7115.
