Set Phasers to “Melt”
November 30, 2020 12:46 PM Subscribe
What is the best way to defrost your car window? I live in Central Indiana and it has just started snowing today. I HATE standing outside scraping the ice off the car windows, so what’s your foolproof/can’t miss method?
Every year, I see YouTube videos about all sorts of miracle cures for iced-up windows. Besides the obvious (turn on the defroster, turn up the heat, and wait), I’m curious to see what people do to get their car windows unfrozen quickly.
Every year, I see YouTube videos about all sorts of miracle cures for iced-up windows. Besides the obvious (turn on the defroster, turn up the heat, and wait), I’m curious to see what people do to get their car windows unfrozen quickly.
Whatever you do, do NOT pour hot water on your windshield to melt the ice.
posted by jozxyqk at 12:57 PM on November 30, 2020 [11 favorites]
posted by jozxyqk at 12:57 PM on November 30, 2020 [11 favorites]
Some sort of canvas/blanket cover for the windshields could probably be secured with those very strong rare earth magnets.
posted by cyndigo at 12:59 PM on November 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by cyndigo at 12:59 PM on November 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
Amazon has a number of snow/frost blankets designed to fit most cars. Most of them come with some kind of tie to go around the vehicle's mirrors and keep them in place.
posted by hanov3r at 1:02 PM on November 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by hanov3r at 1:02 PM on November 30, 2020 [2 favorites]
I usually just turn the car on about 5-10 minutes before I plan on clearing the windows and put the defrosters on high. By that time the car will heat up enough to melt the ice closest to the glass which'll make it easier to remove. Not great for the environment I know but it gets the job done.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:14 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 1:14 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
The best (but not necessarily easiest in the short-term) solution is to not need to de-ice the windshield in the first place. Leave the car parked.
I was working at a job when Portland had a “snowpocalypse“ week. I put on my snow boots, grabbed a fallen branch to use as a walking stick for the ice, and was at work on time. The drivers were mostly at least an hour late with all sorts of stories about how inconvenient it was to get their cars out and ready.
posted by aniola at 1:22 PM on November 30, 2020
I was working at a job when Portland had a “snowpocalypse“ week. I put on my snow boots, grabbed a fallen branch to use as a walking stick for the ice, and was at work on time. The drivers were mostly at least an hour late with all sorts of stories about how inconvenient it was to get their cars out and ready.
posted by aniola at 1:22 PM on November 30, 2020
aniola, that's fine for portland or other cities, but for us "flyover states" that is in no way practical due to the distances between work and home.
i have not tried this myself, but i do think the moving blanket/snow blanket thing works best based on my observances of neighbors. however, i am still not sure what they do with the heavy, snow-laden blanket when they pull it off in the morning. i guess if you have a garage toss it in there, but if you live in an apartment or have on street parking, you can't just leave it there....
posted by misanthropicsarah at 1:45 PM on November 30, 2020 [4 favorites]
i have not tried this myself, but i do think the moving blanket/snow blanket thing works best based on my observances of neighbors. however, i am still not sure what they do with the heavy, snow-laden blanket when they pull it off in the morning. i guess if you have a garage toss it in there, but if you live in an apartment or have on street parking, you can't just leave it there....
posted by misanthropicsarah at 1:45 PM on November 30, 2020 [4 favorites]
Minnesota's driver licenses used to be made like a credit card; everyone used them to scrape ice off the windshield and broke them. (Now it's lame, flimsy paper. Feh!)
I have used a grocery store loyalty card or other plastic card to scrape windows, but prevention really is best. My son parks his car outdoors and a cheap fabric windshield cover is pretty miraculous for keeping his old car ice-free here i New England.
Tie it on, though: if you tuck it under the wipers and a decent wind comes through, you could lose the blanket and your wipers!
posted by wenestvedt at 1:49 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
I have used a grocery store loyalty card or other plastic card to scrape windows, but prevention really is best. My son parks his car outdoors and a cheap fabric windshield cover is pretty miraculous for keeping his old car ice-free here i New England.
Tie it on, though: if you tuck it under the wipers and a decent wind comes through, you could lose the blanket and your wipers!
posted by wenestvedt at 1:49 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
My grandparents laid an old thin blanket across their windshield and closed the car doors on it to hold in place. After storms, they'd push off the bulk of the snow, each grab a side of the blanket to shake off the rest, and toss it in the trunk. If it got too icy, would hang over the bath tub to thaw/dry. This procedure probably is most practical for folks who only drive a few times a week and always travel in pairs, but if you really really hate scraping...
posted by superna at 1:57 PM on November 30, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by superna at 1:57 PM on November 30, 2020 [3 favorites]
Over here a popular solution are windshield covers made out of reflective foil. They have flaps you trap inside the front doors and they keep the frost from forming, while in the summer they keep the interior of the car cool. For some reason I can't find the equivalent in the US, but that's probably because I don't know the right search term...
posted by I claim sanctuary at 2:07 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by I claim sanctuary at 2:07 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
seconding a blanket or similar over the windscreen, else a spray-bottle filled with rubbing alcohol and a bit of scraping
posted by sarahdal at 2:19 PM on November 30, 2020
posted by sarahdal at 2:19 PM on November 30, 2020
As everyone says, throw a tarp, blanket, or car cover over the car. In the morning, pull it off your car - magic de-icing.
posted by epanalepsis at 2:22 PM on November 30, 2020
posted by epanalepsis at 2:22 PM on November 30, 2020
You can buy heated scrapers that plug into your cigarette lighter. They are nothing like as hot as throwing boiling water over your windshield, so they shouldn’t shatter the glass, but they are warm enough to melt stubborn ice while you are scraping it.
posted by tinkletown at 2:37 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by tinkletown at 2:37 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you have a layer of ice on the windows, a scraper with a brass blade will scrape the ice and not damage the glass. Just ordered one for myself, highly recommend.
If you start the car and run the defroster, limit the time. I cracked a windshield because of heat differential, that was not fun. Start the car, turn on the heat, med. fan, go back in 5 - 10 minutes.
Everything about dealing with winter is easier if you recognize that you have to wear really warm gear. It's only 5 minutes, but wear insulated boots, a warm coat, good gloves, a hat. I have to learn this lesson every year, sigh.
posted by theora55 at 5:41 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you start the car and run the defroster, limit the time. I cracked a windshield because of heat differential, that was not fun. Start the car, turn on the heat, med. fan, go back in 5 - 10 minutes.
Everything about dealing with winter is easier if you recognize that you have to wear really warm gear. It's only 5 minutes, but wear insulated boots, a warm coat, good gloves, a hat. I have to learn this lesson every year, sigh.
posted by theora55 at 5:41 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
I can also testify to the effectiveness of the brass-blade scraper. Once you try one, you'll never again mess around with a credit card.
I usually just turn the car on about 5-10 minutes before I plan on clearing the windows and put the defrosters on high.
Note that this can crack your windshield (guess how I know).
posted by Rash at 5:52 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
I usually just turn the car on about 5-10 minutes before I plan on clearing the windows and put the defrosters on high.
Note that this can crack your windshield (guess how I know).
posted by Rash at 5:52 PM on November 30, 2020 [1 favorite]
Central Indiana dweller here...If the ice is heavy, I do pretty much as any portmanteau in a storm does. Warm the car for a few minutes with the defroster blowing. That said, it’s been ages since I had to deal with ice that heavy. I just keep a good, sturdy ice scraper in the car and just hack away at the ice.
posted by Thorzdad at 7:45 PM on November 30, 2020
posted by Thorzdad at 7:45 PM on November 30, 2020
don't use an old school cassette tape case - they scratch the glass - signed - high school me
posted by j_curiouser at 8:57 PM on November 30, 2020
posted by j_curiouser at 8:57 PM on November 30, 2020
I live in central Indiana. I've pour warm water on my windshield for heavy ice but stop when it gets to a thin layer. I guess I've been lucky but no cracks so far for years but I've never used boiling water.
If it's a light frost and you're in a hurry, rubbing alcohol will melt it quickly. It gets expensive to do very often. It works best to do the warm water, then rubbing alcohol on the lightly icy residue.
posted by stray thoughts at 8:54 PM on December 1, 2020
If it's a light frost and you're in a hurry, rubbing alcohol will melt it quickly. It gets expensive to do very often. It works best to do the warm water, then rubbing alcohol on the lightly icy residue.
posted by stray thoughts at 8:54 PM on December 1, 2020
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posted by rachelpapers at 12:54 PM on November 30, 2020