How to Deal with Ice on the Car's Windshield?
3 Answers
Methods to handle ice on the car's windshield: 1. Use a warm towel to gently wipe the windshield. If the ice is not too thick, a warm towel can usually melt it; 2. If the ice on the windshield is quite thick, it is recommended to start the vehicle while using warm water to melt the ice and turn on the car's heater. When the interior temperature rises, the ice on the windshield will melt automatically. It is important to note that if ice forms on the windshield, never use hot water to melt it. Although hot water melts ice much faster than warm water, using hot water is very dangerous as it can easily cause the windshield to crack due to the excessive temperature difference between the hot water and the ice.
Finding the windshield frozen on winter mornings can be quite a headache. As an experienced driver, I have a practical trick: don't rush to drive. Start the engine, turn on the front windshield defroster vent, set it to maximum airflow, and wait for five or six minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a plastic ice scraper and gently scrape the ice, remembering to scrape horizontally in one direction without using too much force. Keep a windshield cover in the trunk year-round—just spend two minutes covering the windshield before parking overnight, and in the morning, simply remove it and drive off. If you don't have a cover, try spraying a layer of dedicated automotive glass de-icer the night before—it works pretty well. The worst thing you can do is pour hot water on it, as the sudden temperature change can crack the glass. Also, don't follow the youngsters' habit of scraping with a bank card—repairing windshield scratches can be costly.
Dealing with frost on the windshield requires a scientific and safe approach. My routine is to start the engine first, then activate the vehicle's defrost mode to let warm air blow onto the glass. While waiting, I use a plastic ice scraper to gently remove the ice. Never use sharp objects to scrape forcefully, as damaging the glass coating makes it more prone to icing. For particularly thick ice, spraying some automotive-specific de-icing spray and waiting three minutes before handling can help. Prevention is actually more crucial: before parking, lower all four windows to ventilate for a minute before closing them to reduce interior humidity; or place a dehumidifier bag on the dashboard to absorb moisture. If possible, park indoors in a garage. When parking outdoors, lift the wipers to prevent them from freezing. In emergencies, avoid pouring hot water, as the sudden temperature change can cause the glass to crack.
