How to keep your car windshield and mirrors ice and frost free
Photo by Juha Lakaniemi
When it comes to driving in the winter, the worst part of it is ensuring that your car windshield is free of ice and frost. Otherwise, leaving ice or frost on your windshield can lead to a potential driving hazard for both you and other drivers on the road. A hazard that in many states can come with a hefty fine. So how do you keep your windshield free of ice and frost to skip the hassle of having to clean it off in the morning? Here are some tips below that will save you your time and sanity.
Jan 29, 2015; 10:00 AM ET While the cold weather lingers, people are having their cars stolen as they let them warm up.
Cover It
When it comes to keeping your windshield free of all the winter hazards, your best option is to cover it before the sun goes down. Covering your windshield at night can prevent ice or frost from building up on the glass. The best part is all you have to do in the morning is whip the cover off, store it, and you can be on your way to work or any other destination in a manner of minutes.
Vinegar or rubbing alcohol
This one may seem strange to conceptualize, but spraying some rubbing alcohol or vinegar on your windshield. Now you will not have to buy those expensive car cleaners at the store. Get a spray bottle filled with three parts vinegar and one part water, then spray it on the windshield. The vinegar solution will help your windshield from forming ice or frost overnight and will also melt any ice that might have formed overnight. You can also achieve the same effect with 2 parts rubbing alcohol and one part water. With both mixtures, it's recommended not to use hot water. A rapid increase in temperature can cause your windshield to crack in the cold weather.
Salt water
If you don't have rubbing alcohol or vinegar in your home, then salt water can do the trick.
Onion
This idea may seem strange to you, especially the idea of using a vegetable to somehow prevent your windshield from freezing. However, rubbing half an onion over car windows and your windshield at night can stop frost from forming overnight. Cut the onion in half and rub it all over the windows the night before. The natural oils from the onion will coat the glass and prevent ice or frost from forming.
Bag It
Take a couple of plastic grocery bags, slip them over your side mirrors, and secure them with a rubber band around the neck of the mirror. This will prevent your mirrors from having any ice or frost build-up come morning.
Park Facing East
If you can, park your car facing the east. Just let Mother Nature do all the work. Because the sun rises in the east that means it will naturally defrost your car in the morning before you head off to work.
Above are five tips that you can utilize this winter to prevent your windshield, windows, and mirrors on your car from forming ice and frost overnight. Otherwise, you're creating more work for yourself in the morning and a potential driving hazard that affects others.
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