Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
At least 80 dead, 11 girls from camp still missing after catastrophic flooding in Texas. Read the latest Chevron right
Chantal bringing flooding in North Carolina. Get details Chevron right

Columbus, OH

77°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

77°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

Top hacks to deice your vehicle during winter's icy grip

At least 11 states have laws that mandate the removal of snow and ice before driving a vehicle.

By Amanda Schmidt, AccuWeather staff writer

Updated Feb 19, 2025 9:15 AM EDT

Copied

After snow sweeps through recently flooded areas of Kentucky and Tennessee, it’s expected to slam Virginia and North Carolina.

When temperatures plummet, many may start to find their vehicles' windshields encased in ice.

There are numerous dangers that arise if you can’t see adequately out of your windshield when driving. It creates unsafe conditions that increase the likelihood of being involved in a collision.

At least 11 states have laws that mandate the removal of snow and ice before driving a vehicle.

Michael Calkins, manager of technical services at AAA, provided AccuWeather with several tips in case you find your windshield frozen with ice and snow during the winter.

ice scrape

Dusty Stehl scrapes ice off his car, Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, in Omaha, Neb., after a winter storm dumped around 9 inches of snow over the weekend. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

AP Photo

Make sure your car is prepared with adequate winter equipment:

  • Ice scraper with a brush

  • Traction aids, such as sand, salt, non-clumping cat litter or traction mats

  • Snow shovel – compact folding designs are easiest to store

  • Blankets to keep warm if your car breaks down. Mylar emergency blankets are lightweight, easy-to-store and reflective. Microfleece is another option.

  • Warm clothing, such as gloves, hats, scarves, etc.

Take proactive measures to reduce the likelihood of having to deice your car:

  • Park in a garage, if possible.

  • Cover the windshield with a tarp, large towel or old sheet folded a few times or purchase a commercial windshield cover, as long as any snowfall is expected to be light. Heavy snow can make removing a cover difficult. Make sure to hold the cover in place with weights, magnets, bungee cords, etc. so it will not blow off.

  • Cloth covers can be pre-soaked in a saltwater solution (1 tbsp. salt to 1 quart water) to aid in ice prevention. Store the damp towel in a plastic bag for reuse.

  • Pre-treat the windshield the night before with a commercial ice and frost “shield” product, although these can be expensive at around $15 a quart.

  • Some also recommend a homemade pre-treatment with a mixture of three parts white vinegar to one part water. However, glass professionals caution that vinegar can cause micro-pitting of the glass over time.

Read more:

5 ways to prepare your car for winter
Experts debunk 4 winter driving myths
Black ice: How to spot this winter driving danger
5 common Seasonal Affective Disorder myths debunked

Steps to take if you come out to a windshield cover in snow and ice:

  • Before the weather turns cold, fill the windshield washer reservoir with a winter fluid or a “de-icer” fluid that will not freeze in colder weather and can aid in ice removal.

  • When freezing weather is expected, place a piece of wood or other object under the wiper arms to hold the rubber blades off the windshield. This will help to prevent them from freezing to the glass and make snow and ice removal easier.

  • First, start the engine, set the heater to defrost, allow the airflow to recirculate and move the temperature control to maximum.

  • Some cars offer optional electrically-heated windshields that can clear ice very rapidly. If your car has one, use it.

  • Apply a commercial glass deicer spray to the windshield. These products generally contain methanol, which is the best alcohol for deicing. However, they are expensive, around $15 per quart, and some contain ethylene glycol, which is poisonous to pets.

  • Use a plastic scraper, soft bristle brush or squeegee to remove the ice as it melts.

Do not use:

  • Any type of metal scraper, which can scratch and gouge the glass.

  • Hot water, which can crack the glass by causing thermal shock and will refreeze as it cools.

Examples of homemade solutions:

  • A mix of isopropyl alcohol (1/3) and water (2/3) in a spray bottle. Isopropyl alcohol ranges from 50 to 90 percent purity. The higher the number the better the deicing capability.

  • Some people suggest adding a few drops of dish soap to the mixture.

  • Some people suggest keeping the solution indoors so it will be warmer when used, which helps in melting ice.

Homemade solutions versus commercial:

  • Commercial deicers typically use methyl rather than isopropyl alcohol, which is a superior ice melting product. They can also contain additional ingredients to help expedite ice melting and removal.

  • While not directly harmful to the vehicle’s finish, alcohol-based products can remove car wax and leave the finish exposed to the elements and chemicals such as road salts.

  • Glass professionals caution that vinegar pre-treatments can cause micro-pitting of glass over time.

For more safety and preparedness tips, visit AccuWeather.com/Ready.

Read more:

What to do if you're stuck on the highway during a winter storm
A guide on how to accurately measure snowfall
'Lies my mother told me:' Debunking cold-weather myths
Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

At least 80 dead in Texas, 11 girls at Camp Mystic missing in flooding

Jul. 6, 2025
video

Rescue operations underway after deadly Texas flooding

Jul. 6, 2025
video

What led to the deadly flooding in central Texas?

Jul. 6, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather News

At least 80 dead in Texas, 11 girls at Camp Mystic missing in flooding

10 hours ago

Hurricane

Chantal moving farther inland after making landfall in South Carolina

1 hour ago

Weather News

Severe weather to storm through Plains, Upper Midwest this week

2 hours ago

Severe Weather

Storms kill 3 in New Jersey, knock out power across Northeast

2 days ago

Weather Forecasts

Heat, humidity return to the East

1 hour ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Weather News

Wildfires are tearing through a popular tourist hotspot in Greece

2 days ago

Weather News

‘Shark Whisperer’ swims its way into our shark obsession

2 days ago

Travel

Fourth of July gas hasn’t been this cheap since 2021

5 days ago

Weather News

France leads Europe in saying au revoir to beach and park smoking

3 days ago

Health

There is no safe amount of processed meat to eat, new research shows

3 days ago

AccuWeather Weather News Top hacks to deice your vehicle during winter's icy grip
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...