In the winter months, the cold weather and snow can cause ice to form on your windshield, which can extremely hinder your ability to see while driving and make it impossible to operate your vehicle. Thankfully, there are a number of things that you can do to defrost your windshield and reduce the risk of an accident occurring while driving.

Idling

One of the most effective ways to deal with moderate amounts of ice buildup on your windshield is to turn on your car and allow the windshield defrost option on your heater to take care of business. This can take several minutes, so it's a good idea to start your car at least a few minutes before you have to leave.

Saltwater

For large amounts of ice buildup on your windshield, you should spray it down with a salt solution. You can use regular salt, or mix in heavy winter road salt with water in a spray bottle. Put in at least five tablespoons of salt for every liter of water: not putting in enough salt means that you'll just be adding more water to freeze onto your windshield. Spray the solution liberally on your windshield to begin to break down the ice and let it sit for several minutes. Then, use a windshield scraper to remove the loosened ice. You should also use a squeegee or your windshield wipers after applying the solution to remove any residue, as salt can cause damage to your windshield if allowed to sit for an extended period of time.

Alcohol

If salt just isn't doing the trick, which can sometimes be the case if the temperature drops too far, you can make a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water to achieve the same effect. Simply add two parts of rubbing alcohol to one part of water in a spray bottle, and apply it liberally to the built up ice. Once the mixture has sat on the ice for ten minutes or so, begin to scrape it away and reapply if necessary. Just like with a saltwater solution, you should rinse off your windshield to prevent the alcohol from damaging the glass of your windshield.

Commercial Products

If the above methods don't work, you can always pick up a commercial product at an automotive store to do the job for you. Keep in mind that these commercial defrosting solutions can be toxic to animals, so you should take care to clean up as much as possible after applying them to your windshield.

For more information, talk to a professional like P & T Automotive Repair.

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