06 December 2023 , 12:05
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A car expert is warning people defrosting their vehicles to "never" use boiling or warm water on their windscreen.
There's nothing worse than leaving home for the day and realising your car has frozen overnight. Sitting and waiting for the vehicle's heating to do the defrosting can be a mammoth task, so drivers often look for alternative ways to quickly get rid of the ice at speed.
And while it's important to completely clear your windscreen before you set off - or risk a fine or even points on your license - there's serious dangers in doing it incorrectly.
The AA reports that a viral defrosting hack, which sees motorists putting hot water in a sandwich bag to defrost the windscreen, sent the internet into a frenzy last year, as a number of people followed the trend.
However, Tim Rodie, resident driving expert at Motorpoint, strongly warned against it as he told the Mirror: "One piece of advice that has been popular this year is to fill a bag with hot water and run it across your car to help remove any ice that has built up overnight. While this might seem like a good idea, I would advise against it.
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"Not only are you risking serious burns should the bag break, but the rapid temperature change can cause your windscreen to crack or even shatter. This could leave you seriously out of pocket as a new windscreen can cost hundreds of pounds."
Tim added that using warm water as an alternative to boiling water should also be avoided too. He continued: "It would still be a significant temperature change and could cause damage. Plus, when it's this cold there is a really good chance the defrosted ice will just refreeze on your windscreen almost immediately if your car is cold."
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the AA warned: "We wouldn't recommend trying this because the melted ice could refreeze and cause your windscreen wipers or even door handles to stick."
Rather than relying on hacks or rapid temperature changes, Tim suggests motorists leave themselves plenty of time in the morning and focus on using the heating to warm up their car - helping melt ice and snow - rather than focusing on rapid temperature changes that might not fully resolve the problem.
The car expert explained: "When defrosting your car, you shouldn't just be focusing on the outside as you need to be warming it up internally to make sure it won't just freeze again. If you feel like you need a helping hand to speed up the de-icing process, your safest bet would be to use a specialist anti-freeze product once your engine is on and the heaters are blowing.
"You are best just brushing away loose snow and relying on your car's heater to melt any ice that's built up overnight. Turning your air conditioning on if your car has it is an easy way to speed this process up. Once completely defrosted, simply use a cloth to wipe away any condensation on your windows, lights and mirrors and then you are good to go."
He added: "It might take a little longer than other methods, but you won't risk scratching or cracking your windscreen. Remember, don't leave your car unattended when your engine is on."
Tim is also warning drivers to make sure they check their tyres before setting off in snow or ice. He commented: "Legally, all cars are required to have a minimum of 1.6mm thread across the central 75 percent of any tyre surface, but the easiest way to check this at home is to take a 20p piece and insert it into the grooves on each of your tyres. If you can’t see the outer band on the coin then you’re above the legal limit and are safe to drive.
"Motorists should also be mindful of their tyre pressure, as incorrect tyre pressure will reduce tyre grip and increase braking distances – ultimately putting you at greater risk of an accident."