Hot water, scraper or de-icer?

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walwyn1978 said:

Scraper. De icer only works seemingly if it wasn’t proper ice anyway, as someone already noted, you drive away and the de icer freezes up. 

Its simple physics, you need to remove the ice with a scraper, or warm it up. De-icer lowers the melting point, so starts to melt the ice, the energy required comes from the windscreen and the surrounding ice- which get colder. I used to find that my breath would freeze on the inside with de-icer.

If you drive off with the de-icer still on the windscreen, evaporation causes it to cool even more and it will refreeze.

KimJongUn88

My car had a remote pre heater so as long as I’m within its 1km range, I can get it warm and defrosted before I even get in it.

Ant555

sevenhills said:

I have on occasion run the hot tap and filled a bucket, but I normally use a large jug.

I keep an empty 2l plastic bottle (ex-fizzy pop) down the side of my house that I fill with warm water from the kitchen tap and pour on the windows.  Its works a treat and I guess that bottle is no longer considered 'single use plastic' as its been the same one for 2 years 

onomatopoeia99

Warm water in a sandwich bag, seal it, then run the bag over the frosted windows.  Frost melts instantly.  Turn on wipers to disperse water and job done.  No pouring of water everywhere, just empty the bag, post it through the letterbox ready to pick up when you get back home and repeat the following day.

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onomatopoeia99 said:

Warm water in a sandwich bag, seal it, then run the bag over the frosted windows.  Frost melts instantly.  Turn on wipers to disperse water and job done.  No pouring of water everywhere, just empty the bag, post it through the letterbox ready to pick up when you get back home and repeat the following day.

That is a good idea!

Saves having a kettleful of water frozen in a puddle behind where your front wheel was- or wherever else the screen drain comes out.

Jenni_D

Also has the added benefit of warming your hands while you clear the windows. 😁

sk2402005

I just use a few liters of cold water from a bottle, at this temperature there's little chance of breaking the glass.

you just need to warm the ice above freezing, so you don't need to add that much energy.

I wouldn't recommend it if the ground is freezing though, as could cause a slip hazard if it freezes onto the ground straight away, but if its that cold i would let the car warm up for a few mins instead.

Brie

I ask my OH to go out and warm up the car for me.

Cue the snort of derision.

wild666

sevenhills said:

It's that time of year again!

There are always warnings about not using boiling water, but maybe hot water is ok?

That is what I have been using, for the last few years, with no problems.

Has anyone poured on hot water to a frozen windscreen and seen it crack?

I have never heard of it happening, just warnings.

Hot water is much easier than other methods, 50% cold water and 50% boiling water.

Never use any water on a car to de-ice it as it will either crack the windscreen if too hot or freeze onto the glass if it's cold. Either scrape it off with a scrapper or let the vehicle warm up on the driveway to melt the ice and put the rear screen heater on to melt the ice on that window. 
I know there are law saying that you cannot let the car run idling whilst stopped but they can do nothing if it's on a driveway.

sevenhills

wild666 said:

Never use any water on a car to de-ice it as it will either crack the windscreen if too hot or freeze onto the glass if it's cold.

I have been doing it for a few years now, no problems.