Removing Ice / Frost from windshields and/or windows. Share your methods.

[sixty7mustang22]

Now that winter is almost here and in my part of the world we have had ice on the windows for the past two weeks, I am curious to see who uses what to remove ice or frost from the windows.



What do you use? How do you remove/prevent ice/frost on the windows?



I park my Jeep in the garage, so there is no problem there, but my wife parks her Audi outside. She parks as close to house as possible and this keeps the ice to a minimum on the windshield. I have been using a de-icer spray to remove the ice from the windows. I spray it on a designated microfiber and wipe the window. I don`t use an ice scraper because of the possibility of scratches.



Share your thoughts/methods?

[stiffdogg06]

Drive as fast as you can on the highway and watch it all fling off. :LOLOL



Nah. JK. Honestly, I`d like to know a safe way too. I usually don`t have a problem with ice on the car itself... But it`d be nice to know if it does happen.



- Andrew

[audicoupej]

-Use the winshield covers to prevent ice/frost

-Let it warm up

-Use a defroster spray like you already do.



There really isn`t too much else you can do. :(



I prefer not to scrape so I will let my car warm up and melt it off if I am parked outdoors.

[stiffdogg06]

-Use the winshield covers to prevent ice/frost

-Let it warm up

-Use a defroster spray like you already do.



There really isn`t too much else you can do. :(



I prefer not to scrape so I will let my car warm up and melt it off if I am parked outdoors.



What I also do. I usually don`t touch the ice. I usually will turn my car on, let it heat up and turn the heat all the way up. By that time, the car is warm enough and the ice has turned to mush or water.

[BlueLibby04]

I just use an ice scraper. Ice fast and easy.

[poweredbytorque]

Move down south :D

Anyways when I used to live up north I would use an ice scrapper but if you had stubborn ice, I would get some really hot water and pour it on the ice, it usually helps a bit...

[pipspeak]

... and hope your windshield doesn`t have any significant chips or it`ll potentially crack before you can say "brrrr". Seen it happen. Ice + very hot water = loud cracking noise, nice big line across windshield.



What`s wrong with using a scraper? Driving on the freeway regularly is gonna do far more damage to the surface of my windshield than a scraper ever will.



Deicing spray is nice and easy, but you`ll also be putting a nice load of ethylene glycol down the drain into the nearest river. When I lived in a cold area we just made sure to put a piece of cardboard over the windshield (and wipers) at night. Lo-tech and ugly but effective and reuseable!

[BigJimZ28]

remote car starter!

[NSXTASY]

1) Some of the windshield washer solutions are quite effective, however, they will likely strip you LSP. Unless of course your LSP of choice is cement.



2) Just and idea, but, Ice forms on the windshield when water is present and refreezes. So maybe, just maybe, if you wipe the windshield dry with a MF after your drive, there will be less of tendency for ice to form. However, if the glass has been heated signficantly by your defroster, falling snow may melt on impact, defeating your best efforts and my idea.



3) Park in the Garage (:p )



4) Like mentioned earlier, they sell a cover for your windshield that has straps that you close in the doors to secure it. I have one, however, its a pain, and theres a possibilty of marring on the A-pillars from the straps.

[pipspeak]

remote car starter!



heh... or buy a new car with a heated windshield (plus heated seats and block heater)

[mikelea4ever]

i would just cover my windshield. my neighbor uses a blue tarp to cover his windshield during winter season and I thought that it is a really wise idea. Why waste money?

[jimtriz]

I make sure to get a good layer of Rain-X on before the cold weather hits. It makes the frost less "sticky" to the windshield. While others in the parking lot after work are scraping away, I just hit the wipers and go. Now, I`m not saying frost won`t ever accumulate on the windshield, but when it does it comes off very easily. I`m assuming that you get the same results from Aquapel, but I`ve yet to try it.

[nyyankees22]

i use rain-x too...and you will find that there is minimum ice if you do it right

[imported_truzoom]

If you are expecting an ice storm, cut open a large trashbag at the side seams so it forms a huge rectangle. I`ll open booth doors, stick one end of the bag into a door and shut it, then pull the bag across and close it in the other door.



Since the windshield is curved, it takes some effort to make a nice fit, but it saves a lot of time in the morning.

[eddie926]

Anybody ever tried one of these?



eBay Motors: Toyota SOLARA CAMRY COROLLA PopTop Sun Shade, Car Cover (item 300169570064 end time Nov-17-07 06:30:52 PST) (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Toyota-SOLARA-CAMRY-COROLLA-PopTop-Sun-Shade-Car-Cover_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ50456QQihZ020QQit emZ300169570064QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW)



Only covers from the glass up, so you only have to worry about marring, etc., on the roof. Seems like it could work. Keep the heat out in the summer too.



Dunno, may be a bad idea.:nixweiss