de-icing car windshields

[fireheart]

This is sounding strange coming from an Aussie I know.

This morning when I went to put stuff in my car (I spend alternating weekends at my boyfriends place), I discovered that the windshield was coated in a nice layer of ice and frost. It took me 45 minutes to de-ice the windshields, front and back. Fortunately the sun was rising about partway through, so that helped get rid of the coating on the side windows.

The only thing I had at the time was my boyfriend's squeegee, which broke partway through (cheap plastic one) which may have contributed to the time.

Therefore, how can I prevent the windshield from icing up in the near future and should I encounter it again, what should I NOT do to de-ice it quicker? My car is a 1994/1995 Ford laser.

[dalesys]

Move to Key West?

[Food Lady]

I know there is stuff you can spray on to prevent it, which really doesn't work. I keep de-icer spray and a scraper in the car. The short-handled scrapers give more leverage and are better, IMO.

[It's me]

Does your car's heater have a defrost setting? Here in Canada almost every car I've seen has both that and an electrical defroster for the rear window. Start the car, crank the heat up and set it to defrost, turn on the rear defroster, and you you be able to start scraping the ice off in a couple of minutes. Hmm... an ice scraper helps with that part

[bhskittykatt]

I notice that when I'm parked under the tree, my car will have less ice/no ice in the winter than the other cars. Is there a tree or carport or something you can park under? Maybe a car cover could work, too. I'm not sure.

Aside from that, you'll probably want to invest in an ice scraper. I second It's Me's suggestion - defrosting a bit before scraping helps.

[Greenday]

If it has defroster settings with the ventilation system, turn those on. Come back a few minutes later and the ice should scrape away pretty easily.

[auntiem]

This is old-school, but cassette covers work as ice-scrappers in a pinch. Movie rental place plastic card also work in a pinch - if you get the angle right.
Also, clean your windshield inside and out on a sunny afternoon - if you try to wipe off the inside with your gloves/mittens it just makes it worse the next time (something about the lanolin making the moisture stick more or something).
Food Lady is right - there is that spray stuff, but I've never noticed it working any better or faster than any other method.
If the frost is in the inside - check your seals on the windows - there shouldn't be frost forming inside (fog yes, frost no). You may have moisture between the window's glass - there is nothing for that but waiting out the defrost. Which takes for.evah.

[kpzra]

Windshield washer solution has antifreeze in it, just look for some higher concentration stuff. In Alaska you can get it good to -60. A few sprays and it's clear.

[fireheart]

This is old-school, but cassette covers work as ice-scrappers in a pinch. Movie rental place plastic card also work in a pinch - if you get the angle right.
Also, clean your windshield inside and out on a sunny afternoon - if you try to wipe off the inside with your gloves/mittens it just makes it worse the next time (something about the lanolin making the moisture stick more or something).
Food Lady is right - there is that spray stuff, but I've never noticed it working any better or faster than any other method.
If the frost is in the inside - check your seals on the windows - there shouldn't be frost forming inside (fog yes, frost no). You may have moisture between the window's glass - there is nothing for that but waiting out the defrost. Which takes for.evah.

I checked, the seals are fine. My car DOES tend to fog up in cold weather but that's a non-issue.
A squeegee shouldn't be an issue with the ice yeah? (I accidentally broke my boyfriends this morning trying to get the ice off )

And in response to the last post, I've been meaning to change my windshield cleaner anyway so that works out nicely.

[Kogarashi]

what should I NOT do to de-ice it quicker?

And since no one else mentioned it yet, do NOT use hot water. But I hope you knew that already.

[wolfie]

Windshield washer solution has antifreeze in it, just look for some higher concentration stuff. In Alaska you can get it good to -60. A few sprays and it's clear.

The active ingredient (freeze-protection wise) in washer fluid is methanol - try checking the paint aisle of the hardware store for Methyl Hydrate, or a truck supply place/truck stop for air brake antifreeze. Both are methanol by another name, and could be a cheaper option.

[Shannarah]

Hi, fellow Aussie here
What I usually do is just keep a bottle of water in the boot of the car (or walk inside and get some cold water) and just run the cold water over the ice, when it starts breaking down enough I use the windshield wipers to help break it up while still running cold water on it.
Although this may not work if it is so cold that the water starts forming more ice

[Gizmo]

Hi, fellow Aussie here
What I usually do is just keep a bottle of water in the boot of the car (or walk inside and get some cold water) and just run the cold water over the ice, when it starts breaking down enough I use the windshield wipers to help break it up while still running cold water on it.
Although this may not work if it is so cold that the water starts forming more ice

We do this. Literally we just run the cold tap and take the very first water before it has time to cool down. Its normally just about cold/cool to the touch - if its 'pleasantly warm' it could possibly crack the windscreen.

Poor that over the windscreen and it should melt the ice. Just do this literally as you are there to start the car up or else it could reform even thicker.

Next door do the ice scrapper/engine on to heat up method and takes at least twice as long.

[emax4]

My parents got me a car kit a few years ago, & one item in the package was Prestone de-icing kit. It was a cylinder of this melting fluid, but the top had a plastic scraper at the top. You squirted it on the icing, which loosens the coating, and use the scraper to get the rest off.

You could just get a scraper from a store too. Get the long ones for easier reach. If you have thick icing on the window, you use the opposite side of the blade (the one with the soft teeth on it) to go back and fourth, then use the harder edge to scrape the rest off. Just watch the stuff on the body though.