DE-ICE A CAR: THE BEST TIPS & TRICKS
Car drivers who don’t have a garage know all about the frozen window problem in winter. Having to de-ice the car, especially early in the morning, is not only time-consuming but also exhausting. Save precious time with these tips on how to de-ice a car effortlessly and without getting your hands cold and wet.
How to quickly de-ice a car
Want to simply hop in your car in the mornings and quickly driving to work? During those cold winter months, this is often not possible, because the car needs to be de-iced first. We then tend to reach for the classic ice scraper. There is a wide range of ice scrapers available, from small plastic ones to scrapers made of metal, heated ice scrapers, or a combination of ice scraper and brush. The latter also quickly clears the car of snow and means you don’t have to use your hands or a separate brush. One advantage of metal ice scrapers is that they can easily remove thick layers of ice, and the blade is usually replaceable. Plastic ice scrapers tend to wear out over time and become blunt, rendering the ice scraper useless and requiring replacement. With all types of ice scrapers however, there is one crucial disadvantage, you will need to put in the work to de-ice a car. This is not only exhausting but also time-consuming and usually means you end up with wet and cold hands.
You can de-ice your car faster and with little effort when using an electric ice scraper. Frozen car windows can be freed from ice within minutes.
The best way to electrically de-ice car windows
The electric Ice Scraper EDI 4 features a disc with six plastic blades that removes ice by rotating rapidly. Strenuous ice scraping is no longer necessary because the electric ice scraper does almost all the work by itself. Here's how:
- Pick up the EDI 4 and switch on the device so that the green LED lights up.
- Remove the safety cap.
- Place the ice scraper on the car window. The disc on the device begins to rotate when you apply light pressure.
- Guide the device evenly over the surface to de-ice your car windows. Work your way from top to bottom, you only need to use light pressure for the scraper to work. For thick icy layers simply remain in one area until the layer of ice is removed.
- When you have finished deicing your car: remove the EDI 4 from the window, switch it off and reattach the safety cap.
- If necessary: sweep loosened ice from the discs with a soft brush.
The EDI 4 is ready for use even at very low temperatures of up to -20 °C. It usually takes about 3 minutes to de-ice the front, rear, and side windows. A 15-minute battery charge is therefore sufficient for the whole working week. Once the battery is empty, it can be conveniently recharged at home or with the optional car charger while driving.
Electric Ice Scraper usage tips
- The EDI 4 automatically shuts off after 30 seconds and can be reactivated by pressing the on/off button once.
- The rotating disc is made of plastic, similar to commercially available ice scrapers. Nevertheless, care should be taken and the electric ice scraper should only be used on clean car windows. A dirty disc can lead to scratches due to the rotating action.
- Keep away from the rubber seals along the edge of the window.
- With the optionally available car-disc cleaning set, the electric ice scraper can be used all year round.
Best way to de-ice car windows with home remedies
In addition to ice scrapers, car de-ice sprays can also be used. They are simply sprayed onto the icy surfaces and dissolve ice on the windshield and other parts of the car due to the alcohols contained in the spray. After that, you only need to wipe the windows clean. It is recommended to spray another thin layer of spray onto the windows, so the surfaces remain ice-free. De-icer car sprays can also help with frozen door locks.
Salt is another home remedy that can be used to de-ice a car. Similar to the road, it helps to stop ice from forming on car windows. To do this, add 6 tablespoons of salt to 1 litre of water and spray the mixture generously on car windows, door locks, and door seals, preferably in the evening. This saves you from having to de-ice the car the next morning. Tip: Wait until the grains of salt have completely dissolved, otherwise they can leave scratches on glass and paint.
Although it may seem obvious, hot water should not be used to de-ice a car. This is because the sudden temperature change on the windshield caused by the boiling water can lead to cracks.
Tip
You can also make a cheap and effective de-icer yourself. To do this, mix 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water and transfer to a spray bottle. Then spray the mixture onto the frozen windows. The disadvantage of this home remedy is that it only works on thin layers of ice. The vinegar can also attack rubber seals, plastic, and paint.
The best tips against frozen windows:
- By using an ice protection cover on your windshield, it should save you from having to de-ice more of the car. So you only need to de-ice the rear window and the side windows, saving you time.
- Fold up the windshield wipers overnight, so that the blades do not freeze onto the windshield.
- If you own a parking heater, set it up if the temperatures at night should fall below 0°C.
- Leaving the engine running while you de-ice the car doesn’t help. This is because it takes a very long time for the car to warm up when the outside temperature is below freezing. In addition, leaving the engine running unnecessarily harms the environment, the engine, and your wallet. In some countries, it is even considered an offense and you may be fined. Therefore, wait until the windows are de-iced before starting the engine. While driving, the heater can be on and directed at the windshield to avoid it freezing again.
- Too much moisture inside the car not only means fogged up windows but could also result in the windshield freezing from the inside. To remedy this there are dehumidifiers available, however, even old socks filled with rice, salt, coffee powder, or cat litter, which can be placed in the footwell of the car, can help to absorb some of the moisture.
