Even if the first thing that comes to mind is scraping the ice to remove it or pouring hot water on it to dissolve it, there are practices that can be a great danger to the windshield since we can scratch it, break it… And ignoring the ice is not an option either. option because it can be dangerous when driving.
What not to do
The first thing that may come to mind is to go home and come down with hot water to pour it on the windshield and remove the ice. It is a very logical option since we all know that heat will melt the ice layer but can be dangerous since the sudden change in temperature in the glass could cause a crack in the windshield and make the solution worse than the problem…
Another idea that may cross your mind when you see your frozen windshield is quite logical: we use the windshield wipers with water so that the ice melts and we can drive. But no, it's not a good idea. The water will make it worse and the normal thing will be that the blades are stuck in the ice and the windshield wipers will not start correctly, so you would end up ruining it.
There are other tips that we usually follow. What do we put on the streets to avoid freezing? Get out. You may think that this same trick can be applied to car glass but no, it is not. Salt prevents freezing but does not thaw so it's not going to make your car melt the ice it has. And not only will you not achieve anything, but you will make it even worse since you are likely to scratch the glass or damage the sheet metal when you add the salt to defrost the ice that has accumulated…
How to remove ice
So what should we do? The DGT gives a series of tips that you should take into account if there is ice on your windshield when you take the car in the morning. The first thing we must do is connect the heating by directing the air flow to the windshield but we must do it without waiting for the engine to reach temperature before turning on the heating since, as with hot water, a sudden change in temperature could cause the there are cracks or the glass is cracked.
Another option recommended by the DGT is spray the windshield with alcohol If the layer is not very thick, always do it externally and not by filling the windshield wiper reservoir with this liquid, which would cause it to be damaged. We could melt the accumulated ice if there is not too much of it on the glass.
If you want to scratch the glass, forget about the keys. But you can use a card or ID that you carry with you in your wallet. A plastic card is the best way because you will be able to scrape the ice making sure it doesn't get scratched or scratched. But in the event that you live in areas where finding your car frozen in the morning is common, you should always carry with you a specialized plastic scraper always in the glove compartment to use in this type of case and without risk. Furthermore, if you usually find your car frozen, it would also be advisable that you take a specialized defrosting product that would eliminate the ice.
Additionally, if you usually leave your car on the street in cold weather, you can prevent your windshield from freezing. using a waterproof cover or even cover the windshield with cardboard to prevent it from freezing or, at least, from freezing as much. This way you will avoid having to stop to remove the ice if you are in a hurry in the morning.