When temperatures drop below freezing, stepping out to an ice-cold car can be more than uncomfortable — it can be dangerous if your windows are iced over.
The easiest way to deal with ice is to prevent it in the first place.
When possible, park in a garage or under cover. Use a windshield cover or even a towel overnight to keep ice from forming. Switch to winter-rated washer fluid so it won’t freeze when you need it most.
If ice has already formed, you can take a few steps to get rid of it.
First, start your car and turn on full defrost with heat to warm the glass.
Then, use a commercial de-icer spray or a mix of rubbing alcohol and water. Gently remove ice with a plastic scraper.
Never use hot water or metal tools, which can crack or scratch your glass.
You might think letting your car idle with the heat blasting is the fastest way to warm up the cabin, but that’s not always true. According to Consumer Reports, the quickest way to heat your car is to start driving once it’s safe to do so.
Here’s how to heat smarter:
Don’t crank temperature to “High.” If you have automatic climate control, simply set it to your normal comfort level. It warms the cabin just as fast.
Leave the air conditioning on. It removes moisture from the air and helps keep windows from fogging. Avoid using recirculation mode too long. Fresh air helps keep windows clear.