One of the most annoying parts of winter—besides the obvious: the cold—is removing snow and ice from your windshield. This is particularly true when you’re running late. You don’t have time to spend 20 minutes clearing away ice and snow. (If you don’t have a two-car garage or any garage at all, you definitely know what we’re talking about!)
We’ve talked about how to remove snow and ice from your windshield in a previous blog post. (In short? Give yourself extra time to remove snow from all the windows of your car, turn on your car while you scrape, pour cold—not hot—water on the windshield, and use the right tools and products. You can read the full post here.)
That’s all well and good, some of you might be wondering. But is there any way to keep ice from accumulating in the first place?
There are a lot of articles online about this very topic; today, we’re giving you a few tips to make your morning go by faster and easier.
#1 Get a Windshield Cover
There are lots of Internet hacks for preventing ice and snow from building up on your windshield, but the best remedy by far is investing in a windshield cover.
A windshield cover will prevent ice from accumulating and—if it happens to snow a lot overnight—will make it easier for you to clear off the windshield. As a bonus, a cover will also prevent winter-weather damage to your windshield wiper blades, which (as you know if you read our previous post) helps avoid windshield scratches down the road.
Windshield covers come in a range of sizes and price points, so it’s likely you can find exactly what you need for your car and budget.
#2 No Windshield Cover? Go DIY
The DIY route isn’t going to work as well as a dedicated windshield cover, but it can work in a pinch. Car mats (made of rubber), blankets or towels, or cardboard can all be used as a cover. They won’t cover all of your windshield, but they will at least save you some work in the morning.
One important thing to mention is that DIY windshield covers should only be used to prevent frost or small amounts of snow/ice accumulation. If you use this method before a big snowstorm, you can expect to find the blanket or cardboard frozen to the car!
#3 Park with Your Windshield to the East
This tip can be helpful if you normally head out after the sun has risen. By parking with your windshield facing east, you get the benefit of the sun’s rays warming up your car—and melting some of the snow and ice in the process.
#4 Cover Side Mirrors with Plastic Bags
Like with windshield covers, your best bet would be dedicated side mirror covers. However, if you need something to cover your side mirrors in a hurry, you can try using plastic bags. Cover the mirror and secure the bag with rubber bands or clothespins.
(Again, this tip should be used only to prevent frost and very little snow/ice accumulation.)
#5 Use the Right Products
Lots of Internet articles will recommend that you spray your windshield with some homemade solution the night before in order to prevent snow and ice buildup. The most common solutions we see are a mixture of vinegar and water and a mixture of salt and water—the idea being that these solutions have a lower freezing point than pure water.
However, we don’t like to recommend either of these solutions because of the damage they can do to your car.
Vinegar can be hard on the rubber parts of your car—like your windshield wipers. And, as we mentioned above, when your windshield wipers are damaged (like when they’re missing rubber), they can cause scratches that eventually lead to a windshield replacement!
Similarly, a salt solution can be hard on your windshield wipers, car trim, and paint. On top of that, it can sometimes leave a residue that makes it hard to see (which is the opposite of what you want!)
Instead, just pick up a bottle of de-icing solution: they’re available at most car supply stores, and they’re pretty inexpensive. In a pinch, you can also use a mixture of water and rubbing alcohol to melt ice.
Winter Windshield Damage? Call Us!
Winter weather can really do a number on your windshield. If you have chips or cracks on your windshield, now is the time to fix them, before the snow and ice make them worse.
You can trust Jack’s Glass to get the job done right! We even offer mobile glass repair (we’ll come to you) and will work directly with your insurance company to make the whole process easy.
Call us today to talk about windshield repair, or get a free quote here.
