You’ve been defrosting your car windscreen all wrong! Motor expert reveals his top tips for removing ice safely

As winter nears and temperatures drop, a car expert has revealed his top tips for removing ice safely from your windscreen.

Roger Griggs of car servicing and repair company Kwik Fit has outlined his essential do’s and don’ts for tackling a frosty windshield – ensuring you don’t damage your car while completing the task.

We’ll also reveal which defrosting myths and social media recommendations are definitely worth steering clear of.

Motor expert Roger Griggs of Kwik Fit has revealed his top tips for removing ice safely from your windscreen. One major mistake? Roger told drivers never to use their windscreen wipers before the ice has started to melt

Roger’s first piece of advice is to plan well ahead and invest in the most important tool of all…

‘It’s not much of a secret but many of us forget it – buy a proper window scraper.’ 

While several ‘hacks’ suggest a credit card or an old CD case will substitute as a scraper, Roger says these should be avoided and a specifically-designed scraper will do the job far more effectively.

And there are some tactics you can use that could prevent you needing to use a scraper at all, even when temperatures plummet. 

Roger says: ‘Assuming you don’t have a garage – if you do, the car should be in it, if possible – then park as close to the house as you can, [as] the heat from the home could help prevent ice forming.’

He continues: ‘If you can’t park close to buildings, try to point your car to the east so the windscreen will be the first part of the car the sun hits.’

The motoring expert also recommends that you cover your windscreen during the wintertime as another precautionary measure.

He says: ‘Some owners have a full car cover, but if that feels a bit over the top or expensive, covering your windscreen with a blanket or cardboard will help. But make sure it’s secure – a windy night could see your cover disappearing down the road.’

‘It’s not much of a secret but many of us forget it – buy a proper window scraper,’ says Roger 

And Roger advises that you use de-icer preventatively the evening before a cold spell, explaining: ‘Some de-icer sprays can be used on your car windows the night before, preventing the build-up of frost.’

When it comes to defrosting the windows ahead of a drive, Roger recommends you ‘give yourself enough time’ to complete the task safely.

He says: ‘Time is better than pouring cold water on the windscreen – let the warm air in the car gently heat the glass and melt the ice so that it can be easily cleared.’

The motoring expert adds that you should ‘use all your car’s capabilities’ in completing the task, pointing out that ‘some new cars can be heated remotely, without you having to unlock or start them’.

He also recommends that you spray the window with de-icer and give it some time to get to work, before tackling it with your scraper. ‘If it’s an especially cold morning you may have to spray another round of de-icer,’ he says.

The defrosting myths you definitely need to ignore 

What are the major mistakes that drivers can make? 

Roger says that you should never throw boiling water from the kettle over the windscreen as ‘the thermal shock of the contrast between the cold glass and hot water can result in a cracked window and an expensive bill’.

Even lukewarm water can be a hazard, the AA warns.

A number of motorists have shared videos of using a sealed sandwich bag filled with moderately-warm waters to rest against the glass to clear it quicker. 

However, because glass expands quickly when hot or even warm water touches it, it can contract quickly as it cools down in the cold air.

That flexing can make the glass crack even if you’re using only warm water. 

And this is especially hazardous if your windscreen has a small chip or crack in it already. 

Another error, he says, is forgetting to de-ice the other windows – not just the windscreen. That includes the mirrors and lights, he notes.

Listing another common mistake, Roger says: ‘Don’t start your engine running and then leave the car – it won’t take long [for the windows to] clear and you should never leave the car unattended with the engine running – or with the keys in!’

Finally, Roger warns that drivers should never set off before all of their windows are clear. He says: ‘All-round visibility is vital, not just a little ‘porthole’ to peer through.’

And what about the recent craze of using a spud?

The ‘hack’ shared widely online in recent years involves rubbing half a potato onto the inside of your windows to stop them from steaming up.

While this could technically works, it isn’t safe to smear any item of your windows that can reduce visibility when driving.

AA patrol man, Ben Sheridan, said: ‘Driving safely means making sure that your line of vision is kept clear. If your vision’s obscured, you might not be able to see the road ahead properly and it could even create a blind spot. 

‘Use a lint-free cloth to wipe condensation off windows without leaving smears.’

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk