The Essential Do’s And Don’ts Of Deicing Your Car

‘Tis the season of waking up in the morning to frosty breath, condensation around the windows and a frozen car. And the hated thought of winter driving!

When you’re running late for work on a cold winter’s morning, the last thing you want to think about is deicing your car. As the frost descends, drivers throughout the region will wake to Liverpool snow and grumble at all the extra hassle it’ll cause.

It’s even worse when you know that the local shop has run out of deicer spray… again… and you could be fined when deicing your car by leaving it running on the driveway! To make sure that doesn’t happen, here are the do’s and don’ts that will provide you with a ray of sunshine on those dark, winter mornings.

The Do’s

Do Heat Your Car From The Inside

Using your car’s demister controls is an effective way of clearing ice and condensation from your windscreen. Gradually crank up the heat and sit tight until any ice has completely cleared. It could take several minutes, but it’s a step you just can’t skip.

Do Protect Your Windscreen At Night

Doing the hard work at night will save you some of the headache in the dark, dark morning. Either buy a screen protector to pop on your windscreen at night, or have a go at making one yourself by soaking a towel in a saltwater solution and spreading it over the windscreen. Bob’s your uncle: a frost-free windscreen without a drop of deicer spray.

Do Use An Ice Scraper

…and we mean an ACTUAL ice scraper. Pop your credit card back in your wallet and leave the ice scraping to the real thing. The longer the ice scraper handle, the better it is to reach all of the windscreen. You’ll be hitting the road in no time: the Liverpool snow needn’t hold up your winter driving.

Do Use Professional Deicing Spray

As a rule of thumb, just give homemade, DIY deicer a clear miss. It’s not worth the risk when there’s brilliant, professional and cheap, deicing fluids and deicer spray available!

The Don’ts

Don’t Use Boiling Water

Save the boiling water for your morning brew, and keep it far away from your car’s windscreen. Boiling water could cause your windscreen to crack, so it’s best to go with lukewarm water for deicing your car instead.

Don’t Leave Your Car Unattended

We understand that it’s tempting to run back into your cosy home while your car defrosts, but you’d actually be breaking the law if you leave the engine running while you aren’t in your car.It could land you a hefty fine, so although it’s chilly, it’s not worth the risk. Just remember to bring your gloves with you while you’re waiting!

Don’t Use Your Windscreen Wipers On Ice

If you use your windscreen wipers before all the ice has thawed, you could risk breaking them! Give it a few minutes, until there’s just water left on your windscreen.

Don’t Drive Away Before Your Car Has Defrosted Completely

Winter driving can be dangerous so don’t let low visibility add to the risk. Whether you use deicer or not, always ensure that all ice and condensation has cleared from all windows before you set off, and that you can see perfectly out of your windscreen.

And, if you haven’t done so already, don’t forget to take a look at our other top tips for winter driving.

At Motor Range, we’re giving away FREE winter kits to give you peace of mind in the Liverpool snow this winter. You’ll be all set with deicer and an ice scraper for your car, as well as extra screen wash to keep you topped up and help you stay safe on the road.

Make sure you don't miss out, pop in to our Liverpool showroom to pick up your FREE winter kit. We look forward to seeing you!