There's been a bit of talk in recent months of young drivers tackling the job of de-icing their car with a wide range of household goods... anything other than a de-icer apparently!
A recent study conducted by Autoglym showed that many people are using spatulas, boiling water, alcohol and credit cards to de-frost their vehicles.
Commenting on the survey Autoglym’s CEO said:
"Using anything other than a good quality de-icing solution and ice scraper will not effectively remove the ice, and makeshift substitutes can damage the car's glass and rubber seals.”
He added:
“Instead of attacking the windscreen with boiling water and a credit card, I'd urge motorists to prepare themselves with the correct equipment for the job.”
Now I'll be the first to admit that I fill a container with water to clear the windscreen... but not with boiling water! Funnily enough cold water does a pretty good job of clearing it - usually because even water from the cold tap is warmer than the ice on your window.
Did you know that if you use boiling water to de-ice your car you could risk shattering your windscreen due to the sudden extreme change in temperature?
Personally I don't like the idea of forking out a lot of money to replace an entire windscreen and I can't imagine many of us could afford that kind of cost...
So - young drivers - do yourselves a favour this winter - shell out for an ice-scraper and even a can of de-icer.
Alternatively, if like me you’re pretty tight or on a shoestring, then use cold water – it’s remarkably effective!
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/road-safety/9734922/Drivers-use-credit-cards-and-alcohol-to-clear-icy-screens.html#
