Do NOT defrost your car this way!

There are some terrible ways to try and defrost your car's windshield!

It’s time to leave for work, you’re running around in a hurry, and then you realize something – your car is covered in frost, and you’re going to be late to work because of it.

It’s normal to want to try the fastest fix possible. But some ideas can damage your car and lave you worse off – and calling into work using sick leave to get it fixed!

Here’s some  good and bad ways to defrost your car:

GOOD: Run your engine for a few minutes before going anywhere.

This does more than just get the engine warmed up to get the defrost function running; it also heats the fluids throughout your car’s systems. The colder it gets, the thicker those liquids become, making it harder for your car to get them moving.

This is more necessary when temperatures go far below freezing, but a couple of minutes can do your engine a world of good when it’s cold enough for your windshield to be covered in ice.

BAD: Pour hot water on your windshield.

The sudden change in temperature could crack your windshield! Though the risk is relatively small, is it worth taking that risk?

GOOD: A great ice scraper.

You can consider it a solid arm workout before hitting the road! But as Southerners, many of us don’t have one, which leads to freezing your hands off while using an old gift card or expired card card, right?

BAD: Spray windshield wiper fluid.

Most cars automatically run the wipers when you do. This causes two possible issues: First, the wiper fluid’s freezing point probably isn’t much better than the ice currently blocking your view. Second, you could break the wiper motors as they try to move the frost. (It also may make the lack of visibility worse by spreading everything around and causing the fluids to freeze)

GOOD: Combining 2/3 cup rubbing alcohol with 1/3 cup water in a spray bottle.

According to meteorologist Ken Weathers in this viral video, the combination works great because rubbing alcohol’s freezing point is -128 degrees. So it’ll cut through that ice on your windshield!

We’ve also seen suggestions for using vinegar, and there are other chemical mixtures that are non-toxic.

Good luck getting to work on time!

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