As more cold weather is forecast it is likely to mean early morning sessions scraping ice from the car windscreen. The monotonous and time-consuming task can add extra stress to your morning routine, whilst also leaving you at risk of driving off with frost still on the windows.

Driving with limited vision is not just dangerous, but could also leave a guilty motorist with a £100 fine and three points on their licence. But if an obscured view results in an accident which ends up in court, it could mean a fine of up to £5,000 fine and up to nine points on a driving licence.

As such, Icelandic driving experts at Lotus Car Rental have shared their top tips on how to prevent ice on a car. And they have also shared some popular "hacks" that might be best avoided.

Tips for defrosting your vehicle

Spray vinegar on your windscreen the night before

Planning the day before can save you a lot of time and effort defrosting your car the next morning. All you need is to spray your windscreen with a solution of mixed water and vinegar the night before, which should stop your car from getting really icy.

Vinegar is a great de-icer because its freezing point is a lot lower than water’s, which means the water doesn’t have a chance to settle and freeze on top of the vinegar. Mixed with water, there’s less opportunity for frost to form, so you won’t spend ages in the morning having to scrape the ice off.

Leave time for your car to warm up

Most of us are guilty of impatiently scraping ice off the car because it’s taking too long to warm up, but could this be damaging your car? From credit cards to key rings, it’s common for many people to grab the first item they have to shovel the ice out of the way. Both of these options risk breaking or chipping the glass of the windscreen - which can be expensive to fix.

Instead, leave a good 10-15 minutes to leave your front and rear demister on max to see the ice begin to melt from the heat. You’re then able to wipe away any excess water with your wipers. This is beneficial for preventing any damage to the glass, whilst also keeping you nice and warm for your journey!

Park your car facing East

A very quick and simple tip to give you an extra 10 minutes in bed in the morning is to park your car facing east. As the sun rises in the east, any ice on your windscreen will melt away which reduces the time needed to scrape any ice or heat up the car. However, this depends on how much sunlight you get and how early you leave the house.

Use a deicing fluid

It’s beneficial to keep a bottle of de-icing fluid in your car or home to speed up the process of defrosting. De-icer is quite easy to find in most supermarkets and petrol stations, but if you do not want to spend any money, it’s possible to make homemade alternatives that can be just as effective.

To make your own, use some rubbing alcohol and mix it with half a teaspoon of washing-up liquid. Give it a quick shake and spray it onto your windscreen.

Remember not to forget about your windows as well! Whilst the windscreen is the main part of the car you need cleared, it’s extremely dangerous to leave your windows frosty as you won’t be able to see to the right or left of the car which can be dangerous for you and other people (such as pedestrians). This could even cost you 3 points on your drivers licence.

Alcohol

Now, you may have heard of using rubbing alcohol to defrost your car, but what about vodka? If you’ve got any spare alcohol lying around the house, wasting it may not seem like the best idea, but depending on how badly you need your car to de-ice, it could be a time-saving option.

The alcohol content in vodka makes it the perfect de-icer for the cold Winter months. Mix vodka and water together and then pour the mixture into a spray bottle to easily apply it to the windscreen.

Rubbing a potato or onion on your windows

One of the most popular hacks on TikTok is cutting a potato or onion in half and rubbing it on your windows to stop them from steaming up. Using these vegetables will have a similar effect to vinegar, as the sugar molecules break down frost as soon as it forms on the windows which will create little freezing for when you go to de-ice your car in the morning.

It’s important to be mindful that whilst this hack is likely to work, sometimes the vegetables can smear your windscreen, thus impacting your ability to see the road clearly.

Hot water in a sandwich bag

Another popular hack that has been trending on TikTok is pouring hot water into a sandwich bag and moving it across your windscreen to melt the ice. This will get rid of the ice in seconds and prevent any scratching to your windscreen!

Remember to use warm rather than boiling hot water, as pouring hot water directly onto the windscreen could lead to the glass cracking. It’s also beneficial to be aware that the cold weather may result in the melted water refreezing which could cause windscreen wipers to stick.