Tips for the winter

Seven alternatives to scraping ice: What they are good for

(Bild: APA/BARBARA GINDL)

If you park your car outside in the depths of winter, you often first have to make sure you have a clear view in the morning. Scraping ice is annoying and makes your fingers clammy. No wonder alternatives are very welcome. But they don't work in every case.

It should be common knowledge by now that you should never use hot water to de-ice your windows. The temperature shock can cause the glass to crack and even break.

Also keep your hands off chemical defrosting aids that you produce yourself. Mixing water, washing-up liquid and spirit yourself will not only result in inadequate cleaning, but may also damage plastic and rubber parts. Only ready-made products offer any real help, although they soon stop working with thicker layers of ice. And then scraping away the cold slush is twice as difficult.

Hot air? Fire hazard
 If you use a fan heater indoors, you should be particularly careful. Only use products that are specifically designed for this application. Fan heaters that are actually intended for domestic use can cause fires when used in cars. Alternatively, a parking heater can be installed; it can be programmed to defrost the ice layer while the driver is still enjoying his morning coffee.

(Bild: Wilhelm Eder)

The use of a heated ice scraper is particularly nonsensical. It never gets warm enough to be effective. And if it did, there would be a risk of the windows cracking due to the temperature difference.

On the other hand, it is helpful to place a film or cardboard under the windshield wipers in the evening. This prevents the windshield from icing up. Accessories from the DIY store are clamped in the doors or windows with loops. Care should be taken not to damage the seals.

A hot water bottle on the dashboard, placed there either half an hour before driving off or overnight in moderately sub-zero temperatures, also promises clear windows. The radiated heat thaws ice or prevents it from forming in the first place.

However, it is better not to warm up the engine when stationary in order to melt the frost from the windows. This is because road traffic regulations stipulate that unnecessary noise and avoidable exhaust emissions are prohibited when using vehicles. In addition, the engine warms up much more slowly when stationary than when driving. And this increases both wear and tear and fuel consumption.

Scratches when scraping
If you do end up using an ice scraper, you should take a few tips to heart. Scraping a dirty windshield can cause more damage than good. If there are sand or dust particles under the frozen layer, these will cause small scratches in the glass when scraping it free. These then severely impair visibility in low sun or oncoming headlights.

The gentlest way of cleaning is a combination of de-icer spray and ice scraper. The melted ice can then be removed with the soft rubber lip.

Incidentally, a credit card is no good as a substitute for an ice scraper - it simply breaks.

Fine with an electric car
If you have an electric car (or a parking heater), you're in the clear: simply preheat the car using the app or the menu - done. Then you get into a heated car with defrosted windows. And if the electric car is equipped with the appropriate software, the battery is already at operating temperature.

Prevention
But you can help yourself even without a parking heater. If you stick a film or cardboard under the windshield wipers in the evening, you can prevent icing. You can also find specially developed windshield covers in accessory stores that are easier to attach using magnets, fastening loops or similar for clamping in the doors. Some covers also extend over the wing mirrors and front side windows. If the covered areas are uncovered the next morning, they are usually free of ice.