Venturing out into the bitter cold early in the morning at this time of year can feel like a real chore, and being forced to clear ice from your car’s windscreen and windows only makes matters considerably worse. However, one social media user has revealed a straightforward technique to complete the job swiftly and effortlessly. The user, dad.hacks0, shared the clip on TikTok, showcasing his simple approach – requiring nothing more than a sandwich bag.
In the footage, appropriately soundtracked by Vanilla Ice’s 1990 classic Ice Ice Baby, he explained: “Scraping the ice off is for amateurs. Let me show you how we do it at dad hack HQ.
“A sturdy food bag half filled with hot, not boiling, water, and watch the magic happen.” The clip shows the man running the partially water-filled food bag across his car’s windscreen and windows, with the ice dissolving away effortlessly, reports the Mirror.
The video caption stated: “It’s that time of year again! When the temperature drops, and your car is covered in frost, it’s essential to have a quick solution for getting on the road safely.
“Instead of scraping away ice like it’s 2005, let’s explore a creative and cost-effective way to de-ice your vehicle without scratching your windscreen! The secret? A simple bag filled with HOT water (just make sure it’s not boiling! )
“Here’s how to do it: 1. Take a sturdy bag and fill it halfway with hot water. 2. Seal it tightly to prevent any spills. 3. Press the bag against your frosted windscreen and watch the ice melt away!”.
“This method is not only effective but also saves you from the hassle of traditional scraping. It’s the easiest way to get your car ready for the drive ahead. Say goodbye to those chilly mornings full of frost and hello to quick and easy de-icing!”
The method was well-received by TikTok users. One queried: “How many times you did change it for [a] warm bag? When you came back was that what you defrosted frozen again?” dad.hacks0 responded: “Not once, same bag and water did the trick for the windscreen and the driver window and only in under a minute.”
Another user shared their own method: “[I] have been simply using warm tap water in 2l empty bottle of any soft drink, instead of wasting time massaging the ice.”
However, one user expressed a concern, stating: “This will ruin ur glass, it will weaken it.”
dad. hacks0 countered: “That’s why you use hot, not boiling water… it simply melts the ice without affecting the glass…” The user retorted: “No, it will cause thermal shock and cause very small cracks in glass, this is law of physics you can’t win.”
Yet another user chimed in: “I’ve been doing it for the past 15 years, nothing happens.”
The AA endorses this straightforward method to defrost your car:
- Make sure your wipers aren’t on. If they are frozen to the windscreen, they could be damaged if the motor starts while they’re stuck.
- Switch on the engine and turn on the warm air blower to the windscreen, as well as the rear window heater and heated wing mirrors if you have them. Turn on the air conditioning – this will remove moisture from the air. If you need to wipe the insides of the windows, use an absorbent cloth.
- Sweep the snow off your car using a brush.
- Use a scraper and de-icer to clear ice off the windows and windscreen.
- Do not drive off until the glass is clear.