Snow and cold temperatures have been prevailing across the UK recently, causing chaos as schools have been forced to shut, public transport journeys have been cancelled, and people have been shovelling heaps of snow from outside their homes.
But as people head back to work amid a miserable start to 2025, they have been turning up the heating in their cars and trying to find ways to de-ice their car at speed. One trick has gone viral recently, but an expert has warned of its potential dangers.
An individual said they had spent ages trying to get the ice of their car, until they realised that putting hot water into a carrier bag can help. A viral video shared on their page @ronidoggies5 showed the individual rubbing a Tesco carrier bag filled with hot water across their screen – and the ice disappeared immediately.
“The dog is even impressed,” she joked as she insisted the trick really works. Experts at Windscreen Wipers have shared the dos and don’ts when de-icing your windscreen this winter. While the viral trick appeared to work for @rondoggies5, the experts noted that there are some potential dangers.
Not only can hot water be dangerous to manage, the experts noted: “Using water of any temperature to de-ice windscreens is not advised. Hot water will cause the glass to expand, which can result in it cracking or even shattering, and cold water can freeze on top of existing ice and frost. Both methods can damage your windscreen, sometimes beyond repair.”
They added: “A hack instructs drivers to rub hot water in a sandwich bag on the windscreen to quickly remove frost. Hot water, even in a bag, can cause damage and small cracks in the glass which may not be noticeable until it’s too late.”
The experts advise using windscreen washer fluid; it is designed to be used in freezing temperatures. Plus, the solution lowers the freezing point of the fluid so you can safely clear your windscreen while driving and not damage your wipers or the windscreen.
The motoring experts also said that you should check your wipers are turned off. In cold temperatures, car wipers can freeze to the glass overnight, so it is important to allow them time to defrost.
“If the wipers are turned on before they have defrosted, the frozen rubber will tear from the wiper blade and therefore break the wipers,” they explained.
The experts said that turning on the car’s heating on low and letting it gradually warm up is an easy method, and while waiting for your vehicle to do so, start to scrape of the snow and ice with an ice scraper and de-icer.
The experts added: “Ice scrapers are designed so they won’t scratch your windscreen so don’t be tempted to use CDs or credit cards as these can scrape the glass. A can of de-icer can be bought for around £2-£4 and will avoid the potential further freezing that may occur when using water.”
How do you de-ice your car? Comment below.
