De-icer recommendation

masterboy123

As the winter is approaching, I am looking for a good de-icer that can clear the windscreen ASAP.

Currently, I am using a spray from Halfords:

https://www.halfords.ie/motoring/screenwash-de-icer/halfords-aerosol-de-icer-400ml-727986.html

Any better de-icer out there?

Pls don't suggest the kettle hot water.

Thanks

walshtipp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058272477/de-icer-recommendation

I use Liqui Moly de-icer and find it good. I think most de-icers are basically the same thing, although I find the spray bottles better than the aerosols.

https://www.irishautoparts.ie/liqui-moly-6902-5

Kaybaykwah

Put the heater on defrost and use a scraper like we do in Canada. Let the heat melt the frost in no time.

It’s a lot cheaper, and more efficient.

Over here, it is common to defrost and scrape a half to one inch of ice on a windshield or a whole car. It takes awhile to get going, lol.

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119896168#Comment_119896168

Well the car defrost will easily take 5 minutes and not to mention the waste of fuel ⛽ 😅

Yea I do have a scraper for really really cold days. But I believe that's equivalent to autumn in Canada 🍁

Del2005

All the de-icers are just alcohol, water and scents. If you want cheap get some isopropyl alcohol and mix it with water in a spray bottle. These all put alcohol onto your seals which can cause issues.

There's no harm using warm water on your windows, the issue is using boiling water. If you don't want to pour water on your car you can use a zip lock bag of warm water to clear them. Using a screen protector will keep all the ice off your windscreen so you only need to clear your side and back windows.

sniperman

wipe the windscreen with anti freeze on a cloth,instant clearing,works for me anyway

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119896539#Comment_119896539

Could you share the anti freeze that you use?

NIMAN

My only bit of advice is around those 'night before' deicers, which are meant to stop your windscreen freezing overnight.

I tried 2 different brands and neither seemed to work.

hoodie6029

Screen protector the night before is a great time saver. I just use the holts or Prestone de-icer in a can and always found them good

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119897503#Comment_119897503

What's screen protector? Do you place inside or outside of the car?

Thanks

Alun

Something like this ...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Windscreen-Windshield-Protection-Sunshade-Protect/dp/B0BB64JTTH/ref%3Dsr_1_7?crid=2OBQ950IUVXJ9&keywords=windscreen+covers+frost&qid=1668958253&sprefix=windscreen+%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-7

You'll find them in Lidl and Aldi as well around this time of the year.

Larbre34

Dont leave a cold engine running for ages without any air moving through it.

Remove any heavy frost or snow with a plastic edged scraper. Unblock any air intakes, especially for the blower fan, as this will overtax the motor and burn it out over time.

Then spray the windows and wipers and locks and door edges liberally with de-icer. Use any, they're all the same, alcohol and glycol, buy the cheapest.

Then start the engine and run it for the minimum amount of time it takes to clear the last of the condensation off the windows and move off quickly.

Remember to disable automatic wipers during the winter. No better way to shred perfectly good wiper blades on frozen screens. Only turn them on manually when ice and frost has visibly turned to water.

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119898182#Comment_119898182

Thank you so much for the detailed stepwise solution.

I will follow up your advice.

Eoinbmw

Unless you drive a vintage beetle or an old 911 you can deffo leave a water cooled engine idle for a few mins to defrost a windscreen!

beachhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058272477/de-icer-recommendation

Lidl or Aldi do the job and you can barely see their name on the can.Lukewarm water applied to the windows first followed by the de-icer works for me.You could put cardboard or a few sheets of newspaper across the windscreen using the wipers to hold it.Again works for me.Heavy cardboard is best if it rains then freezes again

sniperman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119896622#Comment_119896622

any antifreeze will do

masterboy123

Thanks all

Kaybaykwah

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119898240#Comment_119898240

Definitely cheaper and more straightforward than buying an unnecessary product… It’s only frost, not thick ice and snow. Besides that, you warm your interior for a bit before driving.

DaveyDave

I used to use deicer from Halfords but now I just use warm water. Fill the kettle and turn if off once it feels slightly warm to the touch, no need to get very hot or boiling. Plus it takes too long.

Even cold water works once it's not sub zero. Once I figured out I could just fill a 2L bottle and dump it all over the windscreen I stopped buying deicer and I'll only heat the kettle on super cold mornings.

Windscreen in the car won't defrost sitting idle as the engine isn't going to warm up until driven. Plus it means pumping exhaust fumes in a built up area which is annoying.

I work shifts, going to work at 6:30am or leaving at 1am so I see a lot of the really bitter cold. If water didn't work I definitely wouldn't be using it!

masterboy123

This is the time to re-activate my post.

So I saw couple of videos today where people broke the glass screen by pouring hot water.

What's your view on using a luke warm water to clear off the windscreen and side windows?

DaveyDave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119974479#Comment_119974479

Warm water is fine. I would normally heat the kettle until warm to the touch. Just as long as it's not very hot/boiling.

bazz26

With temperatures staying below zero during the day, luke warm water will probably just freeze quickly on an already cold surface. I'd either use a spray/can of de-icer or just leave the car defrost it by itself for the sake of waiting 5 mins or so.

masterboy123

Thank you both

CoBo55

I'll be finishing tonight at 2am, at 1:45 I'll turn on the heating using the phone app, the joys of owning a phev, I'll be halfway home before the others have even left the job☺️

bazz26

Sure I don't have to bother with any of that, the joys of working from home and not having to commute.

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975379#Comment_119975379

Sweet.

Which PHEV do you drive?

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975542#Comment_119975542

Superb iV.

MrMusician18

It's worth remembering that most insurance policies will not cover theft of an idling unattended car.

It's not unheard of for cars to be taken from driveways while they are warming up.

hoodie6029

Other problem with using water, if it doesn’t freeze on the windscreen, is that it will freeze on the ground creating a potential slip hazard.

DaveyDave

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975805#Comment_119975805

This happened to someone at work last year at 6am. Pretty silly to leave a car idling, considering it takes a good 5-10 minutes for the car to start pumping heat into the cabin while driving I imagine it would take longer if just idling. The kettle is quicker.

beachhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975835#Comment_119975835

can understand what you mean here.some people still jump onto the road when another person approaches,covid and all that.sum don't even look for traffic first.could easily jump on icy patch whether screen water or a frozen puddle

hoodie6029

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975914#Comment_119975914

Yes. Excellent point and well reasoned.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975912#Comment_119975912

Same as that when we used to work until 6, it was an ancient fiesta he had. The insurance gave him more than he paid for it😆 Poor aul divil is dead since, I think it might actually have been before the euro came in.

beachhead

I have seen deathwishers do that on a race track of a road.when I point it out to them i could be turned to stone.i hope i am never a witness to a smack.i don't mean a smack in the face!

Sam Russell

I have always used warm water form the hot tap into a two litre jug. Two litres is normally enough, but a second dose is not much extra trouble. Start with the front screen then the back, being careful to free the wipers. Then the mirrors, and driver's and passenger's doors.

If you are over generous, you might need a third go.

Snow is best shovelled off with a credit card, or a special scraper you got from Santa last year.

hoodie6029

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119975971#Comment_119975971

You’re talking some sh1te. You sure you’re not on smack?

Chippy01

Just cover the screen. Simples.

You don't need a fancy cover either, a black bin bag will do. Just slit it down both sides at the fold, open it up, lay it over the screen (it can either go over the wipers, or the wipers can help hold it in place, users option there), and tuck it inside the doors.

In the morning, start the car, put the heater onto the screen, remove the cover, and put it somewhere to hang and dry off.

If by any chance it turns out to be a 'super-cold' morning, and the screen starts to ice up, just pour some cold water onto the screen.

Been doing it this way for donkey's years.

Calahonda52

Go electric, defrost via the phone, car seat and steering wheel all warm and zero ice or condensation

no risk of theft

bazz26

The OP asks for de-icer recommendations and gets told to get an EV.

Sums up the motors forum these days alright.

masterboy123

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119976435#Comment_119976435

It will effect the range 😂 (can't have home charger)

bazz26

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119976510#Comment_119976510

Worth trying this, it's alot cheaper than an EV:

https://www.halfords.ie/motoring/car-accessories/car-covers-and-tarpaulins/halfords-essential-frostguard-711735.html

https://www.munstercarparts.ie/no-frost-aluminium-windscreen-cover

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119976510#Comment_119976510

It certainly does. I have my Lidl cover on mine this evening I'll just give it a small heat up before I head for home.

DaveyDave

I must look into one of those covers, my missus goes to work at 7am and shares the frustration I had with early morning defrosting. She really should just get an EV though...

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119977464#Comment_119977464

Just use a black bin bag.

Tzardine

A little trick I discovered about 20 years ago.

Get yourself a bottle of the cheapest 2L fizzy water you can find. A Dunnes or Tesco own brand is about 30cent. Pour out a bit and replace with anti-freeze. This can stay in your boot now and wont ever freeze up. Whenever you need it, open it up and pour it on your window. The fizzy water and antifreeze mix will get rid of even thick ice in seconds. Has saved me a good few times when I return to my car away from home and it is frozen over.

Kaybaykwah

I don’t known if available in Ireland, but in Canuckistan, no way around it, I use windshield washer liquid for my car that washes at -45c. Obviously, when the outside temp is at -25, and the car is going 110k/h, your windshield needs a strong glycol mix otherwise the glass will freeze up. I need 2 or three gallons a winter because the salt and dirt on the roads dirty the screen constantly on some days. The last thing I want is to be driving on a highway without washer fluid.

Of course, heating the car for a bit with the fan on defrost is the way to go. If it’s just frost either in or outside, the defrost will do the trick. You can always lock your door while the car is warming up, or if it’s too ghetto where you are at, just sit and wait for it to warm. I have heated seats, my lady’s pre-requisite when buying a car. That helps.

Also, I have a remote start, the doors are locked, and the end of my driveway is a hundred and fifty feet from the street. If you park your car knowing that it will be icy in the morning, you might want to dial your heater to defrost so that when you remote start, it will be de-icing.

masterboy123

My car does have remote start and probably I should use it more often. But worried about new Irish legislation that you can't leave a running car and get fined. But it's on my private parking lot...

Plus I noticed 5 minutes of idle running on a cold day would lose about 15-20 km worth of fuel.

mikeecho

I just let the car idle , heat on full, a/c on, recirculate, and seats turned on.

zg3409

I boil kettle fully with about 10% water then add cold to fill the kettle. This way you can be sure water is not too hot and you don't need to babysit kettle. Usually kettle ends up at front door as I'm late for work but only takes about 2 minutes.

CoBo55

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119981069#Comment_119981069

Get up a bit earlier ☺️ or do evening shifts😉. There's a ceramic teapot I put hot water in from the tap, (sometimes the Skoda app acts the maggot) the missus goes mad, some heirloom from a long dead auntie or something...

ofcork

Been using warm water for over 20 years never a problem.