November comes with all sorts of different jobs, and one task you'll find yourself doing a lot more is de-icing your car windscreen. It's an annoying task to complete, especially when all you want to do in the morning is set off on your journey to work; however, there's a simple thing you can do to help beat the cold weather.
Shannen, an energy saving guru known as _greengal on TikTok, recently shared a super handy tip to help drivers prevent frost on their cars and aid the environment at the same time. It's a hack she wanted to share as she's seen a lot of people testing out the trick this month.
In a candid video, she explained what people need to do as the temperatures continue to drop. It's worth noting as some de-icing tricks can actually cause damage to your vehicle.
Shannen said: "Putting your car idling outside, leaving the key in the ignition and heating your car up and defrosting it that way, it poses several different negative impacts on the environment, [and] also for our health. When you leave the car idling like that, plumes of fumes get released and people walking by will breathe that in, and also it's just wasting money as well.
"You're just leaving the car running and using petrol or diesel so, instead of doing that, and something that might be better for the environment, [will] cost you less money and also just be quicker and easier is I've seen people leave towels over their windscreen."
She added: "So this is a much better option. It's cheaper, because you likely already have these things in your house, and you don't have to leave your car running.
"It's better for you and it's better for the environment because there are no fumes being released. It's a much quicker option as well, because it'll be ready.
"All you have to do is take it off in the morning and you are good to go. You don't even have to wait a couple of minutes to defrost."
Since Shannen shared the trick, it's been dubbed "genius" by drivers. Some admitted they'd still need to heat up the engine to defog their vehicle, but it still aids with icy windscreens.
While some people may be torn about the idea, it turns out it can make a big difference. It's actually a cheap way to protect your windscreen from frost.
Defrosting your car in the morning is a PAIN!! A much better option is throw a towel over it & the frost doesnt build up and theres no idling #defrosting #cardefrost #winterhack #coldweather
Little you may know, a towel can help prevent a windscreen from freezing. Placing one on top helps to absorb the moisture and blocks the frost from forming directly on the glass.
Even though it won't completely stop freezing in very cold conditions (below -10°C), it can really reduce frost and save you time in the morning. You just need to be aware that, if the towel gets wet, it can actually freeze to the windscreen, which can make it more difficult to remove than ice.
If you're going to use the trick, it's best to use a dry towel or one that is protected from the elements. You can also buy proper screen covers if you wish.
Some say you can also use a piece of cardboard, an old blanket or a shower curtain to get the job done. Experts say you shouldn't use newspaper though, even though Shannen said she's seen some people do this.
This is because it's too thin and can stick to the windshield. To use a towel, you need to place a dry towel over the windscreen overnight.
Then, use the windshield wipers to hold it in place. This will also aid in preventing the wipers from freezing to the glass. You just need to ensure it's fitted tightly to prevent morning dew from seeping in.
