Drivers have been urged to leave one specific item on their windscreen overnight to stop wipers from freezing in the morning. The advice comes in handy for drivers today as plummeting temperatures, snow and ice have caused areas to hit brutal temperatures as low as -14C this week.
Snowfall, ice, and rain have been forecasted for the majority of areas across the UK as the Met Office issues yellow and amber weather warnings for Thursday, January 8 and Friday, January 9. The weather agency has advised drivers to keep a de-icer or ice scraper in their cars, but using the tools can be time-consuming, especially during a morning rush.
The wintry weather that has hit the nation this week comes with multiple issues. As well as a frozen windscreen, drivers can also find their wiper blades frozen, problems with their screen wash, and struggle to open windows and doors that have been locked shut due to ice.
However, RAC, the automotive services company, has shared some handy DIY solutions for the winter complications, and some include using items that you likely already have at home, reports Manchester Evening News.
RAC explained that "wiper blades work particularly hard in the winter, especially as a result of gritted roads". Before starting your car, you should check that the wiper blades are not stuck to the windscreen, as if they are, when you try and use them, you risk breaking the mechanism and blowing a fuse.
Fortunately, that issue can easily be avoided. RAC recommends placing a cardboard on your windscreen overnight.
It advised: "If there's risk of wipers freezing, put a piece of cardboard between the blades and the windscreen overnight."
The company also shared advice regarding screen wash that can become frozen when temperatures drop. It explained that if that does occur, then "you can try adding hot (but not boiling) water directly into it to thaw the solution".
RAC added: "If the washer jets have frozen, you’ll just need to wait for the engine to warm enough to thaw them again. So always make sure you can clear your windscreen with other means before you set off. Remember the golden rule: never use hot water to de-ice a windscreen."
