Canon1D

For these who do not have a garage, what do you use in the morning to get rid of the ice on your windshield?

I heard there's some kind of 'spray' for it... does anyone have that? What works the best? Thanks!

AA7483

Hot piss

Bareback

^ thinking the same thing!

livnforyou

wd-40 works great.

Prolanman

Use a scraper. The de-icing sprays usually contain a high amount of alcohol which is not something that I would personnaly want oversprayed onto my paint.

oppnyc

I use scraper. Plus it just adds more exercise for our buddies.

mlionel

Just cover windshield with plastic sheet wide enough, jamming it between doors (so each end of plastic sheet is inside of your car). In the morning pull plastic with the ice, shake ice off and go.

Bxscig

I usually heat up the inside and all the windows then use scraper.

AcidHorse

Those de-icers usually have alcohol in them. I've used rubbing alcohol once and it worked. Didn't harm the paint at all.

drewspimpin

why not hose the car down? its wet already

Lore

Rubbing alcohol is often used in a solution with water in detailing shops so that the detailer knows when to stop buffing a particular area. I'm sure it's harmless on your paint - and besides - it tends to dry very quickly.

andym22

Prestone de-icer washer fluid removes ice off windshield works great, it's all I use. In the summer I use the prestone bug wash washer fluid it removes those stubborn bug guts.

Canon1D

I went to the auto shop and just picked up 2 prestone de-icer... thanks for all your great inputs. I love that plastic cover idea too!

Road Rage

Cold water would take forever, warm water can crack the glass.

Isn't a scraper sufficient?

Prolanman

But wouldn't the alcohol take off your protective coat or wax or polymer? I personnaly would just prefer to stay away from those alcohol based products for removing ice. The scrapper has always done the trick for me.

tlram

This sounds very interesting. Does it work easily/well? I'll suggest this to my friends back east who complain about scraping almost every day.

Acuraluvr

iTrader: (2)

i used a scraper once and scratched our truck (got yelled at) but i improvised after and took a shopping bag, loosened the ice with my hands and then wiped it off with a calif. water blade...

hypertech

I start the car and turn on the defrost and start scraping or brushing depending on what is on there.

The really icy stuff starts to melt and the car is warmed up and ready to go by the time I'm done.

The plasitc sheets do work well. The only problem with them is that you have to open both doors to get he off which may result in snow in teh car, and you have to do something with them once you take it off. They tend to have bits of ice stick to them and make a puddle underneath whatever tehy thaw on. I'd recommend putting int on a trunk at a minimum.

The easiest thing is just to use a scraper. They shouldn't cost more than a few bucks and won't damage anything so long as you only use it on the glass.

Oh, and make sure you clean off any ice that may be stuck to the wiper blades. Otherwise they won't clean the glass and you can wind up with large chucks of window you can't see out.

J RIDE 81

A scraper would probably be your best bet. G'Luck!

vp911

what about rain-x? when i had my civic a few years ago i put rainx on the window every 3-4 weeks and then with the scraper just pushed the ice off... (no real scraping required) it just slid right off...

GeoffS

If you know ahead of time it's going to snow or there's going to be ice on the car next time you get in pull the wiper blades up off the glass ice doesn't stick to them and they don't stick to the glass. Makes everything much easier.

Alligator

A scraper is a pain in the ***. I know, because I spent 10 minutes outside today scraping my windshield. They work well for very thin ice, but for the thick stuff, good luck. I think the best thing is to toss a blanket on it or a tarp on it. Better yet, buy a tent to put up over your car.

There is no magic solution. Buy a remote car starter, and start the car from inside the house. Then let it melt.

Moosh

Yeah really. As long as you are careful, scraping it off seems fine. If that prestone de-ice stuff is not overpriced then that sounds okay if you really can't stand a little physical work.

Krypton Ken

Twenty years ago, before I had a garage, I used a bed sheet to cover the windshield and front windows. Worked great. Pulled the sheet off, and you were ready to go.

Except for the iced-up sheet, which I used to hang behind the house. I think plastic would be easier to deal with. It beat the hell out of scraping imho.

1995hoo

A plastic sheet can work well. Brookstone used to sell a silver-colored one that had suction cups on either end; you put it across the windshield, opened the doors, stuck the suction cups to the inside of the windshield, and closed the doors. It also came with a carry bag. My mother and father gave me one of those one Christmas and I use it when I go up to Quebec to go skiing (at home I park in the garage); it works very well, you just shake off the snow when you remove it and throw it in the trunk.

Don't know if this is still available, but I'm sure other companies make similar products.

SouthernBoy

My TL never sees the outside at night, but my Ford Ranger does. Try this.

Turn both of your sunvisors all the way down, then start the engine and direct the air on full heat and fan to the windshield. The turned down visors will trap some of the air and increase the thawing.

After the engine has run for maybe two or three minutes, throw a bucket of COLD tap water on the glass, the hit the wipers a few times.

This works for me.

daviddww

I usually use cheap tequila left over from the night before.

Dvus555

This is a good idea because if your blades are stuck to the ice and you don't realize this and then you try to turn on the wipers, you can burn out the motor.

Gatorfan

The best solution would be to move to Florida.

Bareback

Gatorfan - that's what I did!

SouthernBoy

Gainesville, Florida is a great place. However, my hoped-for eventual destination is South Carolina. More Southern and besides.. I go there every year anyway.