In the northern part of the Earth’s hemisphere, winter is coming and the first frost is in the air, which can only mean that it is time to get ready and prepare your Saab for use in winter conditions. Familiarize yourself with ways to quickly and efficiently defrost the windshield, because dealing with a frozen windshield becomes an unwanted but inevitable part of our morning routine, unless you have a garage for your Saab. With the help of this practical guide, defrosting your car’s windshield will be easier than ever before.
Dangers to windshields from temperature changes
Before we talk about windshield defrosting, it’s important to take a moment to consider some of the problems that weather changes could cause. The windshield is designed to protect you from the weather, flying debris, and serious injury in the event of a crash. Quality, properly installed windshields are surprisingly strong, but it can also surprise us how vulnerable they can be to sudden changes in temperature.
The best way to avoid this damage to the windshield is to avoid exposure to radical temperature changes. When defrosting the windshield or rear glass – avoid applying warm/hot water directly on the glass, as this can lead to damage. If not done properly, defrosting a car’s windshield can cause major damage.
How to defrost windshield?
With de-icing spray
There are numerous chemical sprays available on the market for defrosting the windshield (anti-ice spray) from various manufacturers that very successfully solve the problem with snow and ice while your hands remain dry and warm. These anti-ice sprays are declared to be safe for health and do not harm your car.
If you still do not trust and would not apply chemicals to the windshield, there is also the possibility of making something yourself at home.
Make Your Own Windshield Defroster
Windshield deicing fluid is used up a lot, especially in winter conditions. Therefore, in order to save money, you can make a liquid yourself that will help you de-ice and clean the windshield. Of course, you can also spray all other glass surfaces with this DIY agent.
Here is an interesting proposal and a simple “recipe” on how to make your own glass defrosting spray. You need the following ingredients:
▪ container with sprayer
▪ 1 dl medical alcohol (70%)
▪ 5 drops of dish detergent
▪ 4 dl water (preferably warm, not hot)
Due to the alcohol’s freezing point of -114.7 degrees Celsius (-174.6 degrees Fahrenheit), this spray should easily clear a frozen windshield.
Prevention of Icing
Also, if you cannot find medical alcohol to make a de-icing spray, you can use alcoholic vinegar as an alternative. Mix 2/3 of vinegar with ⅓ of water. Spray this mixture on the windshield before the temperature drops in the evening. This solution should prevent the windshield and rear window from freezing, so you avoid having to defrost the windshield of the car in the morning.
In addition to the above, if you don’t want to make a special defroster, you can cover the windshield of your Saab with some cardboard at night, and you can secure it with wipers. This protective layer should reduce some of the effects of cold weather on the windshield. Don’t forget to cover the mirrors as well. You can cover them with plastic bags and fix them with elastic bands/hair bands. These few preventive activities can reduce or eliminate the unpleasant part of the “fight” with snow and ice that precedes your winter commute.
None of us likes to start a winter morning with an ice scraper, or even worse, a credit card or the like for the same purpose, manically scratching at the frozen windshield while our hands are freezing. We hope that these tips will manage to remove part of that inappropriate struggle from these colder winter mornings that await us.
