Spray De-icer

[Simon Davey]

When I started driving almost 40 years ago, I was told that de-icers would destroy my wiper blades and the rubber seal around my windscreen. 

 

Is there any truth in that? 

 

I've spent 40 years scraping, until a few days ago in hurried desperation I used a can. 

[husoi]

I just sit in the van for a few minutes until the wipers clean the windscreen.

Bad habits from EVs

Used to heat up the car while having breakfast

[manxie49]

I've been using the stuff for years, on my own car and work vehicles, can't say I've ever noticed any issues?  What I have noticed is it does seem to be a lot less effective at clearing the ice than it used to be.

[Punts]

Warm/hot tap water in a re-sealable freezer bag, defrosts the windscreen and transfers a bit of heat into the glass.

 

I think the myth about damaging the wipers was more down to people not freeing off the blades when they were stuck to the glass.

 

 

[husoi]

I would be careful with hot or even warm water over a frozen glass

Also depends how cold it is. Likely that water will freeze if really cold. -5 downward is guaranteed to happen

Edited November 28, 2024 by husoi

[Bianco2564]

Reading some MSDS on de icer, they seem to be made of isopropyl alcohol, ethanol ,methanol and other chemicals in smaller qtys. This is similar to screen wash which is more diluted. 
IMHO, if your screen rubbers and wipers were exposed to it every day for prolonged periods, they would deteriorate , however when clearing your screen most of it will fall off or evaporate without harm.

Im more concerned about the damage caused by the rock salt that your car gets covered in when driving this time of year. This is around 94% sodium chloride and will definitely eat away at your car.

[Tiggie]

I've got a brass bladed ice scraper that works great.

 

If temperature isn't below freezing I'll pour tepid water over.  Never had an issue with doing that. I don't bother if it's -1 or below as it just freezes back over before I can get going.

[Fender1515]

I guess my habit of scraping ice from the vehicle windows and running the engine until it's hot so it will defrost inside was formed from driving 1970's mini's with rubbish heaters, then Scammel HGV's with rubbish heaters, . Had some interesting experiences having used the hot water and or  Spray can  approach, set-off , normally lateish  door locks frozen, 1/2 mile down the road it freezes over again, everything disappears and it's like driving with your eyes closed, not a great experience IMO!

With modern vehicles I wait until its warm enough to take off beanie!

[manxie49]

Driving my old series 3 Land-rover during the winter months used to be interesting.  I remember, regularly having to scrape the inside of the windows as well as the outside. 

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

My wife has an excellent system of ensuring her car is clear of ice and ready to drive on frosty morning.

 

I go out in my PJs and scrape off the ice. When it's clear enough to see out of the windscreen I set off down the frozen country lanes trying to dodge the worst of the potholes and stay of out the ditches. After a couple of miles the heater starts to work and by the time I'm home it's up to temperature. The windscreen and windows are clear inside and out, and the car is toasty warm.

 

The downside of this system is that the de-icing operative is (I am told) a grumpy old git and expensive to maintain.

[Mickly]

My current car has remote app which allows me to stat in the warm house with a cuppa while the engine starts, the cabin warms up & the widows defrost.

I’m not being too smug, it won’t let you put the heated seats or heated steering wheel on

[Simon Davey]

37 minutes ago, Mickly said:

, it won’t let you put the heated seats or heated steering wheel on

 

Might as well send it back then mate 

 

Of course though, it sounds absolutely superb. 

[Tiggie]

4 hours ago, Mickly said:

My current car has remote app which allows me to stat in the warm house with a cuppa while the engine starts, the cabin warms up & the widows defrost.

I’m not being too smug, it won’t let you put the heated seats or heated steering wheel on

 

[Ian Frog]

9 hours ago, Tiggie said:

 

Oooh @Tiggie jealousy is such a cruel mistress lol.

Cheers

Ian

[RideWithStyles]

12 hours ago, Tiggie said:

 

 

 The joy of EV’s For me not much of a problem but for the wife priceless.

 

id use normal cold water from the tap to be safe to the windows, all you need is running water thats abit above freezing to raise the temp of the frozen one, if you use hot water let alone the effects of the glass but the steam can refezze very quickly as it’s moisture.

de Icer can affect rubber hence the ethanol,   methanol etc but depending on how much you use, how old the rubber and paint is will affect how much damage can happen. Which is why on the instructions it say if it gets on the rubbers and paint wipe or wash off…

[skyrider]

On 28/11/2024 at 11:27, manxie49 said:

Driving my old series 3 Land-rover during the winter months used to be interesting.  I remember, regularly having to scrape the inside of the windows as well as the outside. 

yes me too the heaters never really got that warm in winter on series land rovers 

[Simon Davey]

6 minutes ago, skyrider said:

yes me too the heaters never really got that warm in winter on series land rovers 

 

Is that why we always see them with tin foil, or a piece of ply over the grille? 

[skyrider]

5 minutes ago, Simon Davey said:

 

Is that why we always see them with tin foil, or a piece of ply over the grille? 

yes i had mine blanked off

[Tinkicker]

No probs with canned deicers.  What used to be a problem back in the day was putting lots of fairy liquid in the washer bottle to help it clean the glass and prevent it freezing.

 

The main ingredient of any detergent is salt (in marketing speak.. lets pull the wool over your eyes... amniotic surfactant) and that rots the bodywork.

Edited November 30, 2024 by Tinkicker

[onesea]

On 28/11/2024 at 11:27, manxie49 said:

Driving my old series 3 Land-rover during the winter months used to be interesting.  I remember, regularly having to scrape the inside of the windows as well as the outside. 

How I know this problem until this winter. 

2 wet dogs, wet sailing gear and short journeys meant the car never dried inside. 

 

One reason I use the bike whenever I can. It's actually warmer, warm jacket on in house with lid. Out to bike start gloves on heated grips on.  Ride to work, into garage gear off.

 

If I do the same in the car even the heated seats barely get warm by the time I am at work.

The car heater never kicks in the car gets more damp. 

 

I do find one of these works well: 

Cheap and effective, can also be used as a funnel. 

 

Sadly not so effective on concave inside.

 

Edited December 3, 2024 by onesea