Winter is cold enough without the dreaded inevitability of having to leave the warmth of your house every morning to defrost your windscreen before getting into a freezing cold car. If you haven’t got the luxury of a garage to keep you and your car protected from the cold, you will need to look at other ways to save time in the morning.
I think we have all done the old faithful – run to the car, ignition on, heaters on full blast, then back into the house to put the kettle on. You might pop back out to spray the anti-freeze onto the windscreen wipers if they are frozen to their resting position or just pumping back and forth doing not a lot. We always think the quicker they go, the quicker the frost will clear, but eventually you realise you’ve been sitting there for 10 minutes and still can’t see.
Snow and frost can be the worst. Unless you have a very good scraper and thermal gloves, you will often have to heat up the kettle, all the time being careful not to crack your windscreen with scolding water. Anti-freeze can be a good way to get rid of the frost, but often one can will only last a week or two, meaning winter could be a very pricey time. A cheaper way to protect your windscreen can be as simple as using a piece of cardboard, cloth or even a plastic bag that can be easily removed in the morning.
A car port can also provide some shelter and prevent your car from the elements, although it will not protect your car as much as a garage. This may be an old wives’ tale, but apparently spraying your car windows at night with three parts vinegar to one part water and spraying it on the windscreen will prevent ice from staying. Also, one cup of isopropyl alcohol to one quarter of water can be mixed to create the desired effect.
Always pull your wipers away from the windscreen to make sure they do not end up stuck in place or trying to move when you turn the car on. Also, try not to use a credit card or driving license to scrape off the frost. When it snaps, you will not be happy.
Hopefully, these tips have given you some time-saving ideas. Alternatively, book a flight and jet off to the Caribbean for a few months. If only.
Kate Rowbotham writes about time saving tips on behalf of www.garador.co.uk.