Featured Image Credit: coldsnowstorm / djedzura / Getty
With a cold snap coming in and winter well and truly upon us, the roads can become a treacherous place.
We've already covered a potentially dangerous issue with Cybertrucks and snow buildup, and now, we're issuing a warning over a time-wasting mistake when it comes to de-icing our car windscreens.
There's nothing more frustrating than being late for work, and having to faff around trying to de-ice your windows before getting on the road.
While it might be tempting to boil a kettle and pour it on your ice-covered windscreen, it can be a costly error that's a little too easy to make.
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There are also other mistakes that we're making too often, with one expert explaining how NOT to defrost your car on those chilly winter mornings.
Speaking to RSVP Live, Eden Tyres explained: "As a general rule, when it’s cold outside make sure the recirculation button is switched off!
"The air-recirculation button is best to use alongside your AC during warm weather."
Saying that it doesn't have many benefits in winter, it can actually be 'detrimental’: "Some drivers think it makes sense to not have 'all that cold air coming in' if they are using heaters in winter. However it's best to have your air recirculation turned off."
It's easy to press the air circulation button thinking it's your heating, but in reality, it's cutting off air from outside being brought in and is simply recirculating the cold air inside your vehicle.
Eden Tyres adds: "The main downside of the air-recirculation button is that it traps humidity inside the car, which results in misted windscreens, especially when the air is cold outside and in wet weather.
“If your vehicle is fully loaded with passengers, it can also cause it to be stuffy and may make you drowsy."
Air circulation is typically associated with older vehicles, with modern cars tending to adjust cabin air and moisture levels automatically.
There is a beneficial way to defrost your car in 'seconds', with many opting for the 'plastic bag trick'. Using a strong plastic bag that you might use for grocery shopping, fill it with lukewarm water and then tie it shut.
Simply take the filled bag, and rubbing it on your windscreen, you should see the ice melt with ease.
Over on TikTok, @RoosterInsurance explains a variety of handy hacks. Alongside the plastic bag trick, they suggest filling a spray bottle with a solution that's half alcohol and half water.
They say: "The best thing to do is just to wake up on time, turn on your car heater, and let the car warm up gradually.”
If it's a thicker layer, simply use a scraper to avoid doing any damage to your windscreen. Either way, leave the kettle in the kitchen.
