[Closed] Windscreen scraper

buy a cover for about £3!

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/6262420564248333894?q=windscreen+frost+cover&safe=active&es_sm=93&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.56643336,d.ZGU,pv.xjs.s.en_US.QSuMw9GwAyY.O&espv=210&biw=1366&bih=666&tch=1&ech=1&psi=S2-IUrDMJbCv7AbiioD4Cg.1384673082782.7&ei=X2-IUvLIJ4nQ7AbI5IHQCA&ved=0CPQBEKYrMAo

I couldn't find one, one particularly morning so got a plastering float out the van. Flew through the ice, scratched to **** tho so wouldn't overly recommend hth.

Buy a car with a heated windscreen...sorry. 😉

Lol at wrightyson.

My cardboard at £0 trumps your cover at £3 rob jackson 😉

Boxfish, you've no idea how annoying it is having owned a car with one (some idiot drive into it), then replacing it with a car without one, & then to add insult having the g/f lord it up constantly cause her car does have it... My new car is ace but I still miss the heated screen.

As for scraper, get one attached to a glove, cause any old credit card will clear the ice (ok maybe not frozen rain) but you freeze your fingers using one!

The trouble with a heated screen is having a to look through it all year long, I hate how headlights and low sun flares through them and I think they make driving in winter worse because of that, even if you do save a few minutes in the morning. They say there's nothing worse than an itch you can't scratch, but a screen you can't clean comes close for me.

People living in proper wintery countries seem to use ice scrapers on steroids (I don't mean the users are on steroids). they're on a long pole so you can get really get some weight behind them and they seem to fly through the ice. They also tend to have a brush on the other end for brushing off snow.

But +1 for heated front windscreen. It would be a reason for me choosing one car over another all other things being pretty equal. They're even better in the rest of the year for clearing foggy windscreens.

Picked up a twin pack in Aldi last week, look pretty robust with a decent thick grip. No mit on them but if its that cold I'd prob have gloves on anyway.

Or as above be preventative with card, blanket, screen cover etc...

Cards awesome till it rains and freezes . Then you have a mushy mess of frozen card to remove.

For snow i use a soft broom and ice i use warm water from the tap.

But +1 for heated front windscreen.

I may be making the wrong assumption here but please tell me you are not leaving the engine on whilst you are de-icing? I am assuming this because you have a heated screen on.

It doesn't do modern engines any good to sit idling before driving - they don't get lubricated properly apparently.

I got a collapsing snow shovel, plastic blade so no scratches, long handle so warm hands and robust to apply pressure. And when the snow comes you can use it to dig out too. And clear the roof.
Luke warm water to get rid of the last bits, then a good blast with the screenwash, I use the -50 stuff neat when winter comes.

Warm tap water for me too. Pour it over, put windscreen wipers on and leave on for a bit, all done. It also stops to inside of the screen misting up as it is pre-warmed. Only time I have been caught out is when staying in a hotel with work.

I have heard it can cause a small chip in a windscreen to become a huge crack, but I have never had any problems- maybe that is caused by using boiling water from a kettle, which would be stupid.

Yup water I've done it for years and guess what never cracked a windscreen. I started doing it after a scraper scratched my windscreen meaning it had to be replaced, luckily a stone flew up and cracked it. What were the chances of that. 😉

Have a heated windscreen now though although it's not Ford's version so not brilliant but works well.

Another luke warm water user here, been using it for twenty years without any problems, even on chipped or cracked screens.
If it's really really cold the slight film of water your wipers leaves behind does have the tendancy to refreeze with the wind chill as you drive off so make sure your screen is completely dry or warmed up first.

Water here too. It barely even needs to be warm. Just off cold. Ice melts straight away. Start wipers to stop it freezing over again. Drive away.

I always buy proper winter screenwash these days too. Costs less than a tenner, and it lasts all year for me - just dilute it come the summer. It'll get rid of any pesky little bits without even leaving the car.

I find a Tesco Clubcard does the job.

Hot water is better than warm because it warms up the glass and prevents re-freezing.

After 8 winters of scraping ice my windscreen is covered in hundreds of fine scratches which are a nightmare when driving in the dark. I started using warm water but when it's really cold, when it runs off the car it freezes into a slippery patch on the road. I've been trying to find a company locally who might be able to polish the windscreen.

We now need advice on which windscreen scraper to get? 🙄

Find a local independent windscreen company and they'll replace your scratched windscreen under your insurance. Saves you chucking a brick at it.

And put some salt on the road.

I thought cold water was best as its got a lower surface tension than warm and doesnt freeze as quickly ?

It doesn't do modern engines any good to sit idling before driving

I have not seen this and always sit in the car an let it warm up before pulling off. Any link to something I could read?

thanks

I throw a hot water bottle on the dashboard 15 minutes before I need to leave the house. The heat slowly permeates upward giving a nice clear area to see out. Plus because the glass is slowly heated it doesn't re freeze or fog up on the inside. If you put one both sides you get a completely clear screen.

I throw a hot water bottle on the dashboard 15 minutes before I need to leave the house. The heat slowly permeates upward giving a nice clear area to see out. Plus because the glass is slowly heated it doesn't re freeze or fog up on the inside. If you put one both sides you get a completely clear screen.

I like your thinking

Oh my god I have just had horrible flash backs to my days with a MKII Capri, the only way I could guarantee it to start in winter was two hot water bottles tucked down the starter motor and engine block and one next to the battery......thank god for heated screen now and retirement as I can wait till its thawed anyway 😀

Edric 64 - Member

I thought cold water was best as its got a lower surface tension than warm and doesnt freeze as quickly ?

mpemba mpemba although im not sure it makes a jot of difference when it comes to your window.... id rather use warm 😀

Jam1974 - are you suggesting that manufacturers fit heated windscreens and expect you to drive of being able to see f- all until the heating takes effect (usually no more than 2 mins)

bigyinn - Member

Cold water doesn't freeze as quickly as warm water? Are you on drugs?

Its odd but true. I read about in the New Scientist a few years ago, the mechanism is quite odd. First link from google.
http://www.iflscience.com/chemistry/hot-water-freezes-faster-cold-and-now-we-know-why

If your cars relitively modern then it would be worse to start your car and go than it is to idle it for 5 minutes then go.

I've heard different things regarding starting and going. Some say that starting and going straight away helps pick up oil pressure quicker. Others say it's a definite no-no. Obviously thrashing it would be stupid, but it would be interesting to see an actual factual, scientific source on the subject.

However when using the range rover I just hit the auxiliary heat button from the lounge and that heats up/melts everything just nicely before the drive.

According to the article linked

Unfortunately the effect doesn’t always appear, and cold water often freezes faster than hot water.

Yep, lukewarm water here too.

Keep a scraper in the car in case I am out and I come back to the car and it has frozen, though that is a lot rarer than a frozen car in the morning.

I use a big Muc Off brush for snow.

Ice on windscreens? I vaguely remember that being a royal PITA. It's not the cheapest option, but moving to Australia solved my iced up windscreen. - temps? Makes me shiver!

This:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/ICEPLANE-Twin-Bladed-Car-Scraper/dp/B005U3EK7G

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Have bought them for everyone I know.
They are ace.

This one from Tesco is the best I've found http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=263865456 not sure if they still do it though given it's shown as discontinued online

Get the butler to do it 😀

I find just the blower loosens the ice enough to scrape it, if it's really solid.

Modern engines don't come up to temp properly until under load.
You need to drive the car for it to be efficient.
Most heaters have an electrical element in them no as we all expect instant warmth - not 15miles down the road like an old ford.....
Leaving it idling will damage the engine as the warm up is localised and can lead to all manner of damage and wear.

Bearing in mind that it takes about 30s to melt the ice with a heated screen, I don't think the idling time is really an issue.
I have to wait longer in my non-heated screen car to de-mist.

I thought cold water was best as its got a lower surface tension than warm and doesnt freeze as quickly?

Cold water doesn't freeze as quickly as warm water? Are you on drugs?