closing tag is in template navbar
timefactors watches



TZ-UK Fundraiser
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 50 of 62

Thread: Car windscreen spray to prevent ice/frost

  1. #1

    Car windscreen spray to prevent ice/frost

    Has anyone here used successfully a spray that can be put on a car windsreen to prevent / lessen ice/frost - do they work or just leave horrible smears/films. Any suggestions or recommendations?

  2. #2
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    London, England
    Posts
    25,353
    Blog Entries
    26
    Ammonia spray removes ice and frost instantly, if I remember correctly. Doesn't prevent it; you just spray it on when you need to remove the cold stuff.

    Apologies if that's not what you mean/need.

  3. #3
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ashford, Kent
    Posts
    28,934
    Cling film prevents ice. I do not know of a spray.
    RainX also works well.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  4. #4
    Grand Master thieuster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    GMT+1
    Posts
    11,749
    Blog Entries
    8
    Those spays are easily available here in Holland. The stuff has been around for ages and ages. Only last week, a consumer test site wrote that this stuff is not harmful for the window rubbers or paint. The smell is like the window washer's fluid. There's even a 'biological version' for sale here... (I suppose for environmentalists with an electric car?)

    Only last week, my youngest found a receipy for de-icing fluid in a chemistry book. 2/3 household vinegar and 1/3 distilled water. Add 5 - 10% isopropyl alcohol (the 70% alc. version, or higher when it's really cold) to prevent that the solution will freeze up in the bottle when left outside.

    Menno
    Last edited by thieuster; 1st December 2017 at 07:26.

  5. #5
    Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Somewhere
    Posts
    1,901
    Quote Originally Posted by markrlondon View Post
    Ammonia spray removes ice and frost instantly, if I remember correctly. Doesn't prevent it; you just spray it on when you need to remove the cold stuff.

    Apologies if that's not what you mean/need.
    Wouldn't it smell like piss after spraying that on??

  6. #6
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    sussex uk
    Posts
    15,483
    Blog Entries
    1
    10 seconds with a scraper works well.

  7. #7
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ashford, Kent
    Posts
    28,934
    Scrapers work well but it takes more than 10s
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  8. #8
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    sussex uk
    Posts
    15,483
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    Scrapers work well but it takes more than 10s
    Not on my land rover, I have watched my wife from the window and timed her!

  9. #9
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ashford, Kent
    Posts
    28,934
    Well trained. We have a winner!
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  10. #10
    Master vagabond's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Here and There....
    Posts
    6,432
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by seadog1408 View Post
    Not on my land rover, I have watched my wife from the window and timed her!
    Well trained indeed. 😋

    However Landrovers have very small windscreens.

    sent from TZ-UK mobile app

  11. #11
    Grand Master thieuster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    GMT+1
    Posts
    11,749
    Blog Entries
    8
    Quote Originally Posted by vagabond View Post
    Well trained indeed. 

    However Landrovers have very small windscreens.

    sent from TZ-UK mobile app
    But you need long arms to reach the center of the screen. Sometimes it's not scraping, it's hacking the ice - especially when the temps have dropped after it has rained the evening before.

    Menno

  12. #12
    Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Somewhere
    Posts
    1,901
    Alternatively just pour a bit of the left over hot water from your morning cuppa over the windscreen..

  13. #13
    We tried the sprays that you put in the night before but to be honest they are a bit of a con, you spray it every night just in case there is a frost, on the one night you don’t use there’ll be a frost.

    Ended up using full bottle and no frost.

  14. #14
    Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Driffield, UK
    Posts
    3,122
    Procedure:

    Start car first of all
    Blowers and heat on full blast also rear screen
    Angle sun visors so they point down - this keeps the air circulating on the front screen
    Give screens a scrape... tbh I find with the blower/sun-visor procedure it doesn't take long
    Done

    Alternative method.
    Park car in garage overnight ;-)

    I've heard of these preventive sprays but not heard how good they.

    Personally, either way I never use any sprays and just rely on blowers and a small amount of elbow grease.

  15. #15
    Grand Master magirus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Up North hinny
    Posts
    39,473
    Quote Originally Posted by solwisesteve View Post
    Procedure:

    Start car first of all
    Blowers and heat on full blast also rear screen
    Angle sun visors so they point down - this keeps the air circulating on the front screen
    Give screens a scrape... tbh I find with the blower/sun-visor procedure it doesn't take long
    Done

    Alternative method.
    Park car in garage overnight ;-)

    I've heard of these preventive sprays but not heard how good they.

    Personally, either way I never use any sprays and just rely on blowers and a small amount of elbow grease.

    All of the above. Just off out to do 2 cars now, brrr, lovely!
    F.T.F.A.

  16. #16
    or you can just move next door to where you work.

  17. #17
    Master BSB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    3,688
    Blog Entries
    1
    They're advertising a product on Talksport currently that's meant to do exactly that called Demon Ice - http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...5225&langId=-1

  18. #18
    Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Driffield, UK
    Posts
    3,122
    Quote Originally Posted by BSB View Post
    They're advertising a product on Talksport currently that's meant to do exactly that called Demon Ice - http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/s...5225&langId=-1

    So I did a google for that. Noticed amazon sell it. Goto their page and what do I see a few products down the list:



    After that I stopped reading the deicer reviews ;-)

  19. #19
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ashford, Kent
    Posts
    28,934
    All the reviews in the link above say it’s rubbish and doesn’t work though
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  20. #20
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    UP North.
    Posts
    12,632
    Old bed sheet.......done,better than wasting money and for the environment.

    Why do we always try and find an easier way when tried n tested "simple" ways of old work fine!.

  21. #21
    Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Driffield, UK
    Posts
    3,122
    Quote Originally Posted by P9CLY View Post
    Old bed sheet.......done,better than wasting money and for the environment.

    Why do we always try and find an easier way when tried n tested "simple" ways of old work fine!.
    old carpet is better.... less likely to blow off... thinking back to the days when I didn't have a garage - sorry am I rubbing it in a bit too much ;-)

  22. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    Cling film prevents ice. I do not know of a spray.
    RainX also works well.
    Imagine cling film would take ages (or would next morning unpicking the mess on the roll).

    Something like RainX will certainly help and only has to be applied occasionally.

    Quote Originally Posted by thieuster View Post

    Only last week, my youngest found a receipy for de-icing fluid in a chemistry book. 2/3 household vinegar and 1/3 distilled water. Add 5 - 10% isopropyl alcohol (the 70% alc. version, or higher when it's really cold) to prevent that the solution will freeze up in the bottle when left outside.
    Not very different to windscreen washer fluid - use that diluted (or not) as appropriate.

  23. #23
    Grand Master hogthrob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Essex, UK
    Posts
    16,847
    ... or one of these style of windscreen covers?

    Halfords: http://www.halfords.com/motoring/car...gaAnOaEALw_wcB


    Lakeland: http://www.lakeland.co.uk/23572/Wint...171201083627:s


  24. #24
    I apply Angelwax H2Go glass sealant which lasts 2-3 months. This usually results in a fine mist on windscreen or if particularly cold, ice/frost but which does not adhere to the glass and almost slides off.

    I applied it in August and it has now worn off (due to use of wipers) but side windows are relatively frost free. I do not have use of a garage to re-apply but it is very easy.

    At the moment I leave a two litre bottle of room temperature water in the kitchen at night which I then pick up in the morning and slosh it about and I am away in two minutes. I also wind down all windows for a minute or two as I park up the night before, this leaves hardly any condensation in the morning.

  25. #25
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Jun 2017
    Location
    uk
    Posts
    615
    Quote Originally Posted by solwisesteve View Post
    Procedure:

    Start car first of all
    Blowers and heat on full blast also rear screen
    Angle sun visors so they point down - this keeps the air circulating on the front screen
    Give screens a scrape... tbh I find with the blower/sun-visor procedure it doesn't take long
    Done

    Alternative method.
    Park car in garage overnight ;-)

    I've heard of these preventive sprays but not heard how good they.

    Personally, either way I never use any sprays and just rely on blowers and a small amount of elbow grease.
    or buy a car with a heated windscreen ...job done ! tried various types of rainex products / brands over the last eyar or two and found them ok . strange driving in heavy rtain without needing to use the wipers though

  26. #26
    Master gunner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    4,805
    Quote Originally Posted by P ELLIS View Post
    or buy a car with a heated windscreen ...job done !
    Even better with remote start.


  27. #27
    Rain-x works well IF applied precisely as per the instructions and in my experience doesn't last as long as it says on the bottle
    Quite good though

  28. #28
    Grand Master Saint-Just's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Ashford, Kent
    Posts
    28,934
    Quote Originally Posted by Kingstepper View Post
    Imagine cling film would take ages (or would next morning unpicking the mess on the roll
    You need a wrapmaster:



    Never had a messed up roll since we got ours 3 years ago. 2 or 3 length slightly overlapping in 1 minutes in the evening. Less than 10 s to remove in the morning and Robert’s your mother’s brother.
    'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.

  29. #29
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Cambridge
    Posts
    347
    Check the wipers arent stuck then saucepan of water, from the cold tap, thrown on the windscreen. Jump in,shut the door and turn on wipers before it refreezes.
    Too much haste with the last step and you may get wet.
    Attempt to sneak the bosses best large saucepan back into the kitchen without her noticing when you get back home.
    Alternatively park the front as close as you can to some shelter such as a building or tree/busy if you can.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Check the wipers arent stuck then saucepan of water, from the cold tap, thrown on the windscreen. Jump in,shut the door and turn on wipers before it refreezes.
    Too much haste with the last step and you may get wet.
    Attempt to sneak the bosses best large saucepan back into the kitchen without her noticing when you get back home.
    Alternatively park the front as close as you can to some shelter such as a building or tree/busy if you can.

  30. #30
    Master KavKav's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Warwickshire.
    Posts
    7,039
    Blog Entries
    5
    Build a wooden trough the width and curvature of your windscreen, attach with HGV straps right over and under the car lengthwise, adjust to secure. Then fill the trough with warm cannonballs, that will defrost your windscreen, voila!

  31. #31
    Craftsman
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Cambridge
    Posts
    347
    Quote Originally Posted by KavKav View Post
    Build a wooden trough the width and curvature of your windscreen, attach with HGV straps right over and under the car lengthwise, adjust to secure. Then fill the trough with warm cannonballs, that will defrost your windscreen, voila!
    That's what I've been doing wrong!!
    I have just been putting the HGV straps over the car, not under as well.
    Explains why the cannonballs keep rolling off down my steep hill and I have to call into the blacksmiths on the way to work each morning to order a new batch. Therefore negating anytime saved by not sparing 50p for a plastic scraper and less than a minute of my time in the first place.

  32. #32
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    UP North.
    Posts
    12,632
    Quote Originally Posted by solwisesteve View Post
    old carpet is better.... less likely to blow off... thinking back to the days when I didn't have a garage - sorry am I rubbing it in a bit too much ;-)
    A sheet will go under the wipers and inside the doors easier than carpet,and not as heavy and awkward to man handle than a frozen carpet.

  33. #33
    Banned
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Peterborough
    Posts
    2,841
    Blog Entries
    1
    I have NEVER scraped a windscreen... all you need is a 2litre bottle of luke warm water to pour over the windscreen. Takes seconds.

    Added benefit is that it clears the inside of the windscreen too.

  34. #34
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    UP North.
    Posts
    12,632
    Quote Originally Posted by hogthrob View Post
    Sadly in the world we live in I wouldn't be buying anything to cover the screen that can be nicked by some scroat,less likely to nick your old bed sheet as I've mentioned doing.
    Does also looked like a "bed sheet".

  35. #35
    Quote Originally Posted by KingKitega View Post
    Alternatively just pour a bit of the left over hot water from your morning cuppa over the windscreen..
    I'll go with, you were joking, as opposed to, only a complete idiot would do this

  36. #36
    Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Somewhere
    Posts
    1,901
    Quote Originally Posted by adrianw View Post
    I'll go with, you were joking, as opposed to, only a complete idiot would do this
    Nope - I've actually done this (obviously not boiling water!) and clears it pretty quick. Guess I'm a lucky idiot!

  37. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by KingKitega View Post
    Nope - I've actually done this (obviously not boiling water!) and clears it pretty quick. Guess I'm a lucky idiot!
    You said it.

    A modern laminated windscreen is made up layers of dissimilar materials (plastic and glass) that expand at different rates, if you heat a layer up to quickly the result is inevitable. I would be amazed if the windscreen manufacturers and the AA RAC etc. don't publish warnings against doing this.

  38. #38
    Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Back home in Great Grimsby
    Posts
    2,046
    I'm just a lukewarm water user too. Tried most sprays and potions over the years but nothing is as effective and quick as pouring a 2l bottle of water were it is needed.
    My bugbear is with frameless windows sticking so need some silicon or some such to stop it. I heard of some stuff called Gummi pflege? that does the trick but not tried it yet.

  39. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by adrianw View Post
    I'll go with, you were joking, as opposed to, only a complete idiot would do this
    I’ve done this for years (with hot water from hot tap), and never had a cracked windscreen. A mate uses water from a boiled kettle (and never had any trouble) - I’m a bit too cautious.

    Clears it up great! You have to put enough on to stop it refreezing and sticking your wipers to the windscreen, mind.

  40. #40
    Warm water from the tap is fine I've done this dozens of times, just obviously not boiling water. I've never had a problem using warm water.

    The de-icer sprays are reputed to damage the seals on your windscreen

  41. #41
    Master gunner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    4,805
    Quote Originally Posted by Puntsdog View Post
    I'm just a lukewarm water user too. Tried most sprays and potions over the years but nothing is as effective and quick as pouring a 2l bottle of water were it is needed.
    My bugbear is with frameless windows sticking so need some silicon or some such to stop it. I heard of some stuff called Gummi pflege? that does the trick but not tried it yet.
    Its good stuff for any door/window/screen seals, particularly on older vehicles.

  42. #42
    Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Berkshire
    Posts
    9,156
    My wife’s Z4 is a right pain to get into, the windows tuck under the top of the roof and if the base rubber is frozen it’s almost impossible to get into the car.

    Trying every option but gummi and clingfilm are the best so far


    Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app

  43. #43
    Master BSB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Posts
    3,688
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by solwisesteve View Post
    So I did a google for that. Noticed amazon sell it. Goto their page and what do I see a few products down the list:



    After that I stopped reading the deicer reviews ;-)
    LOL! You could always place one of those ladies across your windscreen at night to deter the frost.

  44. #44
    Quote Originally Posted by gunner View Post
    Even better with remote start.

    The one thing I miss from our X5 is auxiliary heating/cooling, quick click on the remote from the kitchen 10 minutes
    before your going out and all clear and nice and warm inside (or cool in the summer)

  45. #45
    Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Petersfield, Hampshire
    Posts
    6,310
    Quote Originally Posted by Saint-Just View Post
    You need a wrapmaster:

    Never had a messed up roll since we got ours 3 years ago. 2 or 3 length slightly overlapping in 1 minutes in the evening. Less than 10 s to remove in the morning and Robert’s your mother’s brother.
    Please tell me you aren't putting several metres of cling film in the bin every day through the winter. You do know that stuff will still be in the ground when your grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren are dead?

  46. #46
    Grand Master thieuster's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    GMT+1
    Posts
    11,749
    Blog Entries
    8
    Or this: https://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-RX1361
    It will thaw the frozen windscreen from the inside

  47. #47
    Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Surrey England
    Posts
    1,688
    Sheet of cardboard cut to the windscreen size and held in place with the wiper blades, and just do the rest with a scraper.

  48. #48
    Master
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    5,672
    Quote Originally Posted by Puntsdog View Post
    I'm just a lukewarm water user too. Tried most sprays and potions over the years but nothing is as effective and quick as pouring a 2l bottle of water were it is needed.
    My bugbear is with frameless windows sticking so need some silicon or some such to stop it. I heard of some stuff called Gummi pflege? that does the trick but not tried it yet.
    Gummipflege is for conditioning rubber trim/seals, not sure it’s going to be effective at preventing windows sticking – still worth having all the same.
    A proper glass sealant applied to perfectly clean glass, will take the hassle out of blankets, tepid liquids, etc.

  49. #49
    Grand Master
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    UP North.
    Posts
    12,632
    One just has ones driver take care of the stuff on the thing.

  50. #50
    Master
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Kent
    Posts
    1,971
    I've never understood putting sheets and stuff over it. There's a bloke near me who ties down a hideous blue tarpaulin over his windscreen and has a fight with a messy, wet bit of tarp every winter morning! I just (as mentioned above) spend 5 seconds pouring a bit of luke warm water over and it's sorted. Why on earth you'd take messing about with some cover in the morning over that is an interesting one.

    I think people are imagining windscreens are going to explode, even relatively cold water works. Obviously don't throw boiling water over but it's not like the glass of old these days.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Do Not Sell My Personal Information