Placing a towel on windshield to prevent frost and ice from forming on your vehicle’s windshield. As a result, ice will form on your towel instead of the windshield.
Thanks to that, the following day, after removing the towel, you will have a windshield that is free of water or snow.
This method works well in most conditions, including snow or rain. However, for extreme cold, you will need a sheet of cardboard on windshield for extreme cold.
How To Use a Towel To Protect Windshield From Ice and Snow
For putting a towel on your windshield, you should choose a clean, dry towel.
Start by lifting the windshield wipers and then placing the upper towel on the windshield. After that, fold down the wipers to secure the towel.
This method is especially effective when you don’t have a garage. Your towel will trap ice and snow, keeping your windshield clear. Then, the following day, all you need to do is remove your towel from the windshield.
What Can I Use to Cover Windshield to Prevent Ice?
There are ways to prevent ice on windshield overnight, saving you time on ice scraping during the winter months. Depending on the physical geography, winter phenomena, or specific weather conditions, you can choose the right solution for you.
Using Towel
Preventing frost on windshield with a towel is the most common method because it’s cheap and reusable. You can even use an old beach towel to cover your windshield. After using it, you just need to wash it and dry it to prepare for the next use.
- Beach towels and bath towels are both perfect choices
- Work well in low temperatures (down to 15 degrees Fahrenheit). If the temperature drops below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, consider another option.
- This solution is not suitable for freezing rain, and hail. Otherwise, your towel will most likely freeze to your windshield.
Using a towel is convenient but not always the best option to prevent ice on windshield overnight. For hail, rain/snow mix, or freezing rain, you will need to move on to the next pressure method.
Using Cardboard
For hail or Freezing rain, using a sheet of cardboard is the best way to cover windshield to prevent ice. It even works well in temperatures below -10 ℃ (15 ℉). All you need to do is place the piece of cardboard on the windshield and secure it with the wipers.
- Work well at temperatures below 15 ℉ (-10 ℃).
- Suitable for hail, rain/snow mix, or freezing rain.
- Not viable for wet winter conditions
Using Tarpaulin or Windshield Cover
Use windshield cover or a waterproofing Tarpaulin is perfect in wet winter conditions. It also prevents freezing rain, hail, and sleet from forming a water or ice layer on the windshield.
In general, a tarp/windshield cover is a bit more expensive than a scarf or a sheet of cardboard. However, it is worth the money.
- Effective in preventing your windshield from frost and protecting your car from sleet, hail, and freezing rain.
If it does not work, it is time to move on to stronger solutions.
What Materials Are Not Effective in Removing Frost From Windshield
Some methods won’t work when it comes to the best way to get frost off windshield. Therefore, we will list some of them to help you avoid unfortunate mistakes.
Alcohol Solutions
Rubbing alcohol on frozen windshield is a mistake!
After you apply the alcohol to the windshield, it will evaporate in a short time. Soon, the ice layer will begin to form on the windshield.
So, we recommend using a de-icer which is designed for automotive use. So, it is possible to apply them to de-icing the windshield without damaging the rubber seals. They are also very useful in removing snow from the car tires.
Vinegar Solutions
Does vinegar freeze in winter? The short answer is yes!
So, vinegar solutions are not suitable for defrosting or anti-freezing. The reason is that they freeze at -2 ℃ (28 ℉), just a few degrees below the freezing point of water. Furthermore, they contain acetic acid, damaging windshield wipers, or rubber seals.
Salt Water-Soaked Towel
If you decide to use a towel to cover the windshield, it is wise to choose one that has completely dried. Using a wet or damp washcloth does more harm than good. It will freeze to the windshield, making it take a long time to remove the towel.
So, soaking your towel in all forms of water, including saltwater, will give you bad results.
Want to know more about how to stop car windscreen freezing up? Please check out this video.
Pro Tips To Prevent Ice on Windshields
Park Inside
If possible, park your car in a cozy garage because no ice crystals will form there!
Use onion or potato
No windshield cover? Raid your kitchen for an onion or potato. Cut in half and rub the cut side down all over the windshield. As a result, the ice crystals will have difficulty sticking.
Facing the sun
If you can’t do the above tips, try to park your car facing the sun. Sun’s heat can quickly melt the frost on a windshield.
Conclusion
By now, you have gained complete knowledge of applying the towel on windshield to prevent frost.
In general, you can prevent ice and frost from leaving your windshield by using a dry towel. This way works best at temperatures above -10 ℃ (15 ℉).
You will need a tarp or a piece of cardboard at lower temperatures. For sleet or freezing rain, we recommend using a waterproof cover for sleet or freezing rain, such as a tarp made from artificial materials.Please let us know through the comments section if you have any other de-icing tricks or tips.