Autumn has well and truly arrived.
While some of us are wondering when to put the heating on, others have been forced to scrape ice off their cars in the frosty mornings.
If you've found yourself in this predicament, there are some mistakes you should avoid when trying to heat your vehicle up.
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Chris Adams, Operations Director at Brindley Group, revealed why you should never pour a kettle of boiling water over your windscreen. And the motors expert urges people not to use their bank cards as scrapers either.
He said: “While boiling water from your kettle or a bank card might be your usual go-to, there are far better methods to achieving a frost-free windscreen. Using boiling water can even lead to cracks which aren’t cheap to fix, and we doubt your insurer would cover the cost of the damage, either."
So how do you clear ice without causing any damage to your car? Chris suggests buying specialist products or making your own de-icing spray.
He said: "There is no shortage of de-icing sprays that you can buy from garages and hardware stores. A reputable brand will make light work of ice, especially with the help of an ice scraper too.
"If harsh chemicals aren’t your thing, then you can always make your own DIY de-icer. Try mixing 1/3 of a cup of water with 2/3 of a cup of rubbing alcohol, and then put the solution in a misting spray bottle. You can even use this as a preventative too. Just spray the mixture on your windscreen in the evening. The next morning, your windscreen shouldn’t be iced over.
"If you don’t fancy scraping away at a frozen windscreen before your commute, then there are other preventative measures you can use too. Try covering it with some cardboard, securing it in place with your wipers. Covering your mirrors with plastic bags held in place with elastic bands should also keep ice at bay before you hit the road too.
"If that sounds like too much effort, then you might want to invest in a full car cover to help protect your windows and bodywork from the effects of freezing temperatures as well.”
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