Winter care
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Cover your windshield with cardboard, an old sheet, or a car cover before sleeping to prevent frost formation.
- Fabric may freeze to the glass if it rains, snows, or there is freezing rain.
- Cardboard may need to be replaced frequently (2-3 pieces per winter).
11 people, independently
- Tuck a corner of a beach towel under your car door and drape the rest under the wipers to cover the windshield.1
Apply Rain-X or Windex to the windshield.
It may help prevent ice buildup and keep views clear when it rains.
- One person reported never finding it that great.
3 people, independently
Use de-icer washer fluid to soften thick ice and clear light frost.
It contains alcohol which melts ice instantly except for large buildups.
- De-icing sprays will kill the non-stick coatings on wiper blades.
4 people, independently
Raise your wiper blades off the glass before parking in freezing weather to stop them from sticking.
This helps keep the wipers in good condition during winter and makes it easier to clean the ice with a scraper.
- Covering them with old socks has not been found to make a big difference by some.
5 people, independently
Clean the windshield while it is warm to make removing film and streaks easier.
It is much easier to remove film and streaks when the glass is warm.
one person who lived it
use newspaper to wipe the windshield for a lint-free, streak-free finish
newspapers don't leave lint
- few people have newspapers available
one person who lived it
Contact local independent auto glass businesses for quotes instead of national chains.
They may charge half the price and can often come to your home.
one person who lived it
Start the car with defrost on full heat and fan, then scrape side windows, rear windshield, and finally front windshield.
This sequence gives the maximum amount of time for the defrost system to work on the front windshield.
one person who lived it
Use Glass Cleaning Clay to remove stubborn contaminants from the windshield surface.
It does a great job removing contaminants.
- Takes a while.
one person who lived it
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If your windshield has cracks or chips, defrost it slowly to avoid thermal shock that can lengthen the damage.
Rapid temperature changes can cause existing cracks to lengthen.
one person who lived it
Place a pantyhose or sock filled with unused cat litter under your seat to absorb moisture and prevent window fogging.
It stops windows from fogging up overnight.
- Ensure the cat litter is unused; otherwise, the car may smell like cat feces, which is very noticeable if you do not own cats.
one person who lived it
Fix leaky window seals or rusty holes in the floor to stop external moisture from entering the cabin.
These are causes of interior moisture.
one person who lived it
Point side air vents directly at the windows.
This keeps air circulating around them.
one person who lived it
Knock snow off boots before entering the car to prevent melting snow from evaporating onto the windows.
Snow melting on mats evaporates back into the air and fogs the windows.
one person who lived it
Try using melamine foam or Magic Erasers to clean tough spots on windshields.
One person reported good luck with this method.
one person who lived it
Wipe down the inside of windows with a microfiber cloth to keep them clean and discourage fog formation.
Clean glass helps discourage fog formation.
one person who lived it
Remove felt soundproofing under floor mats if it traps condensation.
The felt soundproofing is identified as a culprit for trapping moisture.
one person who lived it
Engage the air conditioning alongside the defogger.
It extracts excess humidity from the cabin and dries the airflow directed at the windows, accelerating clearing.
3 people, independently
Keep a toothpick in your car to realign drifting windshield washer nozzles.
One person kept a toothpick specifically for this purpose because their sprayer would slowly drift down.
one person who lived it
Repair a leaking heater core if windows are consistently fogged on the inside.
A leaking heater core can cause persistent interior fogging.
one person who lived it
Use the defroster to blow warm, dry air onto the windows, waiting until the engine coolant temperature has peaked slightly before turning it on.
Warm, dry air displaces moist air.
one person who lived it
Clear ice off the windshield first if visibility is impaired; do not drive until the windscreen is clear.
one person who lived it
Lower your sun visors while using the defroster on high to keep heat concentrated on the lower part of the windshield.
It prevents heat from escaping halfway up the window, keeping it focused on the area where visibility is most critical.
one person who lived it
Verify that the pump has not failed before replacing windshield fluid lines or washer heads.
Replacing parts unnecessarily is wasteful if the pump is the actual point of failure.
one person who lived it
wipe the windshield with Everclear (grain alcohol) after using window cleaner to remove residue
it removes residue left by window cleaner
one person who lived it
use aerosol glass cleaner rather than liquid spray types for better application
aerosol is preferred for commercial-style windows
one person who lived it