# Frost on windscreen



## stealthwolf (Sep 24, 2008)

I miss the days of having a garage large enough to fit the Golf. Now, the car sits on the driveway. Last year, the frost on the windscreen was horrendous and a regular battle.

I used to pour water from the cold tap, which would take about 2-4 litres depending on the weather. By the time I'd get into the car, it'd start to ice up again.

A windscreen cover from halfords was useless - it would flap about if there was any wind despite being held in place by wipers and by being trapped in the doors.

What can I do this year?


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## C-Max (Oct 1, 2015)

https://www.livingactivelife.com/products/4-seasons-windshield-cover

Or buy a ford.

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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

I use warm (not hot!) water, being careful to pour it across the whole windscreen and not in one spot, so any heating is evenly spread. Seemed to work pretty well. I also found less frost would form on the glass I had a glass coating on.

There are of course traditional de-icers, the Car Chem one was tested on here a while back. You could also buy neat isopropyl alcohol and use that as a de-icer on the windscreen, it will have a very powerful de-icing effect.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

Since getting a coupe and not being able to get in the car when it’s frozen due to frameless windows, I tried AG de-icer - it’s a squirt bottle, so easy to apply where I do want it and must say, works very well and not had any issues with inside icing / misting up. Very pleased with it and got another bottle for this year.


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## rojer386 (Mar 15, 2008)

Andyblue said:


> Since getting a coupe and not being able to get in the car when it's frozen due to frameless windows, I tried AG de-icer - it's a squirt bottle, so easy to apply where I do want it and must say, works very well and not had any issues with inside icing / misting up. Very pleased with it and got another bottle for this year.


Andy, I have a three door M140i and the noise it made last night when I finished work made me cringe. Do you just spray the fluid on to the bottom section of the door glass (the bit that drops as the door opens?)?


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

rain repelent and luke warm water works for me ...start the car first and slosh it so that you can imediatley open the door and put the wipers on


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## stealthwolf (Sep 24, 2008)

C-Max said:


> https://www.livingactivelife.com/products/4-seasons-windshield-cover
> Thanks looks better than the one I bought.





C-Max said:


> Or buy a ford.


I had a 1999 Ford Fiesta. It had a windscreen demister. But it did interfere with vision a little.



steelghost said:


> I use warm (not hot!) water, being careful to pour it across the whole windscreen and not in one spot, so any heating is evenly spread.


This is what I do at the moment. I fill a 2 litre bottle of water about a quarter full of hot water and the rest with cold water. But I still get re-freeze issues.



steelghost said:


> There are of course traditional de-icers, the Car Chem one was tested on here a while back. You could also buy neat isopropyl alcohol and use that as a de-icer on the windscreen, it will have a very powerful de-icing effect.


I've avoided deicers due to risk of damage to paintwork but also to LSP. I've never used an ice scraper or deicer on my Golf.



Andyblue said:


> Very pleased with it and got another bottle for this year.


Thanks will look into this as well.


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## Andyblue (Jun 20, 2017)

rojer386 said:


> Andy, I have a three door M140i and the noise it made last night when I finished work made me cringe. Do you just spray the fluid on to the bottom section of the door glass (the bit that drops as the door opens?)?


Hi mate

Yes, spray along the window / door edge and also where the window closes into the roof line (if that makes sense)

Just remember though to take it with you though, no good in the car if it's frozen


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## REDLooP (Dec 28, 2008)

Just use a good windscreen sealant which is constantly topped up every few weeks, all the frost just wipes off with the wipers then. Angelwax H2Go is a cheap and easy sealant for this.

We live in the top of Snowdonia and never really have to much of a problem, even works when its got a decent layer of snow on.

I've also cleaned my windscreen with a glass cleaner like AF crystal the night before, and the next morning it's clear.


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## Imperialjim (Aug 19, 2013)

Don't know the layout of your house/driveway, but if you can park front end facing the house this can make a difference.

Our drive is enclosed on almost 3 sides, being closer to the house and out of the wind made the difference last year to almost never having to de-ice the windscreen.


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## bigalc (Aug 7, 2014)

Buy the carchem de icer which they have on offer again this year.


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

Worth noting that waxes don't really care all that much about de-icer. It's mostly alcohol, and wax isn't soluble in alcohol. It can be used to remove *oils* from polished paint, but it won't really touch most LSPs, and in the amounts and durations we're talking about here, it won't do your paint any harm either.

When I use warm water I'm filling up the kettle from the hot tap, which is at about 55 degrees in our house. I don't add any cold, I just make sure I move it across the windscreen as I pour so I don't put too much on any part of the glass.


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## stealthwolf (Sep 24, 2008)

Imperialjim said:


> Don't know the layout of your house/driveway, but if you can park front end facing the house this can make a difference.
> 
> Our drive is enclosed on almost 3 sides, being closer to the house and out of the wind made the difference last year to almost never having to de-ice the windscreen.


The front of the house faces northeast. I normally reverse park onto the driveway as the road is narrow and visibility is better when driving forwards. Low fences (approx 3ft tall + 6inch gravel boards) both sides.

I've ordered the Carchem stuff.


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## davidcraggs (Aug 1, 2007)

Swedish ice scraper for me - been using it for 2 weeks and very impressed. I refuse of use de-icer and tried cold water last winter but found it sometimes froze with a very thin layer of ice that was difficult to remove. I can do both cars in about 2 minutes using the Swedish ice scraper - not cheap but great piece of kit.


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## Forsh (Jun 13, 2014)

Neat quality screen wash is always a useful addition to the washer bottle and can be used as a de-icer when it's hovering around zero*C


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## bigkahunaburger (Jun 27, 2012)

davidcraggs said:


> Swedish ice scraper for me - been using it for 2 weeks and very impressed. I refuse of use de-icer and tried cold water last winter but found it sometimes froze with a very thin layer of ice that was difficult to remove. I can do both cars in about 2 minutes using the Swedish ice scraper - not cheap but great piece of kit.


Looks good but £15 on Amazon. Hmm. Is it worth the cash?


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## davidcraggs (Aug 1, 2007)

I was going to buy an Ice Plane (£6ish) but after reading lots of reviews plus a couple of video clips went for the swedish ice scraper and I'd definitely recommend it.


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## JoeyJoeJo (Jan 3, 2014)

Swedish conversion for me last year too

http://www.detailingworld.com/forum/showthread.php?t=387308


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## AndyN01 (Feb 16, 2016)

Do you have access to a nearby electric socket?

Try plugging in a fan heater (on a low setting) close the car up and lock her so no risk of scum nicking stuff out of her.

Go inside and have breakfast & a cuppa.

By the time you've done no ice and a nice warm interior.

Maybe worth a go?

Andy.


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## apcv41 (Aug 5, 2006)

AndyN01 said:


> Do you have access to a nearby electric socket?
> 
> Try plugging in a fan heater (on a low setting) close the car up and lock her so no risk of scum nicking stuff out of her.
> 
> ...


I use this method too, very handy, means the chill has been taken off when you get into the car too, all the more cosy.


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## RICH2508 (Jan 14, 2007)

apcv41 said:


> I use this method too, very handy, means the chill has been taken off when you get into the car too, all the more cosy.


I have one of these too, cheap one from Argos but it has a pressure switch underneath which means if it falls over onto the seat it switches off.

Going to be redundant when my new Golf GTE arrives as you can set a departure time each morning and it warms the car up for you whilst it's on charge!


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## Pauly.22 (Nov 15, 2009)

I used to plug a small fan heater in and then go and have breakfast. By time I'd eaten it was melted and warm inside.


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## PWOOD (Apr 30, 2007)

Andyblue said:


> Since getting a coupe and not being able to get in the car when it's frozen due to frameless windows, I tried AG de-icer - it's a squirt bottle, so easy to apply where I do want it and must say, works very well and not had any issues with inside icing / misting up. Very pleased with it and got another bottle for this year.


If you haven't alreday treated all seals with Gummi Pfledge then I can't recommend it highly enough.


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## makelja (May 9, 2011)

We here in the north use these:
http://www.kungs.fi/en/max-is-snow-brushice-scraper
Or these:
http://www.kungs.fi/en/mid-is-ice-scraper
Or if you a real cold woosey, then use this:
http://www.kungs.fi/en/arctic-is-ice-scraper

Water makes it only worse.


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## stealthwolf (Sep 24, 2008)

Thanks all. I ordered the carchem stuff. It arrived promptly but I ordered two lots of each and got only one pair of preicer/deicer. Waiting to see what happens. 

Swedish ice scraper looks interesting. I've always been wary about scrapers marking the glass, more so since I've paid for a new windscreen this year. Will see how the carchem stuff fares. If it's rubbish or not fast enough, I'll look at the scraper. 

The heater - potential for use but I was hoping for something to use on both my car and the wife's. She eats breakfast at work, and I generally skip breakfast so we would both be twiddling our thumbs whilst waiting for it to work. Unless we set it up at night and used a timer plug so it was ready by the time we needed to drive off.


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## wish wash (Aug 25, 2011)

One thing I see a lot is people squirting de-icer on the windscreen and leaving it. I don't think many know that once it starts to melt your supposed to dry your windscreen with a cloth. I never see people do this.


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## steelghost (Aug 20, 2015)

By the time it's been diluted by the ice that it's melted and run down the scuttle drain, I'm not sure it really matters that much?


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## makelja (May 9, 2011)

Those scrapers are made in Finland.


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## BeadKing13 (Nov 14, 2017)

Whats wrong with a trusty windscreen cover and a scraper for your side/rear windows? :thumb:


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## bigkahunaburger (Jun 27, 2012)

BeadKing13 said:


> Whats wrong with a trusty windscreen cover and a scraper for your side/rear windows? :thumb:


It said in the opening post


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## rojer386 (Mar 15, 2008)

Andyblue said:


> Hi mate
> 
> Yes, spray along the window / door edge and also where the window closes into the roof line (if that makes sense)
> 
> Just remember though to take it with you though, no good in the car if it's frozen


Ill look into that mate, thanks.

Just my luck, the M140i was 1 year old yesterday and on the way to work today I got hit by a stone from a lorry and cracked the windscreen. 17 years of driving and that is my first windscreen replacement.


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## Barbel330 (May 3, 2016)

I just had a new alarm with remote start fitted on my VW caddy. Scraping windscreens or covering the van in de-icer and then getting into a freezing cold vehicle are a thing of the past


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## Metblackrat (May 1, 2012)

I fitted a Heatshot unit and haven't looked back. I picked one up for £35 on eBay.






https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/192294014626


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Metblackrat said:


> I fitted a Heatshot unit and haven't looked back. I picked one up for £35 on eBay.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That looks very interesting. Can I ask how it's connected? The wiring schematic shows it connected directly to the battery, but the description says that the fluid heats up within 30 seconds of starting the engine, which would suggest that there is an 'ignition' wire too.

Is the unit constantly heated and drawing from the battery?

I'm tempted to buy this!!

Cooks


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## tosh (Dec 30, 2005)

£35 seems reasonable
Can’t believe it was originally £170+


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## Metblackrat (May 1, 2012)

Cookies said:


> That looks very interesting. Can I ask how it's connected? The wiring schematic shows it connected directly to the battery, but the description says that the fluid heats up within 30 seconds of starting the engine, which would suggest that there is an 'ignition' wire too.
> 
> Is the unit constantly heated and drawing from the battery?
> 
> ...


It has a positive and earth cable to the battery and a signal wire that goes to a switched live. It took about an hour to fit but that's due to me removing the scuttle panel and connecting to the washer jets there.


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Metblackrat said:


> It has a positive and earth cable to the battery and a signal wire that goes to a switched live. It took about an hour to fit but that's due to me removing the scuttle panel and connecting to the washer jets there.


Thought there had to be a switched live too. Cheers!!!

Cooks


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## FJ1000 (Jun 20, 2015)

Barbel330 said:


> I just had a new alarm with remote start fitted on my VW caddy. Scraping windscreens or covering the van in de-icer and then getting into a freezing cold vehicle are a thing of the past


What alarm did you go for?

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## Barbel330 (May 3, 2016)

FJ1000 said:


> What alarm did you go for?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I went for this one mate. I paid £550 supplied and fitted including additional dual zone proximity sensor.

http://www.clifford.co.uk/ProductPages/Security_RemoteStart_5204V.html


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## stealthwolf (Sep 24, 2008)

Well, well, well.

Forgot to use the pre-icer last night but I used the carchem de-icer. Whilst it worked beautifully on the outside, it caused the inside of the windscreen to ice up! Have never had that happen in fifteen years of driving. 

I'll try the pre-icer to see if that can limit the need for the de-icer.


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