Keeping the Windscreen Wash from Freezing

[Will]

Never understood the never ending debate/fascination on defrosting windscreens.

Surely start engine, press front/rear window buttons, heated seat on, clear the side windows and by the time you get in and get belt on etc it’s all done.

Any decent quality screenwash used at winter strength should be okay, not the blue watered down rubbish from supermarkets but proper quality concentrated stuff.

The MB screen wash is really good but not cheap from memory, I sometimes grab the Prestone concentrate from Costco on offer. Pretty sure it was £3 or £4 a bottle the other week on offer, goes down to -23c. I’ve never had it freeze up on me but admit I don’t get to test it to those extremes, seems to work well - no wiper juddering, never had it clog up or go bad in the reservoir either.

Prestone Concentrate Screenwash - 5 Litre | Costco UK

Prestone Screenwash is concentrated with de-icer to remove frost and light ice as low as -23°C for maximum visibility, all year round. It effectively removes stubborn traffic dirt and salt, and prevents traffic and sun dazzle, for increased visibility and safety whilst driving. Features...

www.costco.co.uk

Pretty sure most MBs have had heated washer jets for at least the last 30/40 years now? If the pipes are freezing you’ve still got watered down summer screenwash in there!

And as above, wouldn’t use white spirit in there, would absolutely stink even if it worked

 

[clk320x]

I hate to say it again but another area the EV wins… literally set the time you want to leave and you come out to a totally defrosted and warm car.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Yesterday I witnessed seeing a neighbour come out of the house with a carrier bag , partially filled with warm tap water and began rubbing the frozen windows with it . I got to thinking maybe using a hot water bottle in the same fashion.

 

[SpikyMikey]

Yesterday I witnessed seeing a neighbour come out of the house with a carrier bag , partially filled with warm tap water and began rubbing the frozen windows with it . I got to thinking maybe using a hot water bottle in the same fashion.

It's apparently one of the latest 'life hacks'
Warm water in a ziploc bag to defrost the car. I suppose it keeps your hands warm whilst you're defrosting too.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Yesterday I witnessed seeing a neighbour come out of the house with a carrier bag , partially filled with warm tap water and began rubbing the frozen windows with it . I got to thinking maybe using a hot water bottle in the same fashion.

I saw an online video of this. I should try it. I use tepid water but that can re freeze quickly on the car in very cold conditions and the water which reaches the floor can freeze. The bag would prevent both.

 

[190]

This whole thing about white spirit in the washer bottle is possibly a mix up with methylated spirits which unlike white spirt is fully miscible with water and would work without harming paint work and rubber. The point is mute though given methylated spirits in small quantities is just as expensive as branded screen wash. If you were to buy it 5L at a time it would be more viable.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Many many years ago I sprayed WD40 on the windscreen instead of Holts de-icer. I was in a hurry and was looking for an old aerosol can so-big, and was in autopilot. It didn’t work! I did it a few time/ before I realised.

 

[Bellow]

I have an ice scraper that fills with hot water. Works a treat and keeps my hand warm.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

I've used

I have an ice scraper that fills with hot water. Works a treat and keeps my hand warm.

Mine fills up with hot coffee, we've been married over 35 years

 

[SpikyMikey]

I've used


Mine fills up with hot coffee, we've been married over 35 years

OneForTheRoad wins with the best defrosting device

 

[Petrol Pete]

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[Skd884]

To clear ice from windows i use warm water, all done in seconds.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

To clear ice from windows i use warm water, all done in seconds.

It's all I've ever done , never ever had an issue.

 

[JoolsB]

I hate to say it again but another area the EV wins… literally set the time you want to leave and you come out to a totally defrosted and warm car.

To be fair, my 10 year old V8 Range Rover does that

 

[SpikyMikey]

I hate to say it again but another area the EV wins… literally set the time you want to leave and you come out to a totally defrosted and warm car.

Mrs Spiky's car ( non - EV ) has this feature too.
If she has to leave at 8am she kicks me out the door with de-icer can and wooly hat at 7:50 with the instruction to set the climate and heated seats to max.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

It's time all cars had a heated screen , it's pathetic that they don't.

 

[colinallcars]

It's time all cars had a heated screen , it's pathetic that they don't.

Wasn’t there a contractual tie-in that restricted them to Ford and associated products (such as Land Rover at the time), don’t know if this has expired

 

[SpikyMikey]

Wasn’t there a contractual tie-in that restricted them to Ford and associated products (such as Land Rover at the time), don’t know if this has expired

That has now expired. But the wires in the screen heating system they used is a bit old hat now. Some manufacturers now use the Saint Gobain Climacoat system.

 

[clk320x]

To be fair, my 10 year old V8 Range Rover does that

Really? You can set the time you want the car to be ready and it’ll heat up and defrost in the morning automatically on a 2012 plate RR? Wow.

How does it heat up the cabin without running the engine? I know it probably has an electronically heated windshield but what about the rest of the car cabin, other windows etc?

 

[SpikyMikey]

Really? You can set the time you want the car to be ready and it’ll heat up and defrost in the morning automatically on a 2012 plate RR? Wow.

How does it heat up the cabin without running the engine? I know it probably has an electronically heated windshield but what about the rest of the car cabin, other windows etc?

Webasto pre-heater?