How to safely remove frost and ice from a windshield?
In winter, drivers often struggle with frost and ice that stubbornly accumulates on car windows. Contrary to what it looks like, it is not easy to properly clean their surfaces from such deposits - using the wrong tools and methods, we can permanently damage the glass surface.
The main problem when cleaning a car from snow in winter is the windshield. Most rear windows have a heating function. 
electric, and the side windows are made of tempered glass, resistant to scraper scratches. Before starting snow removal, you should think about which method to choose so as not to damage the windshield - scrape the windshield or glue it, defrost it with chemicals in a spray or use special care products in car services, or maybe limit yourself to blowing warm air?
Ice scrapers
Cleaning glass with a plastic scraper is the most popular and fastest way to clean glass from accumulated ice and snow. Unfortunately, it is also the most harmful solution for its surface. By scratching the glass with an ice scraper twice a day on average, after a few months there will be a lot of small scratches on the glass. Their more expensive counterparts equipped with a brush or glove unfortunately have the same soft blade despite the higher price, with which we consistently damage the glass surface. If you decide to clean the glass, be sure to use a hard plastic scraper. The soft blades of the scraper after the second pass over the dirty, frozen glass scratch it, and the grains of sand from the frozen ice dig into the soft line of the scraper blade. Therefore, the line of the scraper blade must be sharp and hard. A scraper with a blunt leading edge is a worn scraper and should be discarded,” says Jarosław Kuczynski of NordGlass. Scraper technique is just as important as buying the right equipment. The angle at which the scraper should be held when removing frost or ice is extremely important to minimize possible scratch damage. “At an application angle of less than 2°, ice and grains of sand accumulate under the edge of the scraper and scratch the glass after passing through. When the scraper is applied at an angle greater than 45°, snow and sand are removed (pushed out) from the glass surface without the grains of sand being pressed into the surface of the glass and the scraper,” adds the NordGlass expert.
Anti-icing spray
Removing ice from glass with defrosters or washer fluids is definitely a safer solution for glass than using an ice scraper. “Using de-icers does not damage the windshield. The only side effect of this method may be a slight white spot on the plastic of the undercoat, which can be easily removed. I don't recommend using aerosol de-icers in windy weather because then a small amount of the liquid settles on the glass. Atomizer defrosters are much more efficient,” advises Jarosław Kuczynski from NordGlass. An equally good way is to apply winter windshield wiper fluid directly to the windshield, and after a few minutes, collect the residue from the windshield with a rubber wiper. It is worth remembering that buying several bottles of windshield defroster in the winter season is incomparably cheaper than the cost of a possible replacement of glass damaged by a scraper.
Protective mats
Covering the glass with thick paper, cloth or a mat specially made for this purpose is the cheapest and most effective protection for glass from frost. After removing the cover, the glass is clean and does not require additional care. The installation time of the cover on the glass does not exceed 1 minute, and the price of the mat is usually a dozen zlotys. “Paradoxically, the disadvantage of this solution for many drivers is the need to remember to put on a cover and a less aesthetic appearance of our car in such a “package”. So, despite the fact that this solution is cheap and effective, it is not widely used, ”says an expert from NordGlass.
Hydrophobization
Another solution is an innovative water-repellent treatment that reduces ice build-up on windows. “Hydrophobization is a procedure that gives materials properties that prevent water from sticking. The hydrophobized glass receives a coating, thanks to which the adhesion of dirt and snow particles, which almost automatically flow off its surface, is reduced by as much as 70%, ”adds the expert from NordGlass. Standardly applied hydrophobic coating retains its properties for a year or up to 15-60 years. kilometers in the case of the windshield and up to XNUMX, XNUMX km on the side windows.
