De-icer... is it bad for cars?

fRostiE · 11 Dec 2007 at 07:46

I stood on the drive this morning spraying de-icer on the windows of the car and watched as it ran down the back and onto the bumper... which got me wondering, is there any hint of corrosiveness in the solution?

does it have any chemicals which are bad for either paintwork, seals or wipers?

which do you favour:

de-icer?
semi boiled kettle?
window scraper?

Short of storing it in a garage / starting it 10 minutes before leaving... are there any other ways to clear a car of winters nastiness?

Firestar_3x · 11 Dec 2007 at 07:52

Some of the older / cheaper screenwashes used to contain stuff that caused rust, might be the same for de-icer.

1CE · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:03

A favour my de-icer and scraper, but this year my de-icer has eaten my wiper blades

.

Baron_Samedi · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:12

I haven't used a scraper since I gouged the drivers door glass :eek:

Just pump action de-icer nowadays.

West · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:13

Heated windscreen

ethos · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:14

Very slightly warm water does the trick for me.

fRostiE · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:30

West said:
Heated windscreen

has a somewhat delayed effect in comparison to all the above mentioned methods...

Zip · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:33

If our windows get thick ice on them we just use a cold hose and squirt it til it melts or falls off

Tomsk · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:34

ethos said:
Very slightly warm water does the trick for me.

This is what I use from an old pump action battle. It warms the glass so any water doesn't freeze back on again. Warming the glass also speeds up clearing any condensation on the inside.

The only problem with this method is the water could freeze when it settles on the ground.

Howard · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:40

ethos said:
Very slightly warm water does the trick for me.

Ditto, only started doing this recently, dunno why I didn't sooner but it saves time and frozen hands

Booner! · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:40

The worst bit is when you clean your window with your wipers, as the sprayers are frozen - you end up smearing gunk into the screen leaving a horrible trail! :mad:

1CE · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:42

Booner! said:
The worst bit is when you clean your window with your wipers, as the sprayers are frozen - you end up smearing gunk into the screen leaving a horrible trail!

Or using your squirters to clear it off when your doing 50mph

, serious omgwtf moment!

Stonedofmoo · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:55

ethos said:
Very slightly warm water does the trick for me.

Quoted for the truth. I spent years watching my neighour do this and waiting for the glass to shatter and it never did. In the end I just joined him and it now takes about 30 seconds to de-ice all the windows without using any chemicals

merlin · 11 Dec 2007 at 08:58

Water too.

It's free and it's quick.

atomiser · 11 Dec 2007 at 09:03

another vote for warm water and a squeegee! i see people spending ages battling through the frost with a scraper, ending up in a big huff, and theres me using little or no effort and i'm away minutes before them!

edit: as below, there is a can of de-icer rattling around in the back, but only for use when i'm caught short!

TripleT · 11 Dec 2007 at 09:10

Warm water too. Although I do have de-icer in the car as well for when I'm in carparks and such.

But even better, underground carpark = no ice

1CE · 11 Dec 2007 at 09:13

Does anyone else get seriously high in the morning when you have your heaters on full and then de-ice the car? .

Prophet · 11 Dec 2007 at 09:20

West said:
Heated windscreen

chrislusty · 11 Dec 2007 at 09:23

Start car, heater on hot, front and rear heated windscreens, heated wing mirrors and water jets!

bit of de-icer on side windows then!

JamesRJ · 11 Dec 2007 at 09:27

Credit card does the trick for me