With the freezing rain and sleet we have had here in Oklahoma City, I’ve already taken some calls about scratched windshields. It seems these individuals have had a layer of ice on their windshields and have not had an ice scraper. That said they have grabbed what ever they could find; hey if it can remove ice it has to be OK. WRONG, now their windshield has lots of scratches, some so deep nothing can be done and replacement is the only answer to correct the problem.
Here is a list of items that people have told me they have used to clean ice off their windshield. They all have resulted in a scratched windshield or worse every glass on the car being severely scratched. Don’t use any of these.
- A Pocket, Putty or Kitchen Knife
- A Spatula
- A Pop Can
- A Glass Bottle
- A Spray Can
- A Screwdriver
- A Piece of Metal
- A Coat Hanger
- A Shovel
Also, don’t pour hot water on your auto glass, it can shatter it instantly.
To further prevent damage, make sure your windshield wiper blades aren’t frozen to the windshield before you turn them on. If they are frozen to the glass and you turn them on, the rubber can be torn off and the metal blade will quickly destroy your windshield.
Tip: Use table salt if you don’t have an ice scraper. It’s the same product that is put on the roads to melt ice, except it’s much finer and has been sanitized. When combined with the defroster, it will remove ice. It may take a little longer, but you won’t have a scratched windshield.
