Drivers are very happy to learn a new hack for de-icing their windscreen this winter, especially since this new trick doesn't cost a thing.
Nobody wants to spend ages every morning scraping ice and snow off their car, but it has to be done if you actually want to see where you're going, and that's where a series of handy hacks come in.
One of the most effective tricks is dabbing a warm cloth in some rubbing alcohol to wipe the ice and snow away quickly, and it's smoother than trying to scrape everything off with whatever comes to hand.
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There are some really important things to avoid when trying to shift the ice and snow, however, including pouring hot water over your car to melt it away.
That damages the windscreen and can freeze over again quickly, causing even more problems and messing up your car in the long run.
The boiling water can cause cracks in the glass which we're pretty sure you wouldn't want, unless you like driving while getting splattered in the face by bugs and the weather.
When it comes to these hacks it turns out the simplest method is often the best, if you don't want ice growing on your windscreen you should simply put a cover over it.
Alright, it's a little bit more complicated than that as you've got to make sure you do it right, but it does appear to work.
Covering the windscreen with a blanket tucked into the car doors and underneath the wipers should be enough to protect it, and come the morning commute it should be as simple as peeling the whole thing off to reveal a perfectly unblemished windscreen.
A video of the hack being used successfully was posted to TikTok, where it was shown to be a very useful thing to know.
Drivers were blown away by this cost free de-icing hack, saying they were 'taking notes' and had been successfully employing this trick 'for years'.
Others pointed out that you could buy windshield covers which did the job properly, which might be handy as another driver said they tried the hack and the 'blanket froze', which might make it a bit tough to peel off the car.
Another common mistake people make when driving in winter is pressing the 'air circulation' button while trying to de-ice the car as it traps humidity inside the car and before you know it you'll have misted up your car.
The button cuts off air from outside the car, which is handy if you're driving by some freshly fertilised fields but experts have warned that it's best to leave it off during the winter.
Experts also warned that if there are lots of people in the car it can quickly become stuffy inside, potentially leading to drowsiness which is the absolute last thing you want when you're behind the wheel, let alone in wintry conditions.
Joe Harker