Car Snow Clearance

ACTIVE8 · Unread post by **ACTIVE8** » 18 Dec 2010, 12:36

If your car is covered in snow as mine is, and yes I have to get out later, which should be a right laugh with the way others do not cope with the snow.

Then if you are trying to clear the snow off the car, and at the rate its coming down it should be a long job, which I am not looking forward to, so to save time I will get that new soft brush we just bought for the house, it has not been used (which is a point to remember, as you do not want to damage the paint with a brush that's got muck on it.)

It should save time in clearing it, and make it easier to clear, although it might have to stay in the car, as this snow is not letting up!

Also so many drivers clear nothing, and then drive with off with the lumps of snow dropping, and flying off their car which is a hazzard to other drivers, and illegal if they have not made an attempt to clear it, and ensure that they can see out, watch out fot the type that only clears a tiny patch in front off their eyes.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 18 Dec 2010, 13:14

I buy a new 'snow brush' each winter.
When the snow is gone it gets allocated 'other tasks' and is ruined by the time the snow faeries visit again.

No snow here though. Brilliant sunshine and + degrees. (Not + much mind)

Gingerposer · Unread post by **Gingerposer** » 18 Dec 2010, 13:24

I keep an old extendible window cleaning pole, which has a double sided head on it - one side sponge (unused) and the other side with a rubber squeegee - the reach of the pole means that even for a shorty like me, no need to struggle to reach to the middle of the windscreen to clear the snow off!

Different matter with ice tho cos you can't scrape ice off with it.

ACTIVE8 · Unread post by **ACTIVE8** » 18 Dec 2010, 13:54

O.K. got the worst of it off, and now have sorted out the travel version, which will be the new dust pan, and brush which will go in the car, and not take up too much space. The pan can scoop the snow off, and the brush can dust it off,

and like myglaren said I will be keeping this for the car, and it can migrate

back to the house when the temp goes up, although the stories in the news, say this cold snap could be with us for a while, apparently for a month.

Although the snow fall seems to be falling in different amounts, depending on where you are.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 18 Dec 2010, 14:21

Gingerposer wrote:I keep an old extendible window cleaning pole, which has a double sided head on it - one side sponge (unused) and the other side with a rubber squeegee - the reach of the pole means that even for a shorty like me, no need to struggle to reach to the middle of the windscreen to clear the snow off!

Different matter with ice tho cos you can't scrape ice off with it.

Suspension on LOW!
I can't reach the top centre of my screen otherwise.

For ice I chuck a bucket of cold water over it - while warming the engine and the blower on "Screen Clear".

I have seen one of my neighbours pouring boiling water straight from the kettle on her new Megané. Rather her than me

Gingerposer · Unread post by **Gingerposer** » 18 Dec 2010, 14:50

Even with suspension on low I struggle to reach the middle of the screen without resting the lads on the cold bodywork!

ACTIVE8 · Unread post by **ACTIVE8** » 19 Dec 2010, 11:01

myglaren wrote:
Gingerposer wrote:I keep an old extendible window cleaning pole, which has a double sided head on it - one side sponge (unused) and the other side with a rubber squeegee - the reach of the pole means that even for a shorty like me, no need to struggle to reach to the middle of the windscreen to clear the snow off!

Different matter with ice tho cos you can't scrape ice off with it.
Suspension on LOW!
I can't reach the top centre of my screen otherwise.

For ice I chuck a bucket of cold water over it - while warming the engine and the blower on "Screen Clear".

I have seen one of my neighbours pouring boiling water straight from the kettle on her new Megané. Rather her than me

That throwing hot water onto a windscreen is such accident waiting to happen, more so with these glued in screens which are now structural, unlike earlier screens that were not bonded in previously.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 19 Dec 2010, 11:21

Pouring lukewarm water works and can be done safely.

Disaster if it's done with hot or boiling water for sure, though I've always
found the most tepid of water does the trick and clears the screen far more
effectively and quickly than scraping the glass or using spray cans. Really
anything above freezing works just so long as it it doesn't freeze on pouring
- I'd liken it to the effect of sun warming onto the frozen glass after moving
the car out of the shadows where the temperature jump isn't too big to stress
the glass and fracture it.

Andrew

Trainman · Unread post by **Trainman** » 19 Dec 2010, 11:31

I was given a great tip the other day, for defrosting the windscreen, a hot water bottle on the dashboard, simples........

ACTIVE8 · Unread post by **ACTIVE8** » 22 Dec 2010, 02:03

Trainman wrote:I was given a great tip the other day, for defrosting the windscreen, a hot water bottle on the dashboard, simples........

Have you actually tried this out, and if so how long did it take?

red_dwarfers · Unread post by **red_dwarfers** » 22 Dec 2010, 11:33

ACTIVE8 wrote:
Have you actually tried this out, and if so how long did it take?

Best to have a couple, most of my screen is defrosted in about half and hour but it all depends on quantities of frost really.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 22 Dec 2010, 12:27

Trainman wrote:I was given a great tip the other day, for defrosting the windscreen, a hot water bottle on the dashboard, simples........

I'd be mindful of protecting the surface of the dash, freezing cold to very hot quickly, sounds like the recipe for a large split on the dash.

Citroenmad · Unread post by **Citroenmad** » 01 Jan 2011, 22:19

My preferred method of defrosting is:

- Brush off snow with soft brush
- Use fan heater to defrost around door seam and door handle
- place fan heater on back seat, leave for 20 minutes
- Remove fan heater

By this time the car is defrosted and the interior is warm too.

Though its always an extra thing to do on a busy morning. So whoever is out first in the morning i put their cars in the garage so there are two less to defrost and its faster to get out on a morning. Usually im out first so mine is garaged.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 01 Jan 2011, 22:35

No half measures: