One of the worst things about driving in the winter is having to wait for your windows to defrost before getting on the road -- especially when you're already running late.
There are many urban legends surrounding the easiest ways in which to defrost your windshield. From using shaving cream to kitty litter, some have been given more credence than others. And while everyone (hopefully) knows you never add hot water to a frosted windshield, it’s sometimes hard to find the best solution. But there is one surefire way to determine the best, most efficient ways to defrost your windshield: science.
As it turns out, there is an easier way to defrost your windshield than just blasting the defroster.
First, it's important to understand why your windows fog up in the first place. All air around us has at least some amount of moisture in it that we can't see. This is called water vapor. The higher the humidity level, the more of this invisible water vapor is in the air. Once the humidity level passes 100 percent, it forms condensation. This is, essentially, what causes your windows to fog up.
But what most people don't know is that hot air can hold more moisture than cold air. Meaning warm air is like having a bigger towel to dry off with while cold air is like trying to dry your body with a wash cloth. The same logic applies to clouds, fog and even your breath on a really cold day.
Since warm air can hold more water vapor, it can remove condensation faster. Mark Rober, an enthusiastic YouTube sensation, says he used science to discover the best way to defrost a window. This video explains it best.
Here's what he found:
- Turn heater on at full blast
- Turn AC on
- Turn off the inside air circulation
- Crack open the windows
Rober's experiment found that this method cleared the windshield twice as fast than any other combination of A/C settings.
If you don't have time to wait for your car's heater to warm up, another trick found that using rubbing alcohol is actually the best method. Meteorologist Ken Weathers -- yes that's his real name -- explains how a simple solution of water and rubbing alcohol can do the trick even faster.
By mixing one-third parts water with two-thirds parts rubbing alcohol, which has a freezing point of 128-degrees below freezing, into a spray bottle, the moisture is absorbed almost instantly. Still, this method requires you to stand outside in the frigid air and spray your windshield, but it appears to work much faster than any other method.
For more information on how to defrost your car windshield or other windshield maintenance tips, call the auto glass specials at Only 1 Auto Glass today at (651) 789-1111.