Vinegar can remove the ice from your car quite easily. Just take a spray bottle and mix in about 3:1 vinegar to the water, and then spray it over the ice.
The acidity in the vinegar is what breaks down the ice so effectively, but be careful though. Although it is practical, vinegar can stain your windows. So, don’t just pour it over. A spray is much safer and more controlled. Also, vinegar can leave a rather definite smell behind that might not be easy to get rid of.
And remember to unlock your doors before using the mixture. Lest you struggle for ten minutes only to realize you never opened the door.
If you don’t want to use vinegar, here are a few other ways you can get ice off your car.
Contents
6 ways to get ice off your car quickly
• Scrape away the ice
This tried-and-true method is as effective today as it was fifty years ago. Just get a scraper and scrape off the ice where needed. If you don’t have a scraper, then any sturdy piece of plastic should do fine. Your credit card or an old spatula should do the trick.
• De-icer spray
A de-icer spray is specifically designed to remove excess ice on cars. You can buy this in most stores, and the chemical is sprayed onto the ice to break it down, much like vinegar.
• Hot water
Although hot water should never be poured on a frozen windshield, it can certainly be used to open a fixed door. Just boil the kettle, take it outside to the car, and gently pour it over the seal of the door. It should melt instantly. But be careful! Don’t let the hot water hit the window; it can crack and even shatter under the right circumstances.
• Rubbing alcohol
This is probably one of the most effective methods of melting ice on a car door. Just mix in about 50% water with 50% rubbing alcohol (it should be at least 90%) into a spray bottle and have at it!
Using it too much could damage your car’s rubber seals, but if it is used sparingly, it shouldn’t be a problem.
• Hairdryer
If you have a decent extension cord, a good hairdryer, and a bit of patience, you can use the heat to melt the ice and open the door. Just turn it on, point at the ice, and watch it melt.
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• Heat the key
Sometimes you can’t even unlock the car door. If you have a full metal key, and you can’t get it through the ice into the lock, a quick solution is to heat the pass over a stove or with a lighter. The heat will instantly melt the ice when it’s inserted, and you can unlock the door.
Only do this if your key is made of full metal and does not have an electronic locking system.
How to prevent my car doors from freezing shut?
The best solution is to park the car indoors, but we don’t all have that luxury, so here are a few chosen methods that work pretty well:
• Cover the car
If you don’t have an indoor garage, then the next best thing is a tarp. You can use it to cover the doors and windshield, also protecting the window against ice forming overnight. Some tarps can even stretch over the entirety of the car, giving some much-needed protection for your engine.
• Plastic bag in the car door
If you’re not in the mood to buy a tarp, or build a garage for that matter, then a quick solution to prevent your doors from freezing shut is a trash bag.
When shutting the door, put the bag in between the door and the frame and shut the door. The bag essentially prevents the door and frame from freezing together in the night. This is a quick solution to save you time in the early mornings.
Conclusion
Tips for Keeping Your Car Doors Frost-Free This Winter
It can be difficult to keep your car doors frost-free in the winter. Here are some tips to help you make it through the season.
1) Keep your car in a garage when possible. If you don’t have a garage, park your car close to the house so that it is warm when you go out in the morning.
2) Check on your car before heading out for work or school in the morning.
3) Clean off any ice or snow on your car door before opening it, and scrape down any ice that has accumulated on the window of the driver’s side door.
4) Make sure all windows are closed and locked before leaving your vehicle unattended.
