Most hand sanitizers contain alcohol. Alcohol is a substance that has an extremely high freezing point. Putting alcohol on a windshield can help to wet the frost then prevent it from refreezing. It can simply be wiped away, then.
Last but not least, hand sanitizer can be used to clean away smudges on glass surfaces. Yes, this means your precious iPhone or computer screen can be smudge free with a simple spray and wipe. Oh, and you could use it on your actual windows as well, which is pretty impressive.
Try this: Mix two-thirds rubbing alcohol and one-third water and pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Shake the bottle and spray the mixture onto the windshield. This usually works pretty quickly. Note: Do not keep the de-icer in the vehicle.
Mix equal amounts of vinegar and water to produce an effective deicer. If the ice is very thick combine 40 percent water and 60 percent vinegar, e.g., 4 cups of water to 6 cups of vinegar; or 8 cups water to 12 cups vinegar. Pour the mixture on iced surfaces, and ice will slowly turn to liquid.
Vinegar is more effective when you apply it on your windshield the night before you expect any ice to form since the acetic acid in the vinegar lowers the freezing point of water. If you try to spray vinegar on your windshield after the ice has formed, then it won't be as effective.
Apply rubbing alcohol to a fresh microfiber towel and wipe down the inside of your car's windshield. The rubbing alcohol will remove fogginess and boost visibility through the windshield. Apply glass cleaner or polish once more time for extra shine and even better visibility.
Ammonia-based products
Many household cleaning products contain ammonia—think Windex—and leave streaks that can create glare as you drive. The ammonia present in these products will cause any tint on your glass to peel off, leaving you with a terrible-looking windshield and windows. Avoid the ammonia-based products!
In some cases, some formulations of hand sanitizers will start to freeze at around -35 degrees Fahrenheit (-37 degrees Celsius). More often, it will need to get down to -50 degrees Fahrenheit to freeze hand sanitizer.
Here's what you do: Mix ⅓ part water and ⅔ part isopropyl or rubbing alcohol together and pour into a spray bottle. Spray the solution onto your windshield, and voila! You'll see the ice disappear instantly.
Mix one part water to two parts rubbing alcohol, apply to your windows and watch the ice peel right off! Use a bottle of 70% isopropyl alcohol (50% works too, but not as well) with a few drops of dish soap, then apply liberally to the glass with a spray bottle.
Don't have rubbing alcohol? Spray a three part vinegar, one part water mixture to thaw off your windshield. Here are a few other snow hacks to rid your car of snow and ice: Use a credit card to scrape snow, ice or frost off your window.
3. Tepid Water. (hot water will crack the glass) while running the windscreen wipers - no scraper needed - ice turns to slush and windscreen wiper wipes it away.
We don't recommend using WD-40 on your windows or windshields but you can apply WD-40 Multi-Use to your number plate to not only provide a protective layer to stop it from rusting but to also prevent ice from sticking to it.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) and the Automobile Association (AA) both recommend against using hot water on a windshield, which can crack or shatter glass due to the sudden change in temperature ( here , here ).
Fill a spray bottle with two parts rubbing alcohol to one part of water. Add ½ teaspoon of liquid dish detergent for every 2 cups. Shake well. Label it as de-icer spray with your marker.
Saltwater can melt ice with a chemical reaction, dissolving the ice and keeping the water from refreezing. Mix water and salt together in a spray bottle and shake or stir until the salt has fully dissolved. Spray the saltwater solution on your car's windshield and windows.
Cover your windscreen – It's best to use fabric material if you can such as an old blanket, but even cardboard would be just as effective providing it's tightly fitted and doesn't allow the morning dew to seep in.
The easiest way to prevent ice from forming on your windshield is to cover it up at night. This can be done with a tarp, folded bed sheet or beach towel. It will prevent any ice from forming on your windshield and will save precious minutes in the morning.
Using a hair dryer to melt the ice is definitely not a good idea. You are more likely to break the glass than defrost the window. Drastic temperature changes expand your vehicle's glass rapidly, which can make it crack.