‘Magic’ button defrosts car windscreen in seconds – and some drivers had no clue

Motorists can press just one button inside their car to help them de-ice their windscreen in seconds as temperatures plummet – and some drivers had no idea it existed

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Driving tip: How to defrost your windscreen

Winter has well and truly taken hold this week, with temperatures dropping and frosts forming, and some parts of the UK even seeing their first glimpse of snow for this winter.

And as the days get cold and the nights get even colder, many of us will be waking up to find our car windscreen has been completely frozen over – leaving us the chore of standing in the freezing cold with a scraper trying to get enough of the ice off that we can see where we’re going.

But thanks to a tip from a driving expert, you don’t actually need to suffer in the cold before you head off to work, as it turns out you can actually get rid of the ice from inside your car as it’s warming up.

Driving Test Success – who are the UK’s leading provider of Theory Test revision materials – shared a video on their TikTok account (@drivingtestsuccess) in which they explained you can clear ice cover by simply activating your car windscreen fan, which will heat up the glass from the inside and help to melt the frost.

In the company’s video, they explained: “Frozen windscreen? Put the temperature on high.

“Put the front windscreen fan on max. The ice will start to melt from the heat. Wipe away excess water and return the fan to normal.”

While the tip might seem obvious to some seasoned drivers, several commenters on the video who were new to driving couldn’t believe they’d never seen the hack before.

One commenter said: “Wow, magic! The ice is gone.”

And another praised the account for all their help, as they wrote: “I’ve learnt so much thanks to your app!”

But others were less impressed, as one TikTok user shunned the idea, stating: “Wastes more fuel. Just get [out] and scrape it off you lazy so and so.”

Driving Test Success is far from the first account to point out the easy de-icing trick either, as another video online from Clear View Driving said road users should use their demister before they start driving.

They said: “Now don’t use your windscreen wipers or washers as that won’t help. Turn on your front and rear demister.

“The rear demister also heats up your side mirrors in most new cars. But if the mirrors are not clear, make sure to clear them before you start driving.

“Then, once it’s done you can use your wipers.”

And in the cold winter months, the AA has also encouraged road users to “turn on the warm air blower” and “heated mirrors” to clear frost cover quickly and safely.

They explained: “Start the engine and turn on the warm air blower on the windscreen. Switch on the rear windscreen heater and heated mirrors, if you have them. Turn on the air-con. It’s not just for summer – it’ll remove moisture from the air to stop the car from misting up.

“Don’t use your hands to wipe misted-up windows – you’ll leave greasy smears and a diamond ring could scratch the glass. Use a lint-free absorbent cloth if necessary.

“Stay with your car the whole time while the engine’s running.”

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