We asked the experts: Here's how to remove snow and ice from your car
Snow and ice needs to be removed from your car before hitting the road, but what's the best way to do it?
Commuting can be difficult after a big snowfall -- and for some people, cleaning the snow and the ice off their car after the storm is a more dreaded task than hitting the road.
Since I work for The Weather Network, I decided to upload a video to Twitter, filmed while I was scraping ice off the hood of my car.
It caused quite the uproar, with dozens of tweets directed my way.
"Is she really using the scraper on her car?" one user asked.
“In the spring you’re going to wonder where all these scratches in your paint came from," another said.
They may have a point, but it's necessary to remove ice from your car prior to driving. If you don't you could cause an accident.
And if you cause an accident,you could face steep fines.
We've already seen some terrifying flying ice stories in recent years. In January 2020, a large chunk of ice flew off a transport truck and slammed into a double-decker GO bus, smashing its windshield.
Thankfully nobody was hurt.
That wasn't the case for Martin Burger of Cobden, Ontario, who was driving on a highway with his 16-year-old son Clark when a large chunk of ice smashed through his windshield, hitting him in the face. He was able to maintain control of his Honda Pilot and steer it off the road, but he sustained significant injuries.
Clark, luckily, was not injured.
SO HOW DO I GET THIS ICE OFF MY CAR?
Experts say there are a few ways to get ice off your car. File photo: Getty Images.
I reached out to several experts, like mechanics and car detailers to find out the right way to get the snow off of the body of a car.
The first thing you should do is turn your car on and gradually heat the car. Instead of using a brush with bristles, invest in one that's made out of foam. You could also cover your bristles with a microfibre cloth, starting with the roof of your car.
Only use the ice scraper on your windows. By the time you get to the windshield, the car should be warm enough to have allowed for some melting.
You can use windshield wipers with a cloth or a de-icing spray to remove stubborn ice.
Before a storm, consider using a cover or tarp on your car -- but keep in mind, blustery winds and mixed precipitation could lead to friction and scratches as well.
But the experts I talked to said the best method to avoid ice and snow build up is the most obvious one: Park your car in a garage whenever possible.
Editor's note: This article was originally published in February 2020
