Tips For Quickly Defrosting Frozen Cars During Texas' Icy Weather

A winter storm has brought below-freezing temperatures and icy conditions to the Lone Star State. And now, many are left to deal with frozen cars in the morning before their morning commute.

My San Antonio scraped up a few tips for quickly defrosting your cars during the frigid mornings, using information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Safelite Autoglass.

The best way to get started is by stocking your car with a snow shovel, broom, ice scraper, kitty litter (or sand), jumper cables, flashlights, blankets, a cell phone charger, food, and water just in case of emergency.

When defrosting your windshield, the most effective way is by idling your car. Pair that with a "tried-and-true ice scraper" and the job will be done in no time. Safelite suggests being gentle with scrapers to avoid any damage to the vehicle.

But what if there's a sheet of ice on the window?

Safelite says the most highly recommend way of getting rid of ice on windows is with isopropyl alcohol. Just mix two-thirds rubbing alcohol with one-third water in a spray bottle. Spray it on the ice and it should melt quickly. Drivers should never pour boiling hot or cold water on windows to remove ice.

To ensure safety, drive as little as possible during winter weather conditions. But if it's necessary to drive somewhere, be sure to check road conditions before getting behind the wheel. You can check the current road conditions at DriveTexas.org, on the North Texas Tollway Authority's Twitter page, and on the TxDOT Twitter page.