The dos and don'ts of clearing ice off your car's frozen windshield

With freezing temperatures settling in across the region, drivers are once again facing one of winter’s most common headaches: an ice-covered windshield. But experts say there is a safe, fast and inexpensive way to clear it without risking damage to your car.

How to melt ice off your frozen windshield

The most effective method is using a mixture of two parts rubbing alcohol and one part water in a spray bottle. Because rubbing alcohol has a much lower freezing point than water, the solution melts ice almost instantly on contact.

Drivers should also turn on the vehicle’s defrost setting to warm the glass from the inside while spraying the mixture on the outside. Once the ice begins to break down, an ice scraper can be used to remove leftover snow and slush.

Things to avoid while meting