A few ways to make mornings easier for commuters during the first cold snap of the year
10:42, 03 Jan 2026Updated 10:44, 03 Jan 2026
Use a de-icing spray before you reach for the kettle
With Cork under a Status Yellow ice warning and temperatures plunging to lows of -5°C in some parts of the county in the coming days, countless hours will be spent clearing ice off windscreens as drivers get ready for early-morning commutes.
On a cold, dark morning, it can be tempting to risk it and reach for the kettle, but while boiling water does a great job in clearing away the ice, the rapid temperature shift can easily crack your windscreen. While old-fashioned solutions like a windscreen scraper do a solid job, they can be time-consuming, and there are far easier ways to get the car ready for action.
With the first cold snap of the year underway, we’ve compiled a few top tips and tricks from across the internet to help defrost your car without spending twenty minutes chipping away at it in the freezing cold.
Here are six viral defrosting hacks to try out:
Zip Lock bag hack
This viral life-hack comes from a popular TikTok account, @CleanwithKayleigh, as she films herself filling a zip-loc bag with warm water. She then rubs the bag across her windscreen to melt the ice. She captioned the video: “Defrost your car quickly on those frosty mornings with this simple hack. No need for boiling water! It works using warm tap water.”
She said her handy hack means she cuts the time it takes to defrost the car in half(Image: Angela Hickling)Bottle brush
Another tip comes from a mother in the UK, who took to Facebook sharing her discovery. Angela Hickling revealed that all she needs is an empty stain-remover bottle – she uses a carpet cleaner with the scrubber at the end – which works as a ‘scraper’ on the car.She simply fills the bottle with warm water and then glides the brush head over the windscreen and any other affected windows. The ice, she claims, will melt in seconds.
Little-known car buttons
If you find yourself stuck without any zip-loc bags or bottles, you can use the car to defrost itself. It might take a small bit longer than the other methods, but car experts swear by it. Driving Test Success say that by simply activating your car’s windscreen fan, it will heat up the glass from the inside and help to melt the frost away.
Demist to defrost
Another trick recommended by the driving school Clear View Driving is to use your demister before you start driving. They warned against using the windscreen wipers – as the blades can be damaged if they move when frozen or scrape over an icy windscreen – just sit back and let your demister work away. Make sure to turn on the rear one too, as it will heat up your side mirrors in newer cars.
Hot drop for the lock
Cars that have a manual lock are prone to the lock freezing over during the night, and many drivers have damaged their door seals by trying to force them open. Instead, pouring a drop of hot water onto your car key will quickly melt any ice within the lock.
The driver was stopped for not defrosting their windscreenOld-fashioned de-icer and scraper
The AA advise car owners to have a de-icer and a scraper on hand every morning. If you have a spray de-icer, they recommend spraying just the top of your windows, allowing it to melt the ice on its way down. By following with an ice-scraper, it speeds up the process, allowing you to get out on the road even faster.
Driving experts at the AA warn that not only is it an offence to leave your car running to warm it up before defrosting, which could see car owners being hit with heavy fines, it also makes your car a prime target for thieves.It is another offence to drive away without ensuring your windscreen is fully cleared. Don’t risk taking the chance; full visibility is essential.