The days are getting colder, its dark when you leave for work, and its dark when you get home from work. Winter is here and you need to start including time to defrost your car in your morning routine. But don’t worry, with these top tips from PF Jones you can get the job done with no long-term issues.

1. Stay with your car at all times, DO NOT leave your car unattended. AA Autowindshield has issued a warning to all drivers of thievery this winter. While you pop back inside your house a thief can drive off with your car, more notably, with the keys (most car insurances will become invalid if a car is stolen with the keys left in the car unattended). If you need to leave the car, turn off the engine and lock the doors, a few extra minutes of your time is inconsequential when you compare it to no car at all.

2. Do not use boiling hot water to defrost your car. A rapid change in temperature causes stress on frozen glass, this could cause cracks, particularly if the windscreen is already at risk i.e. if the screen already has chips or small cracks. On cold and frosty mornings, using boiling water on icy windscreens can be a wasted effort and even cause further freezing, this can lead to damage of the windscreen wipers and cost you more in the future.

3. Use de-icer and a scraper to remove ice. Do not attempt to use your hands or abrasive materials to remove the ice such as coins and credit cards, you risk scratching the glass. Only a scraper, specifically designed to remove ice from glass when defrosting your car.

4. While scraping off the ice on the outside, leave your car running. By heating up the screens and using AC to dry the air. the windows will de-mist and save you from sitting and waiting for clear vision after de-icing.

5. Prevent the issue rather than trying to cure it. Use a car top cover to stop the glass from freezing over through the night, this will save you time and money spent on de-icing.

Take your time, get an all-round clear visibility before setting off in your car. By doing this you reduce the risk of any crash or collision. The key to defrosting your car is getting you to the end of your journey as safely as possible, not as quickly as possible.

Have a very merry Christmas from all the staff at PF Jones!