Ice; nice in a glass of lemonade on a hot summer’s day, but not very nice when you have to resort to a bottle of de-icer spray. While you can get to work with a decent ice scraper or chance throwing boiling water onto the ice (don’t, you’ll do damage), de-icer is far quicker and less strenuous. As part of our best winter products collection, take a look below at our favourite de-icers right here.
Almost half or motorists in the UK admit to not fully clearing their windscreen of ice, something that could land users with a £60 fine under the Road Traffic Act of 1988. The research, undertaken by Autoglym, also found that instead of dedicated de-icers or ice scrapers, motorists were using gloves, credit cards and even spatulas. These methods won’t be anywhere near as effective at ice removal as a dedicated product.
De-icer involves a lot more science than a humble item like a snow shovel. In order to understand how de-ice works, you’ll need to remember your freezing points. Water (the main component of ice) freezes at 0°C, the reason winter mornings often require a de-icer. De-icer works by lowering the freezing point of water, which melts the ice away. Most will use ethylene glycol (a nasty chemical) to achieve this. Although magnesium chloride (also nasty) is used for exceptionally cold weather.
The best de-icer at a glance:
Editor’s pick: Autoglym De-Icer – Buy from Amazon.
Best two-in-one: CarPlan De-Icer & Pre-Icer – Buy from Amazon.
Best de-icer aerosol: Polar De-Icer Spray X2 – Buy from Amazon.
We still champion the ice scraper for it’s value for money and eco-friendly way of clearing a windscreen, but accept that de-icer is a great way of easily removing ice in a hurry. We’ve rounded up the best de-icers for tackling those early morning right here.
The best de-icer for your car
Editor's pick
It's safe to use on all car surfaces and can even be used to unfreeze door locks making it the best choice for when the weather is harsh.
Pros
- Excellent for UK weather
- Works on door locks
Cons
- 500ml isn't the best
Best two-in-one
Pros
- Saves morning screen clearing
- Quick and easy
Cons
- You need to remember to apply it in the evening
Great value 6-pack
Rrp: £15.99
Rrp: £15.99
Pros
- Works quickly
- Prevents re-freezing
Cons
- Spray jet means you use more
Best de-icer aerosol
It only works in temperatures up to -20°C, which will be an issue if you live somewhere really cold. But for the majority of UK motorists, you shouldn't worry about it.
Pros
- Breaks down the ice quickly
- Can be bought in a pack
Cons
- Not designed to work in the coldest of temperatures
Best budget de-icer
Pros
- Useful for winter use
- Affordable
Cons
- Not good for the planet
Best de-icer kit
It works at melting ice very quickly indeed, and you will always have an extra tool if the ice on your windscreen is being extra stubborn.
Pros
- A very nice kit to have in the winter season
- Ice scraper has a glove mitt
Cons
- The bottle of screen wash is very small (250ml)
Best value de-icer
Unfortunately, it's only effective down to -15C, which isn't brilliant news for those who live in harshly cold areas of the globe.
Pros
- Great value
- Easy to apply
Cons
- Ineffective at arctic temperatures
Best rain repellent de-icer
Rrp: £9.99
Rrp: £9.99
To apply, you need to apply a protective layer to your windscreen before spreading it with either your wipers of with a cloth. This needs to be repeated a couple of times to get the best protection, and with only 500ml at your disposal, it can be quite easy to chew through.
Pros
- Doubles as rain, snow and hail repellent
- Effective de-icer as well
Cons
- We wish the product came in a larger size than 500ml
Best pre-icer
A pre-icer can be also used to prevent ice from forming on your windscreen in the first place. And CarPlan's pre-icer works in temperatures of up to -25°C.
Pros
- Does the job quite well at loosening the morning ice
- Good value
Cons
- Other de-icers work at much lower temperatures
What you need to know about de-icer
Can de-icers work on more than just glass?
The primary duty of a de-icer is to remove ice from your windscreen. But it can also be used to remove ice from the lights and mirrors present on your car. They can also be used on frozen door locks, a real possibility in extremely cold temperatures. Some even double as rain repellents such as the RainX de-icer. For this scenario alone, it’s a good idea to keep some de-icer in your home. Even the best ice scrapers won’t do much on a seized door lock.
One thing it won’t work effectively on is rubber door seals, potential freezing spots that can prevent your car’s door from opening. The good news is that dressings from brands like Autoglym can prevent this from happening altogether. And if you need a bit more grip in those tricky conditions, a set of snow socks are helpful items for your tyres.
The one other thing it won’t save you from is a completely snowed-over windscreen. For those instances where you’ll need a set of snow chains, a full-on snow brush will be a more useful bet.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. A veteran car cleaner; if it details, waxes or washes he’ll be on hand to make sure it’s worth your money.
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