As temperatures continue to plunge across the country, many people are struggling to keep the frost off their cars, especially early in the morning. This has caused many people to try out all kinds of strange hacks, from using onions to using a mixture of vinegar and water.
If you've found the homemade remedies aren't working for you, there are plenty of products out on the market that claim to help you de-ice your car instantly. These don't have to break the bank, and can sometimes cost as little as a few pounds.
No one likes to stand outside on a freezing morning, scraping off the ice from windows, so a de-icer is essential to get you moving as quickly as possible.
With so many different products on the market, all claiming to do the same thing, it can be hard to know which ones to buy so you aren't wasting your money.
According to car expert Alex Booth, founder of FaultCodes.co, using the wrong de-icer can be a costly mistake.
He said: "When choosing a de-icer for your car, a good rule of thumb is to look for those which contain rock salt (sodium chloride) and/or calcium chloride as these natural ingredients are ideal for quickly removing ice and frost from your car without damaging the glass or paintwork.
"You can find products containing these ingredients in most hardware and vehicle stores as well as online."
There are also products you should be avoiding, as they could cause damage to your car.
Alex said: "Some de-icer products contain chemicals such as ammonium nitrate, carbamide, potassium chloride and magnesium chloride and these should be avoided at all costs as they are not suitable for cars.
"Although these might be effective at defrosting your vehicle, they may also land you with a large bodywork bill as these chemicals can corrode your glass and paintwork as well as be harmful to the environment."
There are also other things you should be wary of when it comes to defrosting your car in the cold weather.
For example, you may not know that leaving your car unattended while defrosting is against the law, and could invalidate your insurance.
People have also been warned against trying a viral hack involving putting hot water in a plastic bag and then running it over your windows, because it has the potential to cause serious damage.
What's your best hack for getting rid of ice on your windscreen? Let us know in the comments below.
