Car Chemicals for Winter

[UBM]

Car Chemicals for Winter

There are some specialty chemicals which can make your winter driving safer and reduce your hassle factor. Most of these products are designed to thaw frozen things or to keep them from freezing. The most common are the ice melting chemicals, normally called deicers. Deicers work well for defrosting the outside of an ice covered window but, what you may not know is, they do a marvelous job of protecting windshield wiper blades too.

So often on cold mornings, you'll find the rubber edge of your wiper blades tenaciously frozen to the windshield. Of course, you don’t realize this until you turn the wipers on and they will not move. When this happens shut the engine off and spray a small amount of deicer on the blades, in a few seconds they’re free. Do not restart the car until the deicer has thawed the blades, otherwise the wiper motor will struggle until it forces them to move. This shortens the life of the wiper motor and tears away small pieces of rubber leaving a rough blade edge, creating poor wiping and visibility when it rains.

You’re probably already aware that spray silicone is excellent for keeping door and window weather-stripping soft and pliable, but did you know that it can also prevent a seriously annoying winter problem. Silicone liberally applied to your weather-strip once or twice during the coldest winter months will usually eliminate frozen doors. Doors refuse to open when water trapped between the doorframe and the weather-strip freezes, causing the door to stick to the rubber making it impossible to open. The time-honored ritual of pouring hot water around the doors opens them but many times leads to frozen locks or shattered glass. Liberal applications of spray silicone keep the rubber so slippery ice can’t adhere to it and you aren't frozen out. Silicone doesn't help when the vehicle is encased in a thick layer of ice but under average freezing conditions, it gets the job done very effectively.

Frozen locks are one of life’s character tests and that thought brings up lock deicer, another invaluable product. This also comes in spray form and quickly thaws frozen locks. Typically, lock deicer is conveniently stashed in the glove box, console, or trunk. Seems like a reasonable thing to do, that is, until you’re faced with a frozen lock. If the deicer is inside the car, you won’t be able to open the door to get to it. Lock deicer should be kept in your garage, purse or briefcase or it just becomes a bigger test of your character.

In addition to the lock deicer, you must have a container of graphite lock lubricant. This replenishes lubricating oils that lock deicers wash out of the locks. Graphite lock lubricant used several times during the winter will help keep locks ice-free. The lock lubricant oils prevent water intrusion, and if no water enters the locks they can’t freeze, it’s that simple.

Last is your ice scraper, I know it isn't a chemical but it is an indispensable part of your winter survival arsenal. Ice scrapers actually have a very short life and should be replaced a couple times during the average winter. Scraping ice causes small chips in the scraper’s edge leaving it rough and jagged. Once that happens extreme caution must be exercised or those rough edges will scratch your glass. Buy two scrapers, they’re cheap, glass isn't. A little forethought takes a lot of the bite out of winter.

[Chav]

[CarMad]

Great tips

[mmj]

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Great tips

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Ditto!

Don't quote me on this, but I tend to find that when I park facing downhill, I get less frozen condensation on the inside of the screen, as I guess the vapour condenses on the back window more.

More valid for old cars with leaks though!