Tips For Using Your Defogger Properly

There are a lot of changes in between seasons, but one of the biggest is weather. Transitioning from warm to cold or even frigid air can affect many things, including your windshield. There is nothing more annoying than walking out the door for work to see your car windows fogged up or frosted over.

Do not let a frosted or fogged window delay you from beginning your day. The defogger in your vehicle can come in handy, but there is a bit more to it than turning on the button. Utilize these tips for using your defogger properly.

The Science Behind Frosted or Fogged Windshields

It is important to know why windshields fog up or are frosting over. The science behind frosted or fogged windshields concerns the air’s temperature. More moisture is held in warmer air. This can cause your window to fog up, especially if your glass is cold. A frozen windshield is the result of the same occurrence, except that the temperature drops. Whatever moisture is in the warm air then turns to tiny water droplets that freeze due to the drop in temperature.

How To Defog Your Windshield

Now, that you understand the science a bit of why your windshield may fog up or frost over, it will help you better remember the steps to clear up your windshield in the early mornings. Aside from pressing the defogger button, you will need to alter the temperature as well. With the defogger on, you need to turn on the heater if it is cold outside. However, if your car is fogged up but it is warm outside, you will need to set the temperature to cool. It is also a good rule of thumb that you make sure the air recirculation mode is off. If you want to quickly defog your window, then turn up the fan speed. Once you can see clearly through your windows, turn everything off.

You might also like: How To Keep Your Cabin Smelling Fresh

Defrosting Your Windshield 101

If you are curious about how to defrost a windshield, the steps are very similar to defogging with a few minor adjustments. Since your window is frosted over, you will need to turn on the heat after pressing the defogger button. After a bit, you will surprisingly need to also turn on the AC. The air conditioning can assist dry the air faster. This is particularly important if you live in a humid climate. As previously mentioned turn off the air recirculation, but it is also advised to roll down your windows a smidge to release any trapped humid air from your vehicle.

As you are using the defogger on the inside, you can quicken the process of removing the frost on the outside with a simple solution that consists of 2/3 cup of rubbing alcohol and 1/3 cup of water at room temperature. This solution should be placed in a spray bottle that you then spritz on the ice. Using an ice scraper after the solution sits for a few seconds, gently scrape away the ice from the windshield.

Disclaimer: The stock image is being used for illustrative purposes only, and it is not a direct representation of the business, recipe, or activity listed. Any person depicted in the stock image is a model.