How to Demist Your Car
There are several ways to demist your car, including using your aircon, climate control and even opening your windows. In this article, we’re going to share some practical tips on how you can ensure total visibility when the weather gets bad.
What causes windscreen misting?
The cause of your windscreen misting up is down to water vapour in the atmosphere condensing on the cold glass.
Demisting your windscreen is vital before you drive. The law states you must be able to see out of every window in your car. It is a legal requirement to have a clear view of the road before driving, which means tackling the mist.
Driving without a clear view of the road is dangerous for you and your passengers, other road users and pedestrians. The good thing is that demisting your car only takes a few minutes.
Here are some ways that you can quickly demist your car.
Use the heater
Start the heater off on a cold setting and slowly increase the temperature while the air dries out. This is a more effective way of demisting your car than putting your heater on the highest setting and potentially overloading the car with hot and wet air straight away.
Ensure your heater is blasted directly at your windscreen and windows, as this will heat up the glass and stop water vapour from condensing it again. Select the setting with three arrows pointing upwards.
Use the air con
If your car has air conditioning, switch it on as it removes moisture from the air in the cabin. Using the air conditioners in combination with the heater will dry the glass more quickly.
If your car windscreen is iced over, you will need to clear the ice off before setting off. This can be done by directing heat onto the windscreen, scraping the ice off the outside using a scraper or using specialist de-icer. Some cars have electrically heated windscreen glass, so if yours does, switch it on. Never pour boiling water onto your windscreen as this can cause it to crack.
If you’re experiencing any issues with your air conditioning, you can always book in for our free air con check.
Free Air Con CheckUse your climate control setting
If your car has a climate control system, use it. There will more than likely be a setting for demisting your windscreen which will automatically adjust the ventilation system.
You can check your car’s handbook for information on any specialist settings.
If you don't have air-con or climate control, open your windows
Lowering your windows down can also help demist your windscreen. This is because the outside air can reduce the amount of water vapour inside your car which can stop your windscreen from misting up. Once the windscreen is cleared, you can close the windows and begin to warm the car up.
While your car is demisting, stand outside. Your breath is warm and wet which could slow the process.
It goes without saying, but don’t leave the car unattended with the keys inside, as this is an opportunity for thieves to steal your car.
How to stop your car from misting
While you can’t change the weather there are a few things that you can do to stop your windscreen from misting:
Dehumidifier boxes, can absorb moisture from within the car. This can help to prevent the car from misting up.
A windscreen shield will also stop moisture from building up. You’ll always find a range of windscreen shields at Halfords.
Windscreen shields don’t just protect your car from misting, they can work in all seasons, preventing ice build-up and misting in the winter and keeping your car cool by reflecting the sun’s rays in the summer.
We’ve also got an ice scrapers, demisters and squeegees that can also help clear your windscreen quickly.
Never drive with a misted windscreen
For safety reasons, be sure to wait until your windscreen is thoroughly cleared and visibility restored before driving anywhere.
The demisting tips and tricks here should help to reduce the time needed to clear your windows, so there's no need to be inconvenienced by long delays.
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