Warning over TikTok windscreen de-icing hack that could damage car

The post showed someone de-icing their windscreen by wiping it with a carrier bag filled with hot water.

However, this could cause the glass to crack, according to Graham Conway, Managing Director of Select Car Leasing.

He said: “Putting warm water - as opposed to boiling hot water - into a sandwich bag before sealing it and dragging the bag slowly across the face of the window is a relatively safe hack.

Putting hot water on the windscreen could lead to it cracking (Image: PA) 

“But if you make the mistake of using red-hot water, you’re asking for trouble. 

“Just like pouring boiling water directly onto a windscreen, the rapid change in extreme temperatures could cause the glass to crack."

Mr Conway also said that there might also be the problem of people using the wrong type of bag.

READ MORE: TikTok hack to defrost your car in seconds amid freezing temperatures

He added: “A sandwich bag is smooth, soft and pliable, and is unlikely to scratch the windscreen’s glass. 

“But using something like a more robust ‘bag for life’, one with sharp edges on the bottom, is not to be recommended, as you could end up scarring the windscreen and causing long-term damage to the glass.”

In terms of what to recommend for de-icing a car windscreen Mr Conway suggested a spray-on de-icer or covering the glass with a screen or bit of cardboard as a prevention method.