Demisting your car windscreen can help you drive safely and see the road ahead in cold or wet weather.

By law, you must be able to see out of every window in your car, so you should always demist your windscreen before driving if required.

Read on and find out how to quickly demist your windscreen, so that you can stay safe on the road.

 

How Do You Demist a Windscreen Quickly?

To quickly demist your car’s windscreen, you should start with the heater off on a cold setting.

Direct it at the windscreen and windows and slowly begin increasing the temperature.

If your car has air con, you should turn it on and use it along with the heater to keep the atmosphere dry.

If not, roll down the windows instead.

You should also turn off air recirculation, as this will prolong the time moist air is inside of the cabin.

If your vehicle has climate control and offers a setting for demisting your windscreen, use it.

You may need to clear the ice off of your windscreen before setting off if it has iced over.

To do so, simply direct heat onto the windscreen and use a de-icer or scraper to get rid of the ice outside.

You should not drive until the windscreen has cleared.

 

Can You Demist a Windscreen without Air Con?

If your vehicle does not have air con or climate control, then you can demist the windscreen by rolling the windows down.

The outside air can reduce the water vapour levels inside – with air outside of the cabin being mostly drier than air inside.

Be sure to stand outside of the car as it demists, as your warm breath won’t help.

Don’t go too far though – thieves could steal your car if you leave it with the keys inside.

 

Why Is My Windscreen Fogging Up?

The main reason why your windscreen is misting up is the water vapour in the atmosphere, which is condensing on the cold glass.

Your car windscreen can fog up for several other reasons, including the following:

  • Sudden temperature changes
  • Interior contaminants
  • Faulty seals
  • Blocked vents

 

Can I Stop My Windscreen from Fogging Up?

Though you can’t stop your windscreen from fogging up completely, there are a few things you can do to limit this.

Make sure that you use your car’s heating and ventilation system effectively, keep the interior clean and dry and address any issues with the seals or vents promptly.

You may also wish to purchase an anti-fog solution which you can apply to the inside of the windows to stop them from misting up.

Shaving foam works as an alternative to clean your windscreen with as a temporary protective barrier.

Simply put a little shaving foam on a clean towel and wipe it over the entire windscreen.

Then, use another clean towel and wipe away the foam completely.

This should stop the windscreen from misting up, but you will have to regularly reapply the shaving foam.

Alternatively, you could purchase a small dehumidifier box to absorb moisture before it hits your windscreen.