I heard this thing on the radio about using rubbing alcohol to get ice off your keyhole for your home, but I was wondering if it's safe to use rubbing alcohol on your car ... anybody tried? Any other suggestions?
The ice is too thick to get off with just a scraper, I just need it to get thin enough to scrape it off.
2007-01-15 07:38:25 · 14 answers · asked by starrynight138 2 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Safety
Park it in a garage overnight. I wouldnt advise putting anything like alcohol all over your car.
2007-01-15 07:41:55 · answer #1 · answered by tchem75 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you talking about getting the ice off the whole car, or just the windows???. ALcohol is a good deicer, it isn't practical to use on your windows, it's too expensive and doesn't' work all that well. Scraping the windows is the time proven best way, there are some better scrapers available. We have "bullet proof" frost here in Saskatchewan that seems like it is 1/4" thick. I found a scraper with a brass blade that worked like a dream on it.
Another trick you could try is to throw a tarp over the windshield at night, tuck the ends into the doors,and it's keep the frost from forming on the glass.
2007-01-18 10:26:54 · answer #2 · answered by al b 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't advise pouring alcohol all over your car. What the alcohol is doing though, is changing the freezing point of the water. It's just making a solution with a lower freezing point. That's how salt "melts" ice, and why the alcohol would work on your keyhole.
Lots of alcohols....ethylene glycol etc are marketed as antifreezes because they do just that. But they aren't made for pouring over your car. lol.
Your car's defroster should warm up and begin to melt the ice on your windshield so that it is more manageable with a scraper.
2007-01-15 15:47:12 · answer #3 · answered by Wolfshadow 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't use rubbing alcohol, since it may damage the paint; you should just go get a can of de-icer at your local WalMart, car parts place or even some drugstores. Spray it around the keyhole, being careful to to get too much on the paint. Then, if the lock is frozen, heat the key using a lighter or matches (but be careful as the deicer you've used may be flammable!)
2007-01-15 15:45:45 · answer #4 · answered by Kiffin # 1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do NOT use warm water like your first answer said! If the ice is thinner than you think you are at risk for cracking/destroying your winshield (warm/hot water on cold glass = explosion of glass). I never heard of the rubbing alcohol thing, but I know there is something that you can get at grocery/convience stores that comes in a spray can. Unfortunately, I am blanking on the name of it, but when you spray it on your windshield, it melts ice instantly. So I suggest checking that out. I hope this helps you!
2007-01-15 15:48:49 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
turn the car on and let the defog run for awhile, so that the ice separates from the glass, then just start working on it with the scraper
2007-01-15 15:47:25 · answer #6 · answered by NASER™ 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to your local auto parts store (Pep Boys, or whatever) and ask for spray cans of de-icer, this will quickly remove ice from surfaces (windows, etc.) without scraping.
2007-01-15 18:17:59 · answer #7 · answered by ramarro smith shadow 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Warm up a damp, moist wash cloth in the microwave and gently place it on the winsheild. Not too hot or it might crack it.
2007-01-15 15:46:31 · answer #8 · answered by Shanti 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
let your car run for a few minutes with the defrost on high. this should help. its what i do before i leave for work. i go out and start my car and let it warm up first and defrost my windows.
2007-01-15 15:46:20 · answer #9 · answered by pussycat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use a credit card, they aren't good for anything else anyways.
2007-01-15 17:55:55 · answer #10 · answered by Bill S 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋