PaulDaisy

The cold months are here, and for those parking outside and having to scrape the windshield in the morning, I thought I'd share my patented technique for not having to crawl like a monkey around the 5 foot tall hood there, trying to get that frost off the windshield (those North of S. Carolina know what I am talking about).
You will need: a) a 1 gal juice jug (zero cost) b) a squeegee ($3 at Walmart). Don't try to skimp and not use the squeegee, you will not like the results.
Step 1. Fill up the jug with lukewarm water (attention: DO NOT try hot water! See disclaimer below).
Step 2. Take it to the truck, get up and pour the water slowly over the windshield, from the upper edge down, moving the jug back and forth to wash off the frost and thin ice. Don't try to save the water: it is not just moistening the glass, it is heating it up a bit to melt off thicker ice.
Step 3. Once water runs off without freezing to the windshield anymore, immediately use the squeegee to get rid of the last remaining drops. If you don't do this, you will get frozen drops all over and it will be really ugly.
Step 4. Go to the passenger side and repeat steps 1 through 3. You may need more water in temps colder than about 10F.
The barely-warm water is still much warmer than the frost or thin ice. It will melt it and warm up the windshield to way above freezing, but the weather will take over and the water will quickly re-freeze, unless you get it off fast with the squeegee.
Disclaimer: anyone who wants to improve the method using hot water, is to blame themselves when their windshield cracks because of too much localized thermal expansion! Do not use hot water. It should be barely warm. Trust me, the water has enough thermal capacity to warm up the glass enough to clean it off of thin ice even if it is cold to the touch.
Good luck! Don't try on 1" think ice covered windshield, you will only build up the ice thickness
I am curious if you find this technique useful. It sure saves me a lot of morning exercise, even if I pour out 2 gals instead of one. Plus, windows don't fog up much from the inside because they have been warmed up a bit already.
-P

White Rat

Another reason not to use hot water is that you could make more ice for your self to scrap

Cheers

~Angry Tractor~

A guy I know shattered his windshield doing that. If the temperature varies too much it could destroy your windshield.

4x4dually

I've also seen windshield crack by folks letting their truck warm completely up without turning the defrost or vent on high heat and letting it warm up slowly. Once warm, they turned the defrost on high and the fan on high. A large crack started chasing another crack all the way across the windshield. They must have had a small chip that aided in the process. It was rather commical for me, but my buddy wasn't very happy.

Sea:\>Drive

I use a similar but automated method. Leave defrost on at night. In AM remotely start the truck and let her idle for about 5 minutes before I jump in. Once I jump in I hit the windshield washer (it is cold, but doesn't freeze as easy) then hit the wipers (automated squeegie)

dssimecek

I have used thw warm watter trick, when we lived WA state, but I added the deicer stuff to the water, Helped prevent the refreez. Also had the truck running with the defrost on.

infidel

I cracked a windshield years ago using cold water when the temp was -20F. I won't try this again.
Remote starter, truck plugged in and in defrost mode works for me.
I've found if the truck is plugged in that as long as the temp doesn't drop below 20° ice and snow doesn't accumulate on the hood and windshield.

cLAYH

How long do you let your trucks run to warm up with the remote start. Its right around 0* to -5C here and after 15mins the temp guage hasn't moved.

CGA03

Or just put a blanket or towel on your windshield and turn your wipers on and stop them while in mid stroke to hold the towel up. Just take it off the next morning and no scrapping at all.

LanceD

I usually use my remote start, and spray washer fluid on it, that stuff is made to melt ice. also keep a can or two of the deice for the side windows and door handles. it helps if a can or two is in the bed, once I couldn't open my doors because the ice froze the door shut haha

Sea:\>Drive

I drive about 30 miles to work, and when it is really cold out (<20*F) I'll hit the remote start and let it go about 10 minutes . To me any longer does no good (as this engine wont warm up at an idle anyway) and probably does more damage. If it is higher than 20, only about 5 minutes of run time. My remote starter is programmed for a 15-min run time max.

When I jump in the windows are usually defrosted (it is blowing barely warm air by now, but much warmer than outside temp) so I can see. By the time I hit the highway (about 2 miles of city driving) the temp gauge is moving and I'm warming up nicely.

Rare1

For those who park outside overnight and have a remote starter, try this: When you park in the evening, set all of your controls exactly as you would have them in the morning if you would go out and warm up the truck without the remote, as SeaDrive said, defrost is on, also heat on high, fan turned up, STICK FOR HIGH IDLE SET AT 1100 RPM BEFORE YOU SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, and also your radiator cardboard in place. You could run an extension cord from your bedroom to the truck to plug in the block heater (if you don't need the block heater all night, get up 3 hours early, pee, plug it in your wall outlet [the cord, not your ....], and return to bed). If you don't trust yourself, use a timer as Infidel has said so often. In the morning your 15 minute remote start cycle will easily warm the engine, cab, and the windshield unless it snowed a bunch.

dodgezilla04

my wipers will not stop in the middle. even if they are running when i shut down, they will keep going until they park at the bottom.

infidel

Another thing I'll never do again. I had a blanket over my windshield, during the night snow changed to rain then cleared up. With the clear skies the temp dropped to the low 20s, blanket froze to the windshield so bad that I had run defrost for half an hour before I could get it off.

CGA03

HAHA, that stinks, they actually make a thing for it, its made out of nylon I believe.