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It’s that cold time of year again. Frost, iced up cars and the dreaded condensation.
Here’s some tips to make life easier.
How to prevent condensation on windows throughout the winter
As temperatures drop outside and we turn our heating on, condensation can start to appear on our windows, causing damage to windows and potentially developing into dangerous damp patches if not treated.
What causes condensation?
Condensation occurs frequently throughout the winter
Condensation occurs when the air inside a room is warmer than the surface temperature of the window. It builds up faster and more frequently during the winter as we are more likely to turn the heating on, along with our usual daily activities such as cooking, showering, and even breathing.
Is condensation dangerous to health?
The condensation itself isn’t harmful, as it is only water. However, when it remains on wood or plaster the moisture can be absorbed into the material and will create damp patches.
Not only can this cause damage to your windowsills, frames and surrounding walls, but it can also cause health issues due to mould developing.
This can cause respiratory problems such as asthma and allergies, with babies, children and the elderly most at risk according to the NHS.Opening your windows can help to prevent condensation
How to prevent condensation on windows
Cleaning experts have shared their top tips to tackle condensation, including a window vacuum cleaner, and how to prevent condensation developing in the first place.1. Remove moisture before it has time to set in
Soaking up or drawing in the moisture from the room before it has time to manifest can be an easy way to combat condensation and prevent damp from occurring. Unconventional methods include putting cat litter in a sock, tying it up and placing it on a window sill. This one is good for cars too. Place it on your dashboard. (To dry it again, just zap it in the microwave)
Putting a bowl of salt on the window sill has also proven to be a good hack.
If you’re able to invest in the solution, there are some great humidifiers on the market which absorb all the moisture in the air.2. Vacuum the damp away with a window vacuum
Cleaning up condensation with a Window Vac can get instant results with a simple swipe.
Window vacs can effortlessly sucks up moisture leaving flat surfaces sparkling clean and streak-free.
Window vacuums can also be used on any flat surface in the home including windows, showers, and mirrors, ensuring they all stay spotless and streak-free.3. Let the air in
Keeping windows and doors shut throughout the winter months can have negative effects. Ventilating the home by opening the windows for even just 20 minutes a day can drastically reduce the effects of condensation and dampness in homes.
Keeping windows open during activities that cause a lot of moisture in the home such as cooking, showering, and drying clothes can also help minimise condensation.4. Ensure your home has good insulation
Investing in reinsulating the walls of the house could be worth considering if condensation is a recurring issue in your home. Not only will this keep your home warm and reduce costs for heating, but having good insulation greatly determines how much condensation builds up and how long it takes to dry.5. Keep the room temperature regulated
Keeping rooms in the house at a regular warm temperature will stop surfaces from getting cold enough for condensation to build.
The heating doesn’t need to be on constantly throughout the day, but a timer can be used to switch on the heating during the coldest periods, or for a period during the night to utilise lower energy rates to save on energy bills.
Keeping surfaces warm will prevent condensation from forming.
Before switching your heating on for the first time in the winter, take the time to bleed (or vent) your radiators too to ensure they are running efficiently.6. Move your indoor plants and furniture
Consider removing plants from windowsills
Indoor plants that live on the windowsill naturally release moisture into the air.
Consider moving them away from the window during colder months to help reduce the amount of water they release.
Your plants may thank you for it too, as window sills are often much colder in winter than in summer and plants like to maintain an all-year round ambient temperature.
If possible, furniture near external walls should also be moved as far away as possible to allow for air to circulate more freely.How to de-ice your car quickly
What you shouldn’t do to de-ice your car
1. Use boiling water
Research revealed a whopping half of all motorists have used a kettle of hot water to defrost their car windscreen.
But that could be a costly mistake as the sudden warmth hitting your windscreen in chilly temperatures could lead to the glass cracking. FINANCIAL OUCH!2. Just leave it
Sure, it’s tempting to stick the heater on full and drive off hoping the screen will soon clear, but that’s a move that could land you in trouble.
According to the Highway Code, “windscreens and windows must be kept clean and free of obstructions to vision.”
During the icy winter months, this is particularly relevant and you must clear the ice (or snow) from all of your windows, as well as both the front and rear windscreen, before driving. (Dont forget your lights too)
This is the same with clearing the condensation that forms inside the car.
The risk of not doing so is a potential fine and possible points on your licence for driving with limited vision.3. Don’t be tempted to leave your car to defrost while you head back in the warm either as you’ll be risking a fine with more added on if you don’t pay it in time and penalty points on your licence for leaving your car to defrost while the engine is idling.
The law says if your car’s engine is running, you need to be in control of it, which rules out you being in your house in the warm while your car ticks over outside.And, of course, if you’re busy getting breakfast or whatever inside, your car could also be an easy target for thieves.
4. Stick on the heater and wait for it to clear
While ultimately effective, this is the least environmentally-friendly option thanks to the extra fuel you’ll use and the extra pollution you’ll cause (which will have the same effect as leaving the engine running to de-ice). Avoid for the sake of the planet.5. Start the wipers
Tempting though it might be to speed the process along by using your wipers to help shift the ice, starting up wipers that are frozen to the windscreen or jammed by snow could cause damage to the mechanism.
A useful hack is to put a sock over each of the wipers to protect them from frost and ice.6. Use a credit card
Over a third (35%) of drivers have admitted to using a bank card to scrape ice from their windscreen.
While it may seem like a good idea, using anything other than a proper ice-scraper risks scratching the glass.
Of course, it could also cause your precious card to snap too, rendering you card-less, and potentially therefore cash-less in the run-up to Christmas.Effective (and safe) ways to de-ice your car
1. Use a windscreen scraper or de-icer
Both offer the easiest and safest method to free your car of frost.2. Make a DIY de-icer
While de-icers are effective, there are some more cash-conscious and environmentally-friendly ways to remove ice from your screen (NOT the credit card though, remember).Solution of water with a teaspoon of salt
One easy method is to mix up a solution of water with a teaspoon of salt, before pouring it over any frozen areas.
Use this sparingly, however, as salt could cause damage to the windscreen and avoid hitting the paintwork as it is also corrosive.Solution three parts of vinegar to one part of water
Mixing up three parts of vinegar to one part of water will also do the trick, but could be a little on the smelly side.
Again, Use this sparingly, as vinegar could cause damage to the windscreen rubber seal and avoid hitting the paintwork as it is also corrosive.Solution of mixing water with rubbing alcohol or surgical spirit
Meanwhile Experts suggest an alternative solution of mixing water with rubbing alcohol or surgical spirit which you can get from any pharmacy.
Mix one part water with two parts rubbing alcohol and fill the spray bottle with the solution. This can then be sprayed on your windscreen to melt the ice.
The best part is that this solution will not freeze, as rubbing alcohol has a freezing point of around -88 degrees celsius, which means the bottle can be kept in your car until next time.Other winter weather car hacks
1. Keep your car frost-free overnight
Want to avoid the morning frost-clearing rush?
Try soaking an old towel in a solution of water and table salt and placing it over your car windows the night before.
It works because salt lowers the freezing point of water, which means moisture is prevented from frosting over on your screen.2. Spray your car doors with cooking spray oil.
Every part of your car’s exterior is liable to freeze and stick in place overnight.
If you’re worried about your car doors jamming shut, the experts suggest spraying a simple cooking oil spray along the rubber edges of your car doors, handles and locks.
Wipe away the excess then close the doors and leave it overnight.
In the morning, they should open easily (even if the rest of the car is icy).3. Put socks on your windscreen wipers
If you’re parking outside during winter, you may find that your windscreen wipers can stick to the window.
Strange as it may sound, to stop this from happening, you can pop a pair of long socks on your windscreen wipers to stop snow and ice from collecting there.
Remove them in the morning when you need your car, then remember to put them on again before you leave your car for the night.4. Use hand sanitiser to defrost keys
In today’s post-pandemic times everyone tends to still have hand sanitiser on them with COVID-19 and flu still circling, which makes this particular hack all the more convenient.
If you use a manual car key, it’s a common occurrence for the keyhole to freeze over making it impossible to turn the lock. If you break the key in the lock, replacement car keys cost up to £250, so it can be a costly issue to solve. FINANCIAL OUCH.
One of the key ingredients of hand sanitiser is alcohol, which will cause any ice to simply melt away.
Cover your keys in hand sanitiser and it should glide in no problem.Happy (pain-free) de-icing!
Useful Buys for your car
1. Gloves to protect your hands as you clean your car
2. Soft hand brush to brush snow off your car.
3. Windscreen Frost Protector Car Snow Cover. Black side out for protection from snow/ice. Silver side out for protection from the Sun and heat.
4. De-icer
5. Screen Wash – (Can make your own solution of water and a couple of squirts of washing up / dish liquid)
6. Socks for your windscreen wipers.A Top Tip to make sure you never slip on icy pavements.
With driveways and paths turning into hazards, TikTok creator @mels_family_life shared a clever hack to prevent you embarrassing yourself.
Branding it an “absolute game changer”, the mum-of-two revealed she puts socks on over her shoes.
She said: “So this is happening right now.
“When it’s icy, socks and shoes… game changer.”
Make extra soup, then ladle it into red Solo cups to freeze. Grab one or two cups’ worth to defrost anytime you need a quick dinner.
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