RV Windshield De-Icer: Ways to Remove & Prevent Ice

Do you have a favorite windshield de-icer?

With winter upon us, there are certain weather-related issues that may require attention on our RVs, especially for anyone who spends time in a location where the temperature drops significantly. One common issue you’re likely to encounter in cold weather is a frozen windshield.

So, today we’re looking at windshield de-icers and the best ways to remove and even prevent ice buildup on your windows.

You may be surprised by the methods that work and don’t work, and you may want to be aware of one method that is likely to cause serious issues and should be avoided at all costs.

Read on for the best (and worst!) RV windshield de-icer methods.

What’s a Windshield De-Icer?

A windshield de-icer is anything that melts ice that accumulates on your windshield in the cold.

There are a number of methods for deicing a windshield. Some work better than others, and some should be avoided entirely due to their potential to damage your windshield.

There are many commercial windshield de icers on the market, and there are some you can make from ingredients you’re likely to have on hand.

There are also some winter windshield washer fluids that contain de-icing ingredients. But if there’s a lot of snow and ice built up on the window, using your windshield washer fluid likely won’t be a good option.

Methods for Clearing Ice from an RV Windshield

In our post offering 15 tips for winter RV living, we talked about insulating our RV windows, but one thing we didn’t cover in that article is how to deal with icy windshields.

Here are several methods for dealing with frozen windshields safely so that you can hit the road!

Defrost

If all you’ve got is a light coating of frost or ice on your windshield, your rig’s defroster should be able to handle the task. Although this of course takes time, as your engine needs to warm up for this to work.

Start the engine, let it warm up, and turn on the defrosters to allow the glass to slowly warm, melting the ice.

Scrape

If the ice on your windshield is thicker than a light coating, you may need to use a little elbow grease to clear it.

Use care as it’s possible to scratch your windshield, especially if there’s road grime and grit on it.

It’s best to only use a high-quality plastic ice scraper to avoid scratching the glass. One with a snow brush attached for use when the white stuff flies can serve double duty. Here are a couple of examples.

The first is a standard snow scraper/brush, and the second is great for larger windshields because it’s a brush and scraper with an extendable handle.

If you REALLY want the Cadillac of ice scrapers, a splurge on a Hopkins SubZero 80037 is a sure bet. It’s been the top pick of the Wirecutter (the NY Times version of Consumer Reports) for years. They absolutely rave about its durability and thoughtful design details that set it apart from anything else on the market.

De-Ice

There are a few different ways to effectively de-ice a windshield using commercially available products.

Cold-Weather Windshield Washer Fluid

One way is to use a cold-weather windshield washer fluid that contains de-icers.

These are routinely used during the winter in areas that tend to see lots of cold weather, snow, and freezing rain.

With this method, you’ll simply spray your washer fluid as you normally would to clean your windshield. But because your windshield washer fluid contains a deicing agent, it will send a de icer spray over your windshield that is intended to melt the ice.

You can buy a product like this online or at any auto parts or big box store:

De-Icing Spray

The other way to de-ice your windshield using a commercial product is to use a de-icer that’s sprayed directly onto the windshield. It helps melt the ice so that you can clear it away with your brush or plastic scraper.

Some quality windshield deicer sprays include Prestone’s Windshield De-Icer and CRC Ice Off.

These are widely available online and in most auto parts stores and big box stores and can also be used to de-ice a frozen door or door lock.

DIY Deicer

This one is great for use in a pinch if you don’t have anything else handy.

Combine 2/3 rubbing alcohol with 1/3 water in a spray bottle and spray it on your windshield.

Does it really work? Apparently, it does!

Prevent Your RV’s Windshield From Icing Up In The First Place

And finally, there are a couple of ways to actually prevent ice from building up on your windshield.

Windshield Cover

You can cover your windshield overnight with an RV windshield cover like one of these, which also makes snow removal easier:

Ice/Frost Prevention Spray

You can also use a commercially available frost/ice-preventing glass treatment on your RV’s windshield that may help to stop ice from forming.

Using a shielding product on your RV’s glass may serve to lessen the effort you’ll need to use to de-ice the windshield.

This sort of product tends to work best on morning frost and light ice or snow to keep the elements from sticking to your windshield.

Methods You Should NEVER Use to De-Ice Your RV Windows

The methods we’ve noted above for dealing with built-up ice and snow on your windshield are the safest and most effective ways to deal with the issue.

Following are a few things we should never do in an attempt to de-ice a windshield:

DO NOT Use Hot Water

Hot or even warm water applied to ice on glass could cause the windshield to crack!

DO NOT Use Salt Solutions

Solutions that contain salt can damage your RV’s paint and/or glass.

Salt can also cause etching on the windshield glass.

DO NOT Use Direct Heat

Never use heat from a hair dryer, heat gun, space heater, etc. to de-ice a windshield.

The sudden temperature change caused by the direct application of intense heat can cause the windshield to crack. If you’re going to use heat of any kind, leave it to your RV’s defroster to do the job slowly.

Beyond Windshield De-Icing — Other Cold Considerations

We’ve spent most of our nearly 20 years full-timing as snowbirds, heading south most winters. So intense cold isn’t something we experience all that often. But when we do head to cold climates, being out of practice can have a downside, as you’ll see in our video from one February we spent in Zion National Park!

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