Is there anything I can safely add to the above to stop it freeezing when it hits my windscreen? Sometimes when driving in this cold weather and I have to use the windscreen wash, it freezes immediately.

isopropanol if you can find it otherwise more concentrated screen wash additive. 

Use neat screen wash in very cold weather, no water.

Vinegar

14 minutes ago, London Best said:

Use neat screen wash in very cold weather, no water.

The one I'm using at the moment is ready mixed.

4 minutes ago, billytheghillie said:

Vinegar

Good idea.

47 minutes ago, Yellow Bear said:

isopropanol if you can find it otherwise more concentrated screen wash additive. 

I've got some (not a lot) but it's used to make case lube, and expensive too. 

2 minutes ago, steve_b_wales said:

The one I'm using at the moment is ready mixed.

Tried that, it was no good at all in freezing conditions. Save it for Summer.

I'm using prestone ready mixed from toolstation no problems with freezing as yet

2 minutes ago, London Best said:

Tried that, it was no good at all in freezing conditions. Save it for Summer.

I agree. I've just read on an Autoglass website page, that spraying the windshield/windows with a mix of vinegar and water, then wiping it off, protects the windscreen from frost. This is only good for when parked up etc, but a good tip (?)

Aye the ready mixed stuff no use for these really low tempters you need the straight stuff and dont dilute it 

Cleared the ice off my car this morning, used de-icer and set off. Gone about 100 yards - car went past me and sprayed some dirt on my screen. Turned on washer and wipers, my screen froze up. Pulled up sharpish and cleaned it again, then waited until the screen had warmed up a bit. I will not be using pre-mixed screen fluid again this winter.

Indeed, run the -10 C rated stuff in winter, not come across conditions in the UK yet that’ll freeze it yet, provided the windscreen is slightly warm- so try to avoid using the jets within the first 10mins or so.

My windscreen cleaning routine.

1. Whilst eating my breakfast, using my phone, switch on the car's climate control.

2. After breakfast, unplug the overnight charger, step into beautifully warm car, relishing the heated seats and warm steering wheel.

3. If necessary, spray the windscreen with the usual diluted mix. The hot screen ensures that it doesn't freeze.

4. Drive silently away.

Smug? Moi?

hello, i got fed up with buying cheap ready mix from the £ shop and why pay £3 in tesco, i bought a large container of good quality undiluted from a local motor factor dealer for £5  it will do 20 fills, if the screens frosty in the morning i just pour warm water over and bit of ice spray, 

I just use a garage. No scraping, no spraying, no warm water for the last 38 years since I built the garage.
Incidentally, I always found the bigger problem with freezing screen wash is the jet nozzles freezing rather than the fluid freezing on the screen.

Edited January 19, 20241 yr by London Best

You can buy demon ice product spray on screen at night not frozen when go car in morning 

Read an article where a delivery driver was using a cheap bottle of vodka from a sprayer bottle to clear his windscreen on these frozen mornings, he also put some in the washer bottle reservoir to keep that unfrozen. Could use any alcohol in fact so if you have got an unfinished bottle of cheap stuff bought from some distant holiday in the past that you no longer fancy, jobs a good un.

Same as using isopropanol, but easier to get hold of.

17 minutes ago, Flyboy1950 said:

Read an article where a delivery driver was using a cheap bottle of vodka from a sprayer bottle to clear his windscreen on these frozen mornings, he also put some in the washer bottle reservoir to keep that unfrozen. Could use any alcohol in fact so if you have got an unfinished bottle of cheap stuff bought from some distant holiday in the past that you no longer fancy, jobs a good un.

Same as using isopropanol, but easier to get hold of.

I think I'll drink the cheap alcohol and stay indoors until the spring! 

2 hours ago, twelsh said:

You can buy demon ice product spray on screen at night not frozen when go car in morning 

I tried the night before spray, which was just a waste of time and money. Bought the concentrated screen wash this morning.

Gentlemen, you are all missing a trick apart from London Best and his old technique of parking indoors.   

 

I clean the glass on my vehicles and then treat the glass with Automate Rainguard Class Cleaner.

 

It leaves a very smooth clean surface that clears quicker when covered in frost.

 

I also have a simple cover which goes over the windscreen the night before a poor weather forecast shows expected low temperatures.

 

Oh and the heated windscreen helps too.

 

What I used to do, before I went electric, was pop a fan heater into the car before breakfast, then by the time I was ready to go, the car would be toasty and completely clear of frost. If I needed to use the washers, the screenwash hit a warmed screen.

The best screenwash you can buy is made by 'Decasol'. Not the cheapest but if you mix it 50/50 it wont freeze. Only problem is availability.

Due to the price, shops rarely sell it as most drivers want cheap and cheerful.

A note on Isopropanol and other forms of alcohol is the seals in the pump might not fair too well but it easily obtainable via flebuy.  I spotted in Aldi yesterday a screenwash booster capable of treating 25 litres however the cars my wife and I own have heated screens and mirrors and at minus 5 they take only a couple of minutes to clear so regular screenwash is all we use.

Edited January 19, 20241 yr by sportsbob

look for Artic Screenwash (i.e. -20c and below).

Beware of some screen wash, When i had my Vitara certain brands would gunge up in the pipe work and blocked the bottom of the reservoir.