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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Lifestyle
Grace Hoffman, Lifestyle Writer & Clare McCarthy

Motorists warned about viral car defrosting trick which could cause major damage

In these winter months of freezing cold and icy temperatures, defrosting your car in the early hours of the morning is a regular occurrence.

The gruelling task sees many motorists brace the bitter cold to run back and forth to their car with jugs of warm water.

However, a savvy hack has been shared to TikTok that people are raving about, which "saves time" and requires little effort.

But before drivers race to use it, a motoring expert has issued a warning that the method may may cause serious damage if done incorrectly

READ MORE: Met Eireann issue Status Yellow warning for freezing fog and ice as drivers warned of 'hazardous conditions'

They advised motorists to be "cautious" when trying the popular defrosting hack, which involves hot water and a plastic bag, as the dramatic change in temperature can cause small cracks in the glass.

Mark Brown is the latest to try the hack, which circulates online every year. The TikTok user - who boasts more than one million followers on his account @rightguysreview - demonstrated the the method in a viral clip.

In his video, which has over 240,000 views since posting, Mark explained to viewers how the tip cuts out the numerous freezing cold trips of running back and forth from the house to your motor.

The TikToker questioned: "Right guys, why am I only finding this hack out now?"

He explained: "Stick the kettle on, get a plastic bag, put some cold water in it, put your boiling water in from your kettle.

"Watch you don't burn yourself," he warned.

Mark continued: "Grab your bag, make sure it's not leaking, and run to your frozen car. Stick it straight onto the glass and like magic, it's defrosting.

"Thank you for whoever made this hack - this has saved me time and energy. Thank you very much."

He filled the carrier bag with warm water (TikTok/@rightguysreview)
And cleared the frost from his windscreen (TikTok/@rightguysreview)

However, Dorry Potter, an expert at National Scrap Car has warned against this nifty trick as it has the potential to cause serious damage.

Potter told the Express : "A hack that circulates every year is using warm water in a zip lock bag and rubbing it on the windscreen.

"Motorists are advised to be cautious when applying anything heated to their windscreen as the dramatic change in temperature can cause small cracks to appear in the glass which can cause the screen to shatter when another bout of frost arrives.

"Drivers should never use boiling water either. Similarly, homemade concoctions should be used with care too".

Offering up opinions on other popular de-icing hacks, the expert added: "Using items such as a potato or onion to clear frost could leave smears or a residue on the screen which in turn could reduce the driver's visibility, making it just as dangerous as frost to drive. It may be more sensible to stick with a deicing spray instead."

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