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A smart way to obviate windshield snow-scraping duty

By Rain Noe - December 31, 2009

in Object Culture

I dislike scraping snow off of windshields, because I can never reach that spot in the middle without leaning against the snow-covered car and eventually winding up with melting snowflakes on my lap in the driver's seat. So here's a why-didn't-I-think-of-that life hack from One Man's Blog: Before a snow storm, throw a tarp--or heck, an artfully-slit garbage bag--across your windshield. Before putting it on, deploy the wipers and turn them off mid-way, so you can use the arms to secure the cover. In the photo above, it looks like he's also drawn the edges of the tarp inside the car and shut the door on them to hold it in place. Clever!

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Ken J

14 years ago

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Not an entirely new concept but tying into the doors is neat. I'm curious why the wipers are left out in the open to let snow/ice build up on them. Also, material selection for the tarp can dramatically change this product. If it were teflon lined and black to absorb light, it could possibly resist the build up of ice and melt snow trying to accumulate at temperatures near freezing.
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Zach

14 years ago

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I've been using this method for a few years. Here in Texas snow is rarely the problem, but more often it is freezing rain or sleet. The tarp works really well and I've seen some people use a towel. The towel works pretty well if it is freezing rain because it absorbs the water and freezes so you just kind of peel off a big frozen cloth rather than having to scrape the heck out of ice covered windows. The drawback for the towel though is... where do you put a big frozen towel in your car??
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Jim

14 years ago

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Of course, the other trick to to ensure you deploy the windscreen wipers to remove excess moisture from the windscreen before applying a plastic sheet - otherwise you still end up with a layer of frozen ice underneath.

You would think it goes without saying, but then you've never met my neighbours.
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gustavo

14 years ago

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I think that's an elaborate and complex solution yet does not fully address the problem. You still have the side windows and rear windshield unresolved. Also you will have to open both front doors to 'un-snow the tarp', and now you have a wet tarp to deal with. Also you'll need to engage on this laborious routine everytime before a snowstorm may or might not happen.

I suggest an alternative solution that I've been using for the last couple of winters and is working quite well: Buy a sturdy plastic broom and keep it in your car's trunk... you can figure out the rest.

Unglamorous tip: On heavy snow days I even bring the broom with me (out of the car and to the office) so when I get back to my car I can clear snow away without even fuzzing through snow to get the broom from the trunk.
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HFB Advertising Agency

14 years ago

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Sure could of used this today in Long Island, New York where the snow is coming down. Something to look forward to after work. Thanks for the tip.
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