Here are some tips to get your windshield clear and keep it clear

Now that the weather is beginning to cool off a little, those who were holding out hope to the contrary, are probably coming around to admit that another McHenry winter is approaching. That means cold, snow and ice. It means you’ll need to spend time sweeping snow, and scraping ice and frost from the windows of your car.

Actually, we are probably only weeks, or days, away from that first morning when you’ll need to break out your window scrapper. YOU DO HAVE A WINDOW SCRAPPER IN YOUR CAR?!!!

We apologize if we panicked but the thought that you might not have a window scraper ready for that first frosted-windshield morning is disconcerting. It’s not the end of the world. This time of year, you probably won’t have to heat the car too long before the defrosters have a chance to soften the frost so the wipers can sweep them away. But, until you warm up the windshield enough, you won’t get too far clearing the frost from your windshield.

You could try using your fingernails to scrape the frost away. Be prepared, however. Those little digits will get darn cold in the process.

You might think to use a substitute ice scrapper. Be careful if you decide to go down this path. For instance, if you tried to clear the frost off your windshield with a putty knife you’re liable to discover that you’ve scratched the glass beyond repair. You might as well clear the frost off your windshield by busting the glass out with a hammer; either way, you’re going to need a new windshield. Depending on the car, the cost could range to almost $1,000, though most installed windshields will cost considerably less than that.

A good window scrapper is the first step in reducing the aggravation of clearing ice and frost from your car’s windows. Make sure it has a good hand grip and a long enough arm that you can reach to the center of the windshield. This is particularly important if you’re car is actually a pickup truck with big tires and a lift kit; getting at the windshield may require a ladder.

You’ll also want a snowbrush. You may purchase a dual window scraper/snowbrush for the job. One end has the scrapper and the other the brush. If you do, just make sure you can still get a firm grip on the tool when you’re trying to scrape stubborn ice and frost.

Another essential tool in the war to keep your windows and windshield clear in the winter is the defroster. You want to make sure your car will produce enough heat to soften ice and frost in a relatively short period of time. You may feel the temptation to test your defrosters yourself. You’ll go out to the car tomorrow, turn on the heat and defrosters, wait a little while and then put your hand up above the dashboard. Even if the air coming out feels good and hot, remember that it’s still warm out.

If you want to be sure that the heater will be up to the challenge in the winter, you may want to bring your car to a professional to have it checked. You don’t want to find out, one cold winter morning, that your defroster doesn’t work as well as you thought it did.

Another tip is to warm the engine before you go. Even if the defrosters can put out some serious heat on a 20-degree-below morning, it takes the car a little while to warm up the coolant/antifreeze.

It’s also a good idea not to recirculate the air in the car. You’ll probably have a button or control that looks like an arrow making a U-turn on your climate-control console. If this button is engaged, the car circulates the air that’s in the car and this, when combined with your own breath, tends to add humidity to the air that can condense, and even frost up, on your windshield.

Finally, once you’ve got the frost and ice off your windshield, you’ll want the ability to keep your windshield clear while driving. This means that you’ll want plenty of windshield solvent in the reservoir and a good set of wiper blades that operate properly.