6 Amusing Make-Shift Ice Scrapers People Have Used

Welcome back to the Denver Mobile Auto Glass blog! In our recent post, we looked at some of the best ways to de-ice your windshields this winter. While it seems as though Denver and the surrounding areas may never get the usual December snowfall, many residents are still hoping to see some snow later this month. Whenever Mother Nature finally decides to grace the communities along the Front Range with some snow accumulation, you’ll want to be prepared to scrape the ice off of your windshield using a plastic ice scraper that will not damage your auto glass. Here are some of the most unusual objects people have used to scrape their windshields, which may cause damage to your auto glass.

Tupperware Tubs and Lids

While these plastic storage objects are not the most harmful items to use to scrape off a windshield, they don’t compare to the effectiveness of an actual scraper. The flat edges on both the tubs and the lids may remove ice from your auto glass, but for thicker ice build ups, tupperware will probably bend and even snap, especially the less-durable, more flimsy brands.

Hotel Key Card

Like credit cards, hotel key cards are often used to scrape ice off of auto glass. These little plastic cards have nice flat edges that may remove a thin layer of ice, but using these items for thicker ice will be much more challenging. Avoid using credit cards because they could break and then you’d have to order a new one. A hotel key card on the other, sure, why not?

Hairbrush

Snow brushes are featured on many ice scrapers to brush away snow before scraping the ice, and to brush away scraped ice chips. These dense brush bristles or filaments are generally made from nylon or other synthetic materials which are safe to use on windshields, rear windows, and side windows. Hairbrushes, however, could end up damaging the surface of the auto glass, as these often feature hard plastic bristles.

Dustpan

Why someone would have a dustpan and not an ice scraper in their car is beyond me, but people have used dustpans to scrape the ice off of their car. If a plastic dustpan has a flat edge, that is fine to use in place of a scraper, but if the dustpan is metal, just say no.

Pocket and Kitchen Knives

Knives are for chopping food, not ice! This is a dangerous method that many people turn to in desperation, but one that should be avoided for your own safety. For one, using a knife to scrape your windshield poses a serious risk to your health and safety, and could easily slip and slice a body part. Second, there are so many ways you could damage your windshield, be it scratching, cracking, or chipping, which could require a windshield repair or auto glass replacement with Denver Mobile Auto Glass. While we would be more than happy to repair or replace your damaged windshield, your health and safety come first!

Hard Cover Book

Why? Why would you want to ruin a perfectly good book by turning it into an ice scraper that will probably not work? Unfortunately, this is a common item that many people use when they don’t have a scraper. Books are some of the most common objects found in students’ cars in particular, so when their parents haven’t provided them with an ice scraper, they get crafty. Don’t use books to scrape your windshields. Just don’t.

The moral of the story here is to plan ahead and keep an ice scraper in your vehicle. You don’t want to have to resort to using objects that could damage your windshield, destroy the object, or possibly harm yourself. Ice scrapers are cheap, accessible, and easy to keep tucked away in a supply box or stored in your trunk. If you do damage your windshield this winter, contact Denver’s Top Rated Local®  windshield experts for an auto glass replacement.