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CLEVELAND (WJW) — We are in store for another round of snow and ice, which could cause issues when heading out Friday morning.

And if sheltered parking isn’t an option at your home, you could need more time before heading.

AAA offers some tips on what to do – and what not to do – if you find yourself in this predicament.

Here are some steps to take when removing ice from your windshield:

  • Start the engine
  • Set the heater to defrost, if your car has automatic climate control
  • Adjust the airflow to recirculate
  • Move the temperature control to full heat
  • Use a glass deicer – store bought or homemade. See below for more on that.
  • Once ice starts to melt use plastic scraper, windshield wipers, a rubber squeegee or a soft bristle brush to start scraping the partially melted ice away.

Here are a few don’ts to keep in mind:

  • Never use metal scrapers, which can scratch the glass and damage wiper blades
  • Never pour hot water on the ice, which can crack glass by causing thermal shock and result in an expensive auto glass repair.
  • Never try to melt ice with any type of torch
  • Never tap on the ice with a ball-peen hammer or other tool in an attempt to break it up is just asking for a windshield replacement

Commercial glass deicers are available and can be sprayed directly to your windshield. It contains methanol, which is the best form of alcohol for deicing. It is a little pricey, costing up to $15 per quart and may contain pet-hazardous ethylene glycol.

Are you a “do it your-selfer?” AAA offers this advice: Use a homemade deicing solution made of one part isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol and two parts water. A few drops of dish soap added to the mixture will act as a surfactant to help coat the ice more evenly. Apply it with a spray bottle and store it indoors so the added warmth can aid the deicing process.

Alcohol-based deicing mixtures freeze at around 5 degrees Fahrenheit versus 32 degrees for water.

AAA reminds drivers that while it may be tempting to remove the least amount of ice necessary before driving off on a frigid winter morning, it’s worth it to take the time to remove all the snow and ice from your vehicle before going into harsh driving conditions. If you can’t see clearly out of your car in every direction you are driving in an unsafely and your odds of being involved in a collision go up.