With winter fast approaching, frosty mornings are bound to present us with the challenge of defogging and defrosting our cars before setting off for work.
For many, this will probably mean having to set the alarm earlier to ensure there’s enough time to complete the long and arduous process in time.
Fortunately, a handy trick that significantly reduces the time drivers spend defrosting their vehicles has been shared on TikTok.
The trick comes from user @rugesauto, who posted a clip explaining how to defrost and defog the windows of any car in four simple steps.
First, the content creator recommends turning on the defroster, by pressing on the button that looks like a window with three windows pointing into it.
READ MORE: Expert shares unbelievable tip to stop your car frosting up this winter
Cranking up the car’s heating system and switching on the air conditioner may seem counter-intuitive, but it’s an ideal place to start.
The cooling feature also works as a dehumidifier, which removes moisture from the air. So combined with the defroster, it will clear condensation from windows in a matter of seconds.
Lastly, the content creator advises switching off the air recirculation by pressing the button with the symbol of a car with an arrow circling underneath it.
The purpose of this feature, which is most often used on hot days to help maximize the effects of air conditioning, is to stop the outside air from entering the car.
Using this feature while defogging your car, however, means that the air conditions can dehumidify as quickly and efficiently as possible, reducing the time the process takes.
The hack was well received by thousands of viewers, many of whom praised the poster in the comments.
One happy commentator wrote: “You literally just saved me, thank you!”
Another surprised user exclaimed: “Holy s**t it actually works!” to which the original poster replied: “No one ever believes me when I say heat and AC, but that’s the key!”
One viewer asked whether the trick would work without a working air conditioner in the car, to which the poster suggested cracking open the windows instead.
He penned: “Try cracking your windows, turn [the] defroster on [and] turn off recirculating air,” but warned it would “definitely take longer” without AC.
- An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
