Social media users share reports advising drivers to pour hot water on the windshield of their car to thaw it faster. This statement is false.
Examples can be seen here and here.
One post here reads: “Pour hot water on your windshield and it thaws faster, thank me later.”
The United States was hit this week by a winter storm that usually left warmer states unprepared for the cold. The weather has closed COVID-19 vaccination centers and hampered vaccine supplies (here).
The American Automobile Association (AAA) and the Automobile Association (AA) both recommend using hot water on a windshield that can break or break glass due to the sudden change in temperature (here, here).
Instead, the AAA recommends starting the engine, setting the heater to “defrost,” adjusting the airflow to circulate, and shifting the temperature control to full heat. While the ice is melting, drivers can use a plastic scraper, the windshield wipers, rubber piston or a soft brush to remove the ice from the glass (here).
Glass companies across the country also recommend using hot or hot water on windshields in cold temperatures (here, here and here).
VERDICT
Untrue. Pouring hot water over the windshield of the car during low temperatures can damage it, causing it to crack or break due to the sudden change in temperature.
This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here.