How To Clear Snow Off Cars After a Winter Storm

Why Do You Have to Clear Snow Off Cars?

After a winter storm, taking a few moments to remove the snow from your car has very little to do with you or your car. It’s all about other drivers’ safety. It wouldn’t be necessary if it weren’t for the other drivers on the road. We’d tell you to leave the snow on your paint until it blows off or melts. 

But, having chunks of snow and ice off your vehicle is dangerous. It has the potential to be fatal. It’s like tossing a boulder at the car behind you. That is not good news for everyone.

How to Remove Snow From Cars?

Car washing is critical to prevent corrosion and unwanted scratches, but it’s also important to understand when it’s too cold to wash your car, especially in the winter.

You can clear snow off in a variety of ways, including with a scraper (or a credit card if you’re desperate). Here are answers on how to clear snow off cars or iced-in situations and a few techniques to avoid.

Snow Removal Do’s

Clear everything

Make a peephole for yourself. When it comes to heavy snow and ice, you must clean the entire vehicle. It may be a bother to clean slush from your roof, trunk, and windshield. But that snow might come off and provide a hazard for everyone on the road if you drive. Before you go behind the wheel, take the time to remove everything.

Let your car do the work

Step 1: Get in your car and start it. Make sure that your automobile doors do not become frozen shut. Before you do anything else, turn on your car if you can open the door. Otherwise, if your automobile has a remote starting, use it. Keep a lock de-icer on hand in case the locks become iced over. 

Step 2: Set the heater to the maximum heat setting to defrost. If your vehicle has a rear-window defroster, activate its tool. It is the most effective approach to get your automobile to thaw the ice on a frozen windshield on its own. And the entire vehicle will be warm and cozy when you’re finished.

Snow Removal Dont’s

Avoid salt and hot water

A short internet search on how to clear snow off cars reveals that using both hot water and salt is a bright idea. But, it is not.

It generates such a rapid temperature change. So, pouring hot water on your windshield could fracture the glass. And, if it’s particularly chilly outdoors, the hot water may congeal into even more ice. Save your salt for the sidewalks and clean your automobile with elbow grease. 

One guaranteed approach to speed up the cleaning process is to park your automobile in a garage. You can also put it in other covered areas whenever possible. You won’t have to save it if you do it this way.

How to Clean Snow Off the Car Without Scratching the Paint?

Some people believe that snow can damage the paint. That is, once again, not true. The snow is little more than frozen water. It contains environmental particles that can mix with road grime, grit, and debris. That debris will transform into scratch-causing debris as it melts. It’s harmless when it’s still frozen or in the shape of snow.

But,  improper snow removal can destroy the paint surface. It can also damage your windows, window trim, and even headlight bulbs.

That is why we need to know how to remove snow from cars with non-scratchable tools or ways. Let’s go over a few of these, so you know what things you’ll need and how to go about doing this.

How To Properly Remove Snow From Your Car WITHOUT Touching It! (No Scratches Guaranteed)

What to Avoid

The first point to cover is not to remove snow from a vehicle’s surface. Do not use a snow brush, brooms (including yard and shop brooms), and dustpans.

You should also avoid using store-bought brushes and ice scrapers. Those bristles are abrasive and capable of damaging clear coatings and plastic trim. 

Tip: Using a deicing spray can speed up the melting process. If your wiper blades start to ice up while you’re driving or in the store, you may use them to melt the ice. 

So, what are your options? 

Foam Brush

A foam brush is an effective way to clean snow off the car without scratching. It’s a foam-tipped plow with an ice scraper attached to the other end. 

Some of them are “Snow Joe” foam brushes, and they are very effective. The flat surface makes clearing large expanses of snow easy. Furthermore, the foam substance lowers the risk of scratching the surface. On your paint surface, it functions as a squeegee.

But, you don’t want to squeegee the surface with the foam tip. It has the potential to cause harm. To remove the deep, wet snow from your car, use the foam brush.

Consider wrapping a microfiber towel (or many) around the foam brush. It serves as a coat for the snow foam brush. 

So, when there’s a lot of snow on top of the vehicle, you’ll use the foam brush. The goal is to remove any hard or compact snow from the upper layers of the snow. But, you should avoid brushing the car’s actual surface. It only raises the possibility of scratching.

Leaf-blower method

When there is light snow on top of the automobile, you can use a leaf blower to “blow” the snow off the surface. You could raise a few eyes from your neighbors, but who cares? It’s your vehicle.

When it comes to cleaning snow off your car, the wind can be a formidable ally. A leaf blower harnesses this natural force to your benefit. Using a leaf blower to remove snow from your car without damaging the paint is the most effective method. Physical contact causes paint scratches. There’s no touching, scratching, or rubbing with a leaf blower; it’s a constant blast of air. But, keep in mind that this strategy works best with light snow. If the snow is moist, blowing it away with a leaf blower may take some time.

How to Clean Snow Off a Car Without a Brush?

Take a hands-on approach.

Using your two gloved hands to remove snow is the easiest way to clean snow off a car without a brush. Try to sweep the snow away from the automobile without touching it, keeping your hands an inch or two away. The disadvantage of this method is that it can be difficult to reach certain spots, such as the roof. And your hands will likely become chilly as a result.

Whichever approach you take, be sure to remove large piles of snow from your car. It’s better than letting the wind do your dirty work for you at the peril of those behind you.