Drivers urged to never use this 1 item to de-ice their car - could cause £500 damage

We are well into the autumn months and temperatures across the UK are starting to drop. While ice most commonly arrives from December to February, early frost can form from the start of November and Brits are being urged to be prepared.

The frost forms overnight when temperatures are between 0C and 4C with little cloud or wind. This can impact our car's windshield, restricting visibility and making driving dangerous. One expert is warning against using a certain item to de-ice their car this year as it can cause damage amounting to over £500.

Liam Spencer, owner of Northallerton Glass, said: "When used undiluted, left on for too long or applied in direct sunlight, white vinegar can cause costly damage to many areas of a car. Even when diluted, repeated usage can still damage your car.

"I can understand wanting to use quick methods to de-ice a car when you're in a hurry, but these hacks won't necessarily work any quicker than traditional de-icer."

According to Liam, white vinegar can damage cars in a number of ways. These include weakening windscreen coatings, weakening rubber seals and wiper blades, and stripping paint on the body of the car.

All of these issues can be expensive to fix. The expert instead recommends more traditional methods to de-ice cars on a cold morning, including using car heaters, an ice scraper or a specialist spray.

Liam added: "I'd recommend using the internal heaters of the car, an ice scraper and a proper de-icing spray or solution instead.

"Alternatively, invest in covers to shield your vehicle from ice, as these can drastically cut the amount of time that you spend removing ice from your car in the morning."

Motorists are also urged to ever pour boiling or hot water on a frosted windshield. The extreeme temperature difference can cause the glass to crack.

The AA says: "If you use hot water for the ice on your car, you run the real risk of damaging your windscreen."

It adds: "Glass expands quickly when hot or even warm water touches it. But it'll contract quickly too as it cools down in the cold air. That flexing can make the glass crack even if you're using lukewarm water - especially if it had small chips or cracks already."