The common household cleaning product can serve another useful purpose.
White vinegar creates a protective barrier that prevents moisture from settling on windows (Image: Claire Schofield)
Drivers across the UK are urged to use white vinegar in their cars from Thursday to prevent condensation as snow and ice is forecast. Two yellow weather warnings for snow and ice have been issued by the Met Office on Thursday and Friday as an Arctic Maritime air mass brings freezing conditions to large parts of the country. Temperatures are forecast to turn colder from the north of Scotland southwards over the last two days of this working work, with outbreaks of rain on Thursday and early Friday increasingly turning to sleet and snow. The national forecaster said settling snow will mainly be confirned to higher ground, with up to 5cm possible in parts of Scotland and northern England above 200 metres.
On lower ground, up to 2cm is possible in places by Friday morning and as temperatures are forecast to fall quickly, ice is expected to form on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths. Drivers are being warned to brace for travel disruption and longer journey times due to the wintry conditions, and to ensure they have essentials like warm clothing, blankets, phone chargers, torches and de icer in their cars.
But the wintry weather not only brings hazardous driving conditions, it also means drivers have to battle condensation in cars this week too. Condensation forms when warm air inside a car meets the cold surface of the glass windows, causing water droplets to form as the air cools, which can appear as fog or mist, and this is typically more pronounced during bouts of cold weather.
The colder the outside temperature is, the more dramatic the temperature drop when warm air hits the glass, which leads to fogging. Fogging can take a frustrating amount of time to clear, but there is a cheap and simple solution you can use to tackle the problem – and all you need is some white vinegar.
According to experts, spraying windows with a solution of white vinegar and water creates a protective barrier that prevents moisture from settling and thereby reduces condensation.
You can pick up a 1.14L bottle of white vinegar for just 65p at Tesco so it’s a cheap solution to the problem and it will also clean your windows in the process, but it will need to be reapplied frequently throughout the winter.
Experts at Loco Windows Fascias said: “A home-made solution is a great way to deal with condensation on windows. You will need a mixture of two cups of white vinegar and two cups of water.
“You can use a spray bottle to apply the solution to the window or you can simply wipe it on. Then let it dry with a soft cloth.”
To increase the effectiveness of the solution, some experts recommend adding a few drops of washing up liquid to the mix as this reduces the surface tension of the water on your window, causing moisture to instead spread into a thin, invisible layer rather than forming droplets.
Condensation in cars is a common problem during the winter months (Image: Getty)
Experts at Cardiff Window Cleaner Ltd explain: “A great way to clear away condensation and prevent it from coming back is by mixing a homemade solution.
“Simply mix two cups of water and two cups of white vinegar, then add a couple of drops of dishwashing soap. Pour this mixture into a spray bottle and spray it straight onto your window.
“White vinegar creates a protective barrier, and soap breaks down the surface tension of the droplets on your window. We suggest using a spray bottle to create a very thin protective cover, which will dry up by itself.”
Failure to clear condensation from your windscreen before setting off could result in a £1,000 fine and three penalty points on your licence, so it’s important to tackle the problem and using white vinegar is a really cheap way to do it.
