Winter weather is always the worst time of the year for cars.  Cold temperatures affect a vehicle’s body, and road salt can cause problems as well.  One of the most annoying things about winter weather is snow.  Removing snow from a car is a hassle, and never a fun task but it’s important to learn how to properly remove snow from a car by using the correct tools.  

In this article, we will be teaching you the fastest way to remove snow from a car while at the same time protecting your vehicle from paint scratches.  After all, leaving snow on your vehicle for a long period of time could make it susceptible to rust, ruin the bodywork of your vehicle, and the frigid temperature of snow could damage your vehicle’s breaks or exhaust pipe.

Car Snow Removal Tools

Before adventuring out into the snowy outdoors to remove snow from your car, you always want to make sure you are prepared.  Before jumping into the tools used for removing snow from your vehicle, it’s always useful to have snow boots or some kind of heavy-duty shoe that makes it easy to traverse the snow.  You should also have a nice warm pair of winter gloves.  The best winter gloves are warm, waterproof, and comfortable.     

The Shovel

Once you are outside, the first tool you will need is a snow shovel, depending on how deep the snow is surrounding your vehicle.  A good snow shovel saves you from a lot of backaches!  You want a snow shovel that is ergonomic with the ability to shovel all the snow surrounding your vehicle.  

The Broom

Having a nice long push broom is useful for pushing the snow off of your vehicle.  Make sure to buy a broom that has bristles that won’t scratch or harm your vehicle. 

Ice Scraper + Brush

An ice scraper is a useful tool for getting thick snow and ice off of your vehicle.  Many of these ice scrapers come with a car snow removal brush that can be used to brush off harder to reach surfaces that the normal broom can’t reach.  Try to find an ice scraper with a foam grip for easy handling.

How to remove snow from the car safely  

The first step to car snow removal is to start out by shoveling the snow away from the wheels of your vehicle.  You want to also make sure that the exhaust pipe in the back of your vehicle has no snow in it because a serious blockage in the exhaust pipe could lead to carbon monoxide inside of the vehicle which is extremely deadly!  

The next step to our car snow removal tips is to grab the non-abrasive snow broom and begin to gently wipe the snow from your vehicle.  Make sure you take your time with this because if you are too rough with wiping your vehicle down, it could lead to scratches.  When removing snow from your car roof, make sure that the broom reaches the top of your vehicle easily. A foam brush can also be used for removing snow.

Once your car’s snow is removed, you can begin to use the ice scraper to scrape away any ice that is left on the exterior of your vehicle.  It’s always useful to turn your car on at this point and let the heater and defroster inside of your vehicle to melt the remainder of the snow and ice on your car.  

Removing snow from your car without scratching it can be a bit of a difficult task but with the proper equipment, you will be prepared to handle the harshest snowstorms to keep the body of your vehicle in pristine condition.  

The Windshield Cover

An extra tool that could help with snow removal on the car windshield is a windshield snow cover.  These covers can be put on your vehicle before a snowstorm is about to occur.   The windshield cover not only helps you take snow off your windshield with ease, but it also helps protect against ice freezing on the windshield.  

Winter Driving Safety Tips

Even after you have cleaned all of the snow and ice from your vehicle if you need to drive, it’s important to follow all the winter driving tips because even if your driveway and car are completely clean, driving in a snowstorm can still be dangerous.  If you get stuck on the side of the road, you will need roadside assistance to help you through that snowstorm.  Icy roads can create dangerous road conditions, even a tiny bit of snow can cause major problems for your vehicle. Always DriveSmart to keep you and your family safe whenever the temperature drops.

Author: Stephen Lubas