Ex-NASA engineer reveals the quickest way to de-mist your windscreen in winter

Former NASA engineer Mark Rober has uploaded a video explaning how to de-mist car windows using the power of science – and four straightforward steps.

Forget sitting there with the fans blasting and hoping for the best - there's a proper knack to this.

The four steps: Step 1: Turn ON the heater at full blast – hot air can hold more moisture.

Step 2: Turn ON the air conditioning – this will help soak up the remaining moisture from the air.

Step 3: Turn OFF inside air circulation – winter air doesn’t have much absorption so keep it outside the car.

Step 4: Open the windows ever so slightly – for a few seconds, this will help exchange humidity in the car for the dry air outside.

If that’s too ordinary, Rober also has methods involving cat litter and shaving foam

Rober was at NASA for nine years, seven of which were spent working on the Curiosity Rover, but he found time to come up with this solution for car mist in the meantime!

-> This is how much you could be fined for failing to clear your car's windscreen of ice and snowSo how should you tackle a car coated in frost and ice?

Start the screen demister ASAP

Start your car and turn on the defroster, and blast the fans and demister at the windscreen for as long as 10 to 15 minutes to make sure mist and ice are clear.

Don't use a hairdryer or portable heater. Mixing electrical items and ice/snow is highly dangerous.

Use a de-icer or make your own

Cans of store-bought de-icer work well but if you're short of cash, try mixing salt into warm water and put it into a spray bottle. Try not to use too much salt too often, as this can damage your windscreen in large quantities.

You can also pour lukewarm water on frozen door handles.

Don't use hot water on the screen

This can instantly crack the glass, leading to expensive repair bills.

Don't use a metal scraper or even a key

This would be a very bad idea, because anything metallic will scratch up even the toughest windscreen glass.