It's one of the worst things about those dark winter months - waking up to a frozen windscreen on your car.
As temperatures plummet to biting cold lows of -15C in some parts of the UK, many drivers are once again facing the prospect of having to get their cars de-iced quickly before they head off to work or do the school run.
It's an essential part of preparing to drive in cold weather, and is not always something that can be done as quickly and efficiently as you would like.
Not only is being on the road with limited vision dangerous, it can also cost you a £100 fine and three points on your licence.
Here are some simple ways you can get your car ready to go on frosty mornings:
Turn up your car's heating
Starting your engine and getting your car's heating up to full blast as soon as you get outside can really help the process go much quicker.
Switching on the de-mister will also help as you scrape the car and clear any snow from all surfaces.
It usually takes a few minutes for the car to fully warm up when the air outside is cold, so it's important to be patient.
Make sure you're with your car the entire time, as motorists can be fined £20 if they found with idle engine. If you keep your car in a garage, make sure you wait until you're outside before you leave the engine running.
Use a de-icer solution
Along with a scraper, this is one of the most essential items a car owner needs to have around when cold weather is coming.
De-icer solutions come in the form of sprays and screw-top bottles and are sold at most petrol stations, motoring shops and some supermarkets.
Keeping it in the car or in the house can really speed up the de-icing process, making it much easier to scrape it off your windscreen once it has been applied.
If you don't have any lying around, household stain remover is also a good alternative.
Use a towel
Putting a towel on the night before to stop windscreen frost may seem an unconventional approach, but it's one that's becoming increasingly popular thanks to the internet.
Cheaper than buying a dedicated windscreen cover, a towel will absorb the water and freeze itself, allowing you to simply remove it on the morning and find clear glass underneath.
Some motor experts also recommend using a bath mat, tarp or cloth.
Park your car facing east
How you park your car the night before can make a big difference in how frosty it is the next day.
If you park with your windscreen facing east, the heat given off by the sun can help melt the ice off and save you some valuable minutes in the morning.
Be cautious about de-icing 'hacks'
Every year plenty of 'quick fix' de-icing methods trend on TikTok, Facebook and other social media - but some can actually risk causing serious damage to your car.
Dorry Potter, an expert at National Scrap Car has warned against this nifty trick as it has the potential to break your windscreen.
Potter told the Express : "A hack that circulates every year is using warm water in a zip lock bag and rubbing it on the windscreen.
"Motorists are advised to be cautious when applying anything heated to their windscreen as the dramatic change in temperature can cause small cracks to appear in the glass which can cause the screen to shatter when another bout of frost arrives.
Using a potato or onion to clear frost, another viral de-icing 'hack', can also risk leaving smears or a residue on the screen which reduce the driver's visibility.
