Winter is back in much of the country and sub-zero temps and plenty of snow means, you’ll probably be finding yourself or one of your staff members struggling while safely removing ice from your food truck windshield at some point. There’s nothing more frustrating than finding your food truck with a thick 2-inch sheet of ice covering your windshield. Today, we’re going to reveal some simple ways to remove ice from a food truck’s windshield, allowing you to hit the road and get to your morning customers during the winter.

We’re sure this is common sense to most people, but parking your food truck indoors will protect it from ice. Of course, this isn’t always an option.

Using hot water to melt away the ice on your windshield is a bad idea that could end up costing you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in the long run. Yes, hot water will likely melt right through the ice, but it will also stress the windshield. It’s not uncommon for small cracks to develop when hot water is pored onto a cold windshield. And even if it doesn’t immediately crack, it could weaken the glass so it’s more vulnerable to cracks and damage in the future.

Steps For Safely Removing Ice From A Windshield

  1. Start your truck and turn the defroster on.
  2. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
  3. Spray your icy windshield down with a solution of 50% water (room temperature) and 50% white vinegar.
  4. Use an ice scraper tool to remove the ice.
  5. Get in your truck and head to your first stop.

Note: During this process do not turn your wipers on. This could easily destroy your windshield wiper blades if they are part of the frozen mass on your windshield.

RELATED: Food Truck Cold Weather Starting Basics

Do you have any additional tips for safely removing ice from a windshield? We’d love to hear from you. You can share your advice in the comment section below or on social media. Facebook | Twitter