Clear your line of sight

What: How to get the mist off your windscreen

Why: Because if it isn’t clear, you won’t be able to see.

When: Cold mornings or nights are usually when the windscreen starts misting over

Equipment level: You need an air-conditioner, or at least a blower.

Check if your windshield is misting over on the inside or the outside. No, don’t wipe it with your hand, just hit the wiper switch. If it clears an area, it’s on the outside.

If your windshield is misting over on the outside, turn your air-conditioner to ‘heat’ and turn the recirculation off. Leave the compressor on. Switch the blower to the windshield vents.

Check once in a while whether the glass has heated up by placing your hand against it; the water vapour on the outside won’t stop condensing on it until it is warm enough.

If it is misting on the inside, then turn your recirculation off and turn the vents to the windscreen. Rolling the windows open at least a little will also help. Wait until the glass clears, then you can switch the blower back to normal.

If your windscreen has smudges, it is probably because you’re trying to clear the windscreen with your bare hands. Avoid doing this.

The smudges will show up a lot earlier when the screen mists over, and they are especially distracting at night because of the diffraction they afford to oncoming headlamps. Get rid of them either with a microfiber cloth or a balled-up newspaper, both of which will pick up the oil deposited by your hand very effectively. A soft cotton cloth will also do in a pinch. Do not try to keep clearing it with your bare hand, it will only make matters worse.

If your car does not have an air-conditioner, but has a blower, the heater should still work.

If you do not have a blower either, rolling the windows down will help with demisting the inside. You’ll have to use the wipers intermittently for misting on the outside.

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