Drivers warned not to use ‘air recirculation’ button when de-icing windscreen

It may be useful in the summer, but in winter it’s best not to touch the air recirculation button

We’ve all been there. You’re running late one winter’s morning, you rush out to your car only to realise you’ve got a sheet of ice to scrape off the windscreen before you can go anywhere.

In recent days, the UK has been hit by snow and freezing overnight temperatures, which are set to stick around for at least the next couple of days.

There are plenty of life hacks out there that claim to be the best way to get the windscreen clear, and plenty that you definitely should not be doing (put the kettle away, boiling water is most certainly not the answer).

But motorists have been warned not to use the air circulation button when trying to de-ice their car.

The air circulation button shows an arrow moving around in a circular motion. It manages to cut off air from outside the car, and circulates air within the vehicle.

It’s a useful feature in the summer for helping get the inside of the car as cold as possible as quickly as possible. But it’s also useful for cutting off pollution, exhaust fumes, pollen and unpleasant smells from outside your vehicle as well.

However, it turns out it’s better turned off in the winter, according to one car servicing and tyre business.

And you may want to be wary if you leave the engine running to get the windscreen defrosted. If you’re not careful, it could land you with an unpleasant fine.