Defrosting your car windscreen and windows can be a painstaking task - especially when you're in a rush in the morning, but there are a few household items you can use to help speed up the process.

As the temperature plummets, it can be frustrating and tedious when your car is frozen over, making you want to resort to extreme measures such as pouring hot water over the windows when a scraper just isn't doing its job. One of these easy tricks will cost you just 30p and something you may already have at home, and you can be sure your windows will de-ice in seconds.

Ice scrapers can work to remove a little of the surface-level ice, but can take 20 minutes to scrape away entirely - but household items such as lemons, onions and white vinegar can do the job in seconds. Tim Alcock, from LeaseCar.uk said: "With temperatures taking a sharp dip, many of us are having to face the burden of de-icing the car in the morning. But using an ice scraper to clear the vehicle can have you standing for 15 to 20 minutes which can be a nightmare when you're on a tight schedule. That's why we suggest using typical household products like lemons, salt and onions which can help defrost windscreens."

Lemons are an easy remedy, and you can pick them up from Tesco for 30p each. Tim explained: "The citric acid in lemons can help break down the ice barrier. Squeeze the juice onto the windshield, then rinse it off with lukewarm water and wipe off the shards with the lemon itself." Making it easier than ever to set off in the mornings without standing over your window scraping away.

Another easy household item Tim suggested is a bag of warm water. He said: "A ziplock sandwich bag filled with lukewarm water can help remove ice in seconds." He urges people to make sure it's lukewarm though, and added: "Don't use piping hot water otherwise your windshield could crack." As well as bags with water in, he also said you can use a warm towel as an alternative and said: "A warm, damp towel can help quickly remove thicker pieces of ice on the windshield without damaging the car."

If you have some onions in your fridge, Tim advised you can use one to get rid of the ice. He said: "Chop a brown onion in half and rub it across the windscreen at night to prevent a thick layer of ice from sticking."

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