Potatoes are a staple in most households, though usually, people only use the root vegetables for food. Though a new potato hack has gone viral as people have learned that there’s something else they can use them for that may be even better than a bowl of crispy french fries.
Most people have experienced the frustration of getting in their car in the morning to rush off for the day only to realize they can’t go anywhere because they can’t see. The windows and windshield are completely fogged up, and even pumping the heat can’t clear the glass fast enough to get to work on time.
The fog inside cars in the morning forms when water droplets land on the cool surface; the temperature difference between the outside of the glass and the inside of the car then leads to that frustrating fog that almost everyone has encountered.
But while some people try store bought defoggers and others simply attempt to wipe away the fog with a cloth, many are ditching these chemical and impractical solutions for a simpler one: Potatoes.
In fact, a person only needs one raw potato in order to defog their car windshield and windows for days or even weeks depending on the weather. All they need to do is grab a raw potato from the kitchen, clean it, cut it in half, and head out to the vehicle.
Then, rub the inside of the two potato halves onto the outside and inside of the windows and windshield of the car. Finally, wait just a few minutes for the potato liquid to dry, then with a cloth or old t-shirt, wipe all the glass clean.
While it seems like magic, it’s actually science that allows potatoes to defog car windows. Here’s how it works: The starch in potatoes is a polysaccharide that contains glucose molecules connected by glycosidic bonds. That chemical makeup essentially creates a gel protective layer on the glass, and prevents condensation from the water that lands on it overnight.
In addition to offering fog-free windows, using this tactic will also make all windows clean and shiny for days on end. So it’s not just car windows that benefit from this hack; it can also be used on bathroom mirrors or polishing drinking glasses.
Not only are potatoes infinitely cheaper than chemical defogging solutions, but they actually work better and are much more environmentally friendly. And because most people have a few potatoes sitting in their kitchen, no one even has to go to the store to try this fascinating and impressive trick.
The internet has responded in a big way, and people around the world are reporting that the potato hack has saved them time and time again when running out the door in the morning. So for the planet’s sake, as well as your own sanity, you might as well give it a try too.
