How do I make my own car windshield ice melt fluid (paint finish
safe), that I can mix in gallons, and spray with a small garden spray
pump? I want to be sure it doesn’t leave a residue on the glass.   All
I’ve found is: Mix 1 part commercial antifreeze with 9 parts of 50/50
mixture of alcohol and water.

Find me a recipe similar to one of the auto store windsheild ice melt
products, that are supposed to be superior to the typical de-ice spray
cans.

Hello, and thanks for the question.

I love having a go at making my own stuff, and I've found
"MakeStuff.com" to be a great site for ideas.

They have a recipe for windscreen melt that says it is an..."Amazing
new chemical discovery lets you see where you are driving in worst
weather. Like a "liquid flame" - it melts ice away instantly.
Dependable. Originally developed for windshields on Arctic dive
bombers! Stops ice from forming on any window."

"....eliminates short-lived, bothersome scraping of dangerous ice from
windshields. A few squirts and glass clears like crystal, gleams like
new - stays that way; D-Ice conquers worst ice quickly, easily.
Harmless to glass, paint, wax finishes. Will not cause rusting."

Formula

Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate . . . . . 17 1/2 %
Isopropyl Alcohol, 91% . . . . . . . . . 82 1/2 % 

The magnesium chloride is simply dissolved in the Isopropyl Alcohol

As you want it in gallons, you'll be buying in bulk. Here are a few
suppliers

Magnesium Chloride from 

- Mallinckrodt Chemical Works, 2nd & Mallinckrodt Sts., St. Louis,
Missouri.
- Carborundum Metals Co., PO Box 32, Akron, NY 
- Howe & French, Inc., 99 - 101 Broad St., Boston, Mass. 
- Harshaw Chemical Co., 1945 E. 97th St., Cleveland, OH 

Isopropyl Alcohol, 91% from: 

- Enjay Chemical Co., Inc., 15 W. 51st St., New York, 
- NY Union Carbide Chemicals Co., 30 E. 42nd St., New York, 
- NY Howe and French, Inc., 99 - 101 Broad St., Boston, Mass. 
- Mallinckrodt Chemical Works, 2nd & Mallinckrodt Sts., St. Louis,
Missouri
- Shell Chemical Co., 50 W. 50th St., New York, NY 

In small lots most any wholesale drug or chemical house can supply
both Magnesium Chloride and 91% Isopropyl Alcohol.

The info above was taken from "WINDSHIELD ICE MELTER FOR CARS, PLANES,
BOATS"
( http://www.makestuff.com/formulas/windshield.html )

Hope that helps, and good luck.

willie-ga 

Google search used
"make your own" windscreen de-icer
"make your own" anti-freeze
make windscreen de-icer
melt ice fast automobile

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Request for Answer Clarification by wannaknowit-ga on 10 Nov 2002 07:38 PST

Anyone: Know of distributor for Magnesium Chloride Hexahydrate and/or
Isopropyl Alcohol, 91%, near Salt Lake City, UT? Approx prices?

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Clarification of Answer by willie-ga on 10 Nov 2002 07:51 PST

Hi there

Glad you liked the answer.

I'm afraid I'm in the UK, so chasing up a distributor in Salt Lake
City for you would be a long shot for me to do. Sorry.

And as it is a question outwith your original $3,  perhaps it would be
best to raise it as a new question and let somebody else have a go?

willie-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by wannaknowit-ga on 10 Nov 2002 09:57 PST

Agreed, and new post made.

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Clarification of Answer by willie-ga on 10 Nov 2002 10:05 PST

Thanks 

- Everytime you post a "clarify request" I have to reply, otherwise I
don't get paid :)

Perfect! Thanks!

Please don't use commercial antifreeze to do anything other than keep
your car running nicely!  It is a poison and can do serious damage
once in the storm sewer.