Reuse These Household Staples To Easily Open Your Frozen Sliding Door

Many of us have been dealing with particularly cold winters lately, and with freezing temperatures comes inconveniences like ice buildup that causes sliding glass doors to freeze shut. This may be because the door is leaking warm air that melts snow which then refreezes as ice, or perhaps you've recently had an ice storm pay a friendly visit to your neighborhood. Whatever the case, there are simple ways to de-ice your sliding door with things you already have around the house.

If this is a frequent issue, you may want to consider a long-term fix like this easy way to stop your door from leaking air. However, when you find yourself with a sliding door that's frozen shut, you need an immediate solution. Don't be tempted to simply dump some warm water on the iced-over area, as this is not advisable. Instead, head to your kitchen or bathroom to collect your rubbing alcohol, a spatula, or a hairdryer to get started on opening that door.

One of the obvious ways to get rid of any ice is to melt it, but some methods can cause more harm than good. Pouring warm water on the icy spots — even lukewarm water — can cause ice-cold glass to expand quickly and crack, and hot water can damage even thick glass like windshields. Handling large quantities of water in freezing cold temperatures may also not be ideal, especially if you have to travel around the house to get to the frozen door.

Instead, try using rubbing alcohol as a homemade de-icer. Alcohol lowers the temperature at which water freezes, so the surrounding air may no longer be cold enough to keep the ice from melting. You can try using the alcohol on its own, or mix two parts water to one part rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle, and add a half teaspoon of dish soap for every two cups of liquid. Just spray the mixture on the ice and let it sit. If you don't have rubbing alcohol, check the pantry for vinegar and mix three parts vinegar with one part water.

The humble hairdryer can also help. This method is pretty straightforward — just plug it in and point it at the trouble spots. Don't crank up the heat, though — keep it on low to avoid applying too much heat and causing damage to the glass. This method can be particularly effective if you can't access the door from the outside.

If you don't have any of these staples in your home, it's time to scrape. You can use the ice scraper from your car to do this, or if you don't have one, head to the kitchen and find a spatula. Avoid metal, as it can damage the door or the glass. A plastic, wood, or silicone spatula can be used as a scraper — just carefully work it into the crack between the door and the frame and try to dislodge any icy buildup.

Of course, this will only work if you can get to the door from the outside, so if you've got a frozen patio door in your apartment, it may not be a viable solution. In this case, gently warming the door frame by whatever means available — such as using a space heater on its lowest setting, or repeated application of warm towels — is your best bet. If you need more tips for dealing with everything winter throws at you, find out whether salt or sand is safer for melting driveway ice and how pickle juice can help de-ice your sidewalks.