Choosing Efficiency First

A broken windshield in your car is always a big concern, but it can be even more troublesome if you can't get it repaired immediately. At the very least, you will need to protect the interior of the car from the elements. You may also need to make sure the repair is road-worthy, since you can still drive a car with a broken side window or rear windshield. The following guide can help you take temporary measures to patch up the windshield until you can get a professional repair.

#1: Clean Up the Glass

Windshields are made to shatter into small pieces with blunt edges so that they don't cause injury in the event of an accident. Unfortunately, this also means there is a large mess to clean up when a window is broken. Begin by vacuuming up as much visible glass as possible. Next, brush up the mess on the carpet and upholstery with a stiff brush to bring any small pieces of glass to the surface, and then vacuum again. Finally, wrap a piece of sticky packing tape around your hand, sticky side out, and blot this over the carpet and seats to pick up any remaining slivers.

#2: Prep the Surfaces

Take a few minutes to prepare all the surfaces for taping. This means wiping off any dust or dirt on the frame around the door with a soft cloth. You may even want to thoroughly wash these areas with soap and water, but only do so if the weather is such that you can make sure all surfaces are completely dry.

#3: Provide Some Protection

One problem with temporary covers is that the tape can damage your paint. The key to avoiding this is to use medium-tack painter's tape as a base. Place one length of tape around the perimeter of the window. Place additional lengths of tape next to the first and slightly overlapping it until the tape perimeter is about 2 inches wide. The adhesive in this tape doesn't usually damage car paint and it's easy to remove.

#4: Seal it Up

For the final seal, cut a piece of clear plastic so that it is several inches larger than the broken window on all sides. Line the top of the sheet up with the top edge of the window and tape it in place with clear packing tape. Stick the packing tape to the prepared painter's tape base so the packing tape adhesive isn't in contact with the car's paint. Repeat the process on the bottom of the sheet, and then on the sides, pulling the sheet taut as you tape so it doesn't flap in the wind as you drive.

This temporary fix can last at least several days, giving you time to schedule a repair at a local windshield repair shop such as Mr Go-Glass.