Drivers have been urged to place a common household item that can be bought for around 30p on their car windscreen in a bid to boost visibility during cold winter weather.

With the UK facing another spell of freezing temperatures, many drivers are once again feeling the frustration of having to scrape ice from their vehicle's windows before they are able to set off.

However, LeaseLoco.com has suggested that drivers can prevent ice from forming at all by rubbing their windscreen with an onion the night before cold weather.

They advised: "The best way to avoid the hassle of de-icing your car is to prevent the ice from becoming a problem in the first place. During the evening, chop a brown onion in half and rub it over your car windows.

"This should help prevent a thick layer of ice from being able to stick. The same can be done with potatoes as they contain glycerol which is also found in windscreen washers."

Whilst it sounds silly, by cutting a brown onion in half and rubbing it across the car windscreen, drivers are able to prepare their vehicle for cold weather.

This is because the glycerol contained in onions vastly reduces friction on the windscreen, making it much more difficult for drops of water to stick to before it can turn into ice.

For the best results, drivers should apply an even layer of glycerol on their windscreen and reapply it with an onion after it rains or the vehicle is washed.

LeaseLoco.co.uk also suggested that drivers can quickly melt the ice away by mixing a small amount of salt with water and adding it to a spray bottle.

They continued: "Mix together salt and water in a spray bottle and stir until the salt is fully dissolved and keep it handy on cold days. When mixed together, salt and water can generate heat and lower the freezing point of water.

"De-icing salt is the most effective for this but table salt can work too. Simply spray the solution on your windows."