Thinking about the troubles a winter snowstorm can bring? Use these household products to help you get out of your residence and where you need to go! My favorites? Numbers 9 and 10. Yup, still do it if necessary!
1. CLEAN YOUR WINDSHIELD WITH SHAVING CREAM
Do your windows fog up? Coat the inside of your car windows with a thin layer of the cream, which has the same active ingredients as defoggers, then wipe them clean.
2. WRAP YOUR CAR'S SIDE MIRRORS IN PLASTIC BAGS
Unless you own a garage, you'll never be able to keep your whole car snow and ice-free, but side mirrors are easy: Just wrap them with gallon-sized plastic bags and use rubber bands to secure them. When you're ready to drive, slip off the bags.
3. USE HAND SANITIZER AND STRAW, OR A LIGHTER ON YOUR LOCK
When temperatures get low enough, car locks can freeze—and your keys can get stuck. Avoid this annoying situation by coating your keys in a little bit of hand sanitizer. The alcohol in the sanitizer will quickly melt the ice inside the locks. You can also spray some WD-40 on your locks, which will prevent ice from building up inside. Or, use a lighter to heat the car key and slide it into the lock.
4. PUT OLD SOCKS ON YOUR WINDSHIELD WIPERS
Prop up your wiperblades. Once they're raised, though, you can go one step further: Place an old sock over each blade to prevent ice build up.
5. THROW A RUG ON YOUR WINDSHIELD AFTER PARKING.
When storm clouds gather, throw an old rug, carpet, or tarp in the trunk of your car. When you park, you can throw it over your windshield to prevent snow and ice from sticking to it. You can also use your makeshift windshield cover for additional traction if you get stuck in the snow.
6. PULL SOCKS OVER YOUR SHOES FOR MORE TRACTION
Stuck in the snow with shoes that aren't giving you enough traction for a big push? Grab those socks you used on your wiper blades out of the glove compartment and pull them over your shoes. They'll give you more traction for pushing.
7. USE COOKING SPRAY ON YOUR CAR DOORS.
When temperatures plummet, doors have a tendency to get stuck. Grab some cooking spray the night before a storm. Coat the outside rubber edges of the doors and wipe them clean. The cooking spray acts as a lubricant, making it hard for ice to form.
8. DE-FOG WITH CAT LITTER.
If you want to reduce foggy windows and mirrors, put some extremely absorbent cat litter in a couple of socks and place them in the car. They’ll absorb the moisture that creates fog.
9. KEEP SOME KITTY LITTER / SALT BAG IN YOUR TRUNK.
To give the back tires of a rear-wheel drive car a little more weight for better traction, buy a 20-pound bag of kitty litter and leave it in the trunk of your car. This will help ground your rear tires over snowy roads. You can also use a heavy bag of road salt. And if needed, put the salt/kitty litter under tires if stuck on ice.
10. USE YOUR CAR'S FLOOR MATS FOR MORE TRACTION WHEN YOU'RE STUCK.
A piece of cardboard or your car’s floor mats could be used under your tires if you need more traction to get out of a snowbank.
11. MAKE YOUR OWN WASHER FLUID.
Why spend the cash when you can make your own with household supplies? Here's how: Fill a large bottle or jug with a gallon of water. Mix one tablespoon of dish soap, half a cup of vinegar, and a few drops of blue food coloring with the water. To prevent your mixture from freezing, add one cup of isopropyl alcohol. Keep your homemade washer fluid outside to test whether it will freeze or not before you add it to your car. If the fluid is frozen or slushy, just add more alcohol.
12. PARK YOUR CAR FACING EAST.
Try to face the east when parking overnight. This way, the sun, as it rises, will melt some of the snow and make it easier to scrape ice off your car.
13. USE A CREDIT CARD AS A DIY ICE SCRAPER
AND REMEMBER, NEVER PUT HOT WATER ON YOUR WINDSHIELD!!!
"18 Winter Car Hacks That Are Borderline Genius," Buzzfeed. https://www.buzzfeed.com/jessicaprobus/winter-car-hacks-that-are-borderline-genius.
"15 Simple Cold Weather Car Hacks," Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73504/15-simple-cold-weather-car-hacks.
My Own Experience!