The cold weather is here and now is the time to make sure your car is properly prepared. You need to make sure that your car can withstand the winter mechanically. We all know we need to make sure our car is filled with anti-freeze.
You’ll also want to make sure that you have the tools to deal with snow and ice. And of course, nothing is more important than your safety. Especially if your car gets stuck in the snow.
So, we’ve compiled a list of 40 hacks that will help with all of this. Winter will be a piece of cake when it comes to your car.
Here Are 40 Hacks To Get Your Car Through Winter With A Breeze:
When you get stuck in your car in the winter, the most important thing is to call for help. But you can’t do that if your cell phone is dead. Keep a battery operated portable cell phone charger and charging cords in your car. Once you call 911 to let them know you’re stuck and can’t get out, you should try to stay on the line with them for as long as you need to until you’re safe.
Foggy windows are annoying and can be dangerous. You can roll down your windows to quickly defog windows. You can also keep a clean chalkboard eraser in your car to wipe the fog away.
Don’t want to get stuck in the snow? Place a few 20-pound bags of kitty litter in your trunk. They will give your rear wheels tractions if you have rear wheel drive. You can also try sprinkling some under the tires to give your tires traction. Keeping a small shovel in the trunk is also a good idea.
Always keep a pair of socks in your glove compartment. You can put them over your shoes. This will give you better traction if you have to push your car over ice or walk on ice.
It’s important to regularly clean off the bottom of your car during the winter. This is because it can accumulate salt, dirt, and ice that can cause damage and erosion. Slide a sprinkler underneath your car on a warmer day and drive back and forth over it.
It’s important to have good visibility when it snows. The best way to do that it so make sure you’re headlights are clear. Cover your headlights with toothpaste, let it sit for a bit and rinse with warm water.
If you’re not using socks on your blades, they can become frozen to your windshield. Pour some rubbing alcohol on a cloth and wipe the blade down with it. The alcohol will prevent your blades from sticking to your window.
Stop window fog before it stops. Cover the windows with your shaving cream and then wipe it off. Shaving cream has a lot of the same ingredients as commercial defoggers.
You can skip the deicer by using WD-40. Spray some in the keyhole, cracks of your doors, and on the rubber before the cold weather hits. It will prevent from icing in the keyhole. It will also prevent frozen water from resting in the cracks of your doors.
Park your car facing east. Since the sun rises in this direction it will naturally defrost your windshield. You’ll use less elbow grease when de-icing your car in the morning.
Your windows get super dirty in the winter. You have ice and snow spewing onto your windshield from cars driving in front of you. You’ll need a lot of windshield washer fluid. You can make your own here.
Instantly de-ice your entire windshield with a spray. You can make it yourself. Mix three parts vinegar with one part water and spray the mixture onto your windshield so that ice won’t form.
Sometimes it takes a while for your side mirrors to defrost. Prevent them from freezing up by placing a plastic bag over your mirrors overnight. Just secure them with a rubber band.
Cars can be filled with lots of moisture in the winter from condensation and fogging. Fill a stocking or sock with kitty litter and leave it in your car overnight. It will absorb all the water and moisture.
Having proper tire treads is so important when driving in the winter. Hold a penny with your fingers grasping Lincoln’s body. Place it in one of the grooves in your tire. If the top of Lincoln’s head disappears its fine, if not you need new tires.
Never leave water bottles in your car during the winter. It will create frost on the inside of your windows. Just toss them, bring them inside. You can keep one in the trunk for hydration in case of an emergency.
It’s best to turn on the air conditioner on low when you first get in your car in the winter instead of the heat. The heat can cause more fog. The compressor will take the humidity out of the air.
When you park your car for the night make sure you raise your windshield wipers off of your windshield and point them toward the air. This will prevent them from freezing to the windshield. It will also prevent them from becoming broken when you try to raise them when they’re covered with heavy snow.
Here’s another method to help you get out of the snow if you’re stuck. You can place your floor mats under your tire. It will give you some traction on an icy surface.
Some people would think that pouring hot water on your car’s windshield would help to melt the ice. It might. But it might also shatter your entire windshield.
You should always have an extra set of clothes to keep you warm if you get stuck in your car during cold weather. Unzip a winter coat and place extra socks, underwear, a warm hat, gloves, scarf, and snow pants. Zip it up and store in your car.
Keep a flashlight and extra set of batteries in your glove compartment. It will help if you get stuck when it’s dark out and will also help increase your visibility if someone is trying to locate you.
If you’re going to be stuck in your car for a long time, you’ll only want to run your car for a few minutes every hour. You don’t want to burn our your battery or waste all your gas. It’s also important to make sure your tailpipe isn’t blocked. If you’re unable to tell, keep your windows open when you run the car to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Try to make sure your car is as far off of the road as it can be. But if there are car’s whizzing by making sure you’re safe. Once your car is out of harm’s way, it’s best to stay in your car for as long as you can since it is warmest in the car.
Sometimes snow can reduce visibility. That’s why you’ll want to place reflective triangles around your car if you’re pulled over in the snow. This way drivers will be able to see you.
Having blankets or a sleeping bag in your car is also a good idea. These items can help you stay warm if you have to spend a few hours in your car when its cold. This onhe here is made for emergencies and has a water resistant exterior.
It’s almost important to keep some high energy snacks in your car like protein bars. This will help you sustain your energy if your stuck in your car or on the road during a snowstorm. These bars act as a meal replacement.
While you can use a credit card in a pinch when you don’t have an ice scrapper, it’s not ideal. Dropping a few bucks on a good ice scrapper and brush is totally worth it. You can find top of the line snow and ice removal tools here.
40 Hacks To Get Your Car Through Winter With A Breeze
D.G. Sciortino
01.02.19
The cold weather is here and now is the time to make sure your car is properly prepared. You need to make sure that your car can withstand the winter mechanically. We all know we need to make sure our car is filled with anti-freeze.
You’ll also want to make sure that you have the tools to deal with snow and ice. And of course, nothing is more important than your safety. Especially if your car gets stuck in the snow.
So, we’ve compiled a list of 40 hacks that will help with all of this. Winter will be a piece of cake when it comes to your car.
Here Are 40 Hacks To Get Your Car Through Winter With A Breeze:
