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20 Car Hacks to Survive The Winter

By 1st March 2017No Comments

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20. Keep a Sock Boxwww.dmvappointments.org
If you ever find yourself trapped on the side of the road in the snow unexpectedly, you should always keep socks in your glove box to put over your shoes. This will help create friction so you don’t slip on the snow/ice and can walk to where you need to go in order receive help. Socks over your shoes can also be helpful if you have to push your car out of a snow bank.

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19. Fog-Proof Your Windshieldwww.odometer.com
There’s nothing worse than driving on a cold day and finding your windshield fogging up in the middle of busy traffic. Thankfully, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to solve this problem. All you need to do is wipe down the inside of your windshield with shaving cream and then wipe it clean. You will find that your windshield stays crystal clear no matter what the temperature.

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18. Keep Gift Cards for Sticky Situationswomenshealthmag.com
You never know when you might need to call on a friend (or stranger) for some road side assistance in the dead of winter, and let us tell you it can be a real job depending on the situation you’re in. We suggest always having some $5.00 gift cards on hand to give out as a “thank you” for help. You’d be surprised how far showing appreciation can get you.

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17. Defrost Naturallywww.doctoroz.com
One way to defrost your windshield naturally is by parking it where it will face the morning sunrise. As the sun rises, the heat will melt the ice and snow, saving you a good few minutes of ice scraping . And believe us when we say, every minute counts in rush hour traffic during the middle of winter.

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16. Maintain Wheel Tractionwww.odometer.com
One of the biggest problems when it comes to driving in ice and snow is maintaining wheel traction. Many times your car can begin to “lift off” the ice/snow and start to glide. Therefore, you need to weigh down your vehicle. Some people place weights in their trunk so they can maintain traction and manage to keep stable on the road. Try it out sometime.

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15. Simple DIY Ice Scraperthisblewmind.com
If you find yourself with a frozen windshield and no ice scraper, all you need is a credit card. Simply use an edge on the ice and begin to scrape it up and off your windshield. However, if the ice is too thick don’t attempt this as you could break your credit card.

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14. Always Drive Defensivelymyimprov.com
Whenever you are driving on the road during the winter season it’s best to be on the defense. While you can trust your own driving skills in the sleet and snow, you can’t be so sure other drivers know what they’re doing. The best thing you can do is be prepared for anything and maintain your distance from other vehicles.

13. Sock Wiper Coverswww.gadgetpics.com
One problem that drivers have during the winter is their windshield wipers becoming frozen to the windshield. Thankfully, we’ve got a simple and cheap solution–socks! All you need to do is slip a sock over each wiper, and you will no longer have to worry about it freezing and becoming damaged. Piece of cake!
12. Avoid Foggy Windshield​

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Foggy windshields are a real annoyance, especially when they come out of nowhere while driving. The reason this happens is due to the temperature on the inside of the vehicle not matching the outside. However, there is a simple solution–crack your windows. While it may end up being slightly chilly in your car, it can de-fog your windows super quick.

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11. Prevent Spinning TiresSpinning tires occurs when your wheels can’t get enough traction on the ice or snow and is a result of not enough weight being put on the surface of the road to make the wheels catch the ice. However, we have a little hack that can solve that problem: cat litter. Placing bags of cat litter into your trunk can help balance out the weight and provide enough traction to prevent your wheels from spinning. Pretty simple, eh?

Or buy a pair of snow socks for your car!


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10. Maintain Basic Maintenance
One important factor when you drive during the winter is to keep up on your car’s basic maintenance. You don’t want to find yourself with a flat tire or your engine going kaput. Tires are extremely important to keep up to snuff during the winter months, so if they are balding replace them ASAP.

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9. Keep Doors From FreezingIf you don’t want your doors to freeze overnight in the cold weather, simply spray alcohol down the door cracks. The alcohol will prevent ice from forming and keep you on time when it comes to starting your day. You can also utilize alcohol to unfreeze doors after they’ve already frozen shut by simply spraying them down with the alcohol solution.

Also you can rub vaseline on to the rubbers, this makes access easier and stops them tearing.


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8. Wax Your HeadlightsPreventing ice from forming on your headlights is actually quite simple. All you need to do is wax down the lights and it will keep ice from freezing onto the lights and cracking them. Easy and effective, your headlights will continue to shine bright even in the worst of storms. You can also wax your entire car to prevent snow build up as well.

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7. De-Ice Keyholes
One really easy way to defrost a keyhole is to use hand sanitizer. Yep, it’s true. The alcohol in the sanitizer helps unfreeze the keyhole so you can get your key in and unlock your car. Just squirt some over the hole and insert your key and it will slide right in!

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6. Avoid Frosty Mirrors

Frosty and foggy side mirrors can be very dangerous while driving in the snow when there is limited visibility. One way to avoid this is by using plastic bags to cover your side mirrors when you aren’t driving. This will keep ice from freezing over the mirrors and allow you to always have optimal viewpoints while driving.


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5. DIY Windshield Wiper Fluid
During the cold winter months, your average windshield wiper fluid isn’t going to cut it. In fact, it can be downright useless and can end up adding another layer to the ice already there. For this homemade solution you mix 1 part rubbing alcohol with one part anti-grease hand soap or detergent. You will be amazed at how well it removes the ice from your windshield.

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4. Cover All the BasicsIf you want to avoid an icy windshield–period–we suggest purchasing a windshield cover. A windshield cover will keep the snow off your car throughout the night and will allow you to avoid the oh-so-fun ice scraping the next morning.

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3. Keep the Car CleanDuring the winter it’s imperative to keep your car clean (inside and out). A dirty car can become a real pain when dealing with snowstorms and ice, especially if the ice forms over the dirt and traps it on your top coat. This can end up leading to scratches. You also want to make sure all of your fluid levels are topped off so none of your pipes freeze.

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2. Tire Chains for Safe Driving

One way to avoid hydroplaning and spinning out on the ice is by installing chains on your tires. These help maintain traction on the snow and ice so you can drive safely through the winter. It’s important that you get tire-specific chains so you don’t tear up your wheels, so always inquire with a professional when installing them.


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1. Portable HeaterA portable heater is a great way to maintain a constant temp in your car during the winter, and it also works wonders with defrosting and de-fogging your windows and windshield. These usually are battery-powered and can last anywhere from 15-20 hours. Believe us when we say it can come in handy during especially cold days.

Tim Kelly

Tim is a highly qualified Independent Engineer with over 20 years experience as an Engineering Assessor of damaged vehicles.

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