When the winter is on in full swing and the days are getting colder, nobody wants to deal with dangerous, icy road conditions, or a car that looks like an icicle when you’re already late for work! Well, have you ever considered winter-proofing your car, just like you’d winter-proof your house each year?
If you haven’t thought of it yet, try it out this year, as there are some easy tricks and solutions to help get your car running even in the coldest of days!
Here are some of the best winter tricks to winter-proof your car, this cold season.
1. Use your floor mat to get unstuck from the snow
I’m sure you’ve heard that you should keep a bag of kitty litter or sand in your trunk to use for traction if you get stuck on ice. But in case you’ve forgotten to do so, don’t panic. All you need to do is, just turn off the car, and stick the rubber side of one of your floor mats under the spinning tire. Turn the car back on, put your foot on the gas, and it will provide the grip you need to get going.
2. Use vinegar to de-ice your windows
Are your windows getting frosty? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water and spritz it on all your car windows at night. In the morning, they’ll be clear of icy mess! You must be wondering how this works, right? Well, vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water-preventing water from freezing. In case your car windows are already frozen, then just spray the mixture on your windows and watch it melt!
3. Use hand sanitizer to de-ice your lock in just a few seconds
Can’t get your key in the lock on a frozen morning? Just put some hand sanitizer liquid on the key and the lock, and that should solve your problem. Want to know why? Well, hand sanitizers contain alcohol, which is in fact one of the main ingredients in most commercial de-icers! Just make sure you carry a sanitizer that’s at least 60% alcohol. Sanitizers with less alcohol will not work.
4. Make your wipers squeak-proof by using just rubbing alcohol
Sometimes your windshield wipers can get rather squeaky and can leave streaks or marks making it quite difficult to see. All you need to do is wipe them with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. These are solvents that can cut the buildup of grease and grime, that prevents wipers from working properly. This will give you more clarity and visibility, with a clean windshield.
5. Use clear wax to keep your headlights clean and clear
During winters, there is a mix of slush, snow and road salt, that can really ruin your headlights. If this mixture sticks on your headlights, it can dangerously, reduce your visibility. But there’s an easy fix: just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your lights, so you’ll be able to get wherever you need to go this winter safely and the protection will last for weeks!
6. Make your windshield fog-proof by using just shaving cream
Shaving cream can create a protective film on the glass that can help prevent fogging. All you need to do is spray some shaving cream on your windshield and wipe it using paper towels. Shaving cream is known to have de-fogging abilities.
7. Use cooking spray to prevent car doors from freezing shut
You can spritz some cooking spray on the rubber seals around your car doors and rub it in with a paper towel. The reason why your doors freeze is because the usually the snow melts into the seals during the day, and then freezes again at night. The oils in cooking spray prevent water from melting into the rubber and this can help prevent your car doors from freezing.