11 Clever Car Hacks to Survive Winter
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Winter is officially on its way, and some regions are expected to receive a milder-than-normal winter season, while others may experience winter weather well into the spring season. The northern plains and the eastern U.S. can plan on months of snowstorms and frigid cold temperatures, while the majority of the southern half of the nation will experience relatively milder temperatures.
There’s No Avoiding Winter Driving
Regardless of where in the U.S. you live, there’s no avoiding winter driving. Even when you work from home, you probably need to leave the house at some point. Everything from commuting to and from work to the grocery store or a holiday party can become dangerous under certain weather conditions. Whether you’ll be fighting excessive storms, snow, ice, or subzero temperatures behind the wheel of your car, it’s important to be prepared to ensure the safety of yourself and your passengers.
Even larger vehicles like the Ford-F150 and Jeep Wrangler aren’t completely winterproof. Fortunately, we’ve put together plenty of clever car hacks to prepare you for the winter weather season ahead. Whether you need to park outdoors and want to know how to protect your car from snow without a garage, or there is limited parking after your commute to work, and you want to try an outdoor car cover, here are several easy hacks to help you and your car survive the winter.
1. Apply Shaving Cream to Your Windows
Who would’ve thought that shaving cream could be used anywhere other than the bathroom? It turns out that shaving cream contains many of the same ingredients as defoggers. To keep the fog off your windows, put shaving cream on the inside of your windows and then wipe it off.
2. Kitter Litter Keeps Your Car Dry
Whether you drive a Mustang or Mercedes Benz, every driver can benefit from kitty litter in their vehicle. Simply fill a stocking with kitty litter and keep it in your vehicle overnight. It’ll absorb water and keep fog off your windshield. Many brands also have odor-eliminators to keep your vehicle smelling fresh.
3. Bring Your Water Bottles Inside
As tempting as it may be to leave a water bottle in your vehicle for an icy cold drink, it only creates frost on the inside of your windows. To keep frost from forming on the inside of your windows, bring water bottles and other beverages indoors and avoid leaving them in your car.
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4. Give the Car Some Air
After you’ve finally warmed up and made it home, the last thing you probably want to do is spend more time in your vehicle. However, it can be helpful to open the windows to let cold air inside before packing up and heading indoors. The moisture from your breath will be replaced with drier air, helping to keep frost from forming on the windows overnight.
5. Use Your Air Conditioning
We know how crazy it sounds to open the air conditioner in December, January, and February, but it works! Your air conditioning is one of the best defoggers since it helps to remove humidity from the air. Excess humidity not only freezes your car interior but also causes you to feel colder due to the effect of the damp air evaporating from your skin.
6. Socks Save the Day
In case of vehicle emergencies, drivers should always have an extra pair of socks and mittens in their glove box. But not only can socks keep your feet warm in an emergency—but they can also provide additional traction on your shoes! In the event that you need to get out of your vehicle to push your car over patches of ice, first put socks over your shoes or boots. It’ll give you the traction you need to keep you from slipping on snow or ice.
7. Socks Aren’t Just for Feet
Socks aren’t just for your feet—they’re for wiper blades, too! While they may look goofy on your Jaguar, Mercedes Benz, or Mustang, it’ll keep your windshield nice and clean. Use an extra pair of socks to cover your windshield wipers at night to keep the ice and snow off them. You can also raise the wipers off the windshield and cover them up for easier deicing in the morning. If you don’t mind the appearance of having socks on your windshield, you can even cover your windshield wipers when you park outside during the day if you know there’s a storm in the forecast.
8. Keep a Match or Lighter Handy to De-Ice Locks
To de-ice frozen locks, simply heat your car key with a match or lighter. The key heats up very quickly, so be careful to gently push the heated key into the lock to melt the ice as you provide pressure.
9. Use a Straw to De-Ice
A drinking straw can also be used to de-ice locks. Take a straw and blow directly onto the frozen lock to melt the ice. Your hot breath acts like a miniature heat gun to remove ice from the lock.
10. Keep Hand Sanitizer in Your Purse or Bag
Chances are, you already have hand sanitizer within reach at all times, especially in the winter when cold and flu viruses are rampant. But it can also be used to de-ice door handles or locks. Simply rub your key or door handle with a little bit of hand sanitizer. The alcohol used in the hand sanitizer gently melts the ice, allowing you to unlock your car door.
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11. Protect Your Vehicle With a Car Cover
Start planning early to protect your vehicle during the winter. A car cover is one of the single best things you can do for your vehicle during the winter weather season. A car cover insulates your vehicle to protect sensitive electrical components and prevent moisture damage. It also keeps the snow and ice from sticking to your vehicle. In addition to protecting your vehicle from snow and ice, a car cover also protects your automobile from theft.
Quality car covers extend the life cycle of your vehicle, helping to retain much of the vehicle’s value. Plus, car covers show potential buyers that you cared for the vehicle and valued it. Whether you drive a Mercedes Benz, Ford-F150, Jaguar, Mazda, or any other type of vehicle—a car cover is an excellent choice for protecting your vehicle all winter long. By incorporating these clever car hacks into your winter weather routine, you will ensure your vehicle stays in mint condition all winter long while also protecting you and your passengers from dangerous weather conditions.
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