Winter isn’t a great time for drivers because the cold season is always accompanied by scores of concerns for the motorists.
From defogging the windows and windshield to removing snow off the vehicle in the morning, winter driving comes with a list of challenges.
But don’t worry because we have got you covered. Below, we’ve put together seven winter driving tips that can save you a lot of time and trouble.
1. Frosty side mirrors
In order to prevent ice from covering your side mirrors overnight, just covered them with plastic bags and use rubber bands to fit the bags in place. This way, your side mirrors will be completely ice-free in the morning and you won’t have to spend a lot of effort in cleaning them.
2. Foggy or frozen headlights
You can get rid of foggy headlights once and for all by following a simple trick. First, thoroughly clean the headlights and allow them to dry. After that, apply a layer of wax on them. It will keep moisture and snow from accumulating on your headlights and the protective layer of wax will last for weeks.
3. Car stuck in snow
It’s not difficult to unstuck your car from snow and there are several ways to do this. One of the methods employs your floor mat. Just place your floor mats under your tires and you will get enough traction to get your car out of the snow.
Another great method is to spread cat litter in front of the tires. It is more effective and also a lot easier as compared to other methods.
4. Icy windows
To de-ice your frozen windows or windshield, mix the following ingredients in a spray bottle: dish detergent (1 drop), water (6.7 fl oz), and rubbing alcohol(20 fl oz). Spray the liquid onto your windows and the ice will quickly melt away.
You can also use a mixture of vinegar and water (in 3:1 ratio) for the purpose.
5. Frozen car lock
An old and workable method is to heat your key with a lighter or match before inserting it into the lock.
However, a more effective way is to use a regular hand sanitizer. Sanitizers contain alcohol and, hence, can remove all the ice from inside your lock within an instant. So just apply a few drops into the keyhole or onto your key, and get rid of the problem.
To prevent this problem in first place, spray a little WD-40 into your keyhole.
6. Frozen doors
Regular cooking sprays can solve the problem for you. Just apply the spray onto your rubber seals before rubbing it with a towel to prevent your car doors from freezing shut.
7. Foggy windshield
An easy way to clear your foggy windows or windshield is to rub them with a chalkboard eraser since it can easily clear them without leaving behind smudges.
To prevent the problem from happening in the first place, leave a cloth bag or an old stocking filled with kitty litter in your car at night. The cat litter will soak all the moisture from inside your car. Also, make sure not to leave open water bottles or other liquids in your vehicle overnight.