Winter Weather Hacks for Drivers

So we talked about the best way to get the ice off your windshield – but there are other problems that  come with the cold weather, ice and snow. There are quite a few car problems that can be weather-related, so it’s  always good to be prepared ‘just in case’. So here’s a few cold weather tricks to help you stay UNstuck this Winter.

This post is sponsored by Columbiana Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram

De-ICE Your Door Locks with Hand Sanitizer
So if you don’t have a garage, like me, your car gets the brunt of the bad weather. You wake up with it covered in snow and ice, and to get it defrosted, you need to get in your car and start it up – but uh, oh, the door is frozen! Hand sanitizer could do the trick since it contains alcohol – an ingredient that is known to melt ice. To help de-ice the lock, cover the end of your key with the sanitizer, and put it in the key hole, trying to get as much of the hand sanitizer in as possible. This should help melt the ice and get you going. I usually suggest that you carry hand sanitizer on your key ring, so that way you have access to it at all times.

Get Your Car ‘UnStuck” with Kitty Litter
Seems odd, but if you have a lot of snow or ice on the ground, you could have some trouble gaining traction. Spread some litter in front of the tires that are stuck and it  can help your tires ‘grip’ and get out of the snow. Buy some cheap litter and just keep it in your truck for an emergency.

Use Socks to Keep Your Windshield Wipers from Freezing
This is an oldy but a classic. When you get home and know that cold/bad weather is coming, take a pair of socks (they can be old holey ones, or a pair of dollar store socks) and put them over your wiper blades and then lift the wiper blades up so they don’t get stuck to the windshield. Keep a few pairs in your emergency kit – for windshields, or as gloves, or even just to keep your toes warm!

Cover Side Mirrors with Bags to Prevent Frost
Take your grocery store plastic bags (keep a few in your emergency kit or in your glove box, because they make great trash bags for your car too) and cover each mirror with a bag to help keep the snow and ice off your mirrors. This can also save you time when it comes to scraping ice the next day! 

Using these hacks might help you deal with winter car challenges, but they’re no substitute for being prepared for seasonal weather. Consider some general winter car prep in addition to these hacks to help you stay safe on the road.