HOW TO: Survive winter driving with your car

One of the biggest perils and inconveniences of winter is driving a car. Spending 20 minutes scraping your windows, trying to crack open your frozen-shut doors, and finally when you get in to the freezing, freshly-scraped car you can’t even move because you can’t gain traction.

I think its safe to say that everyone with a car has experienced some kind of winter car trouble this winter. Here are some tips to ease the process and stay safe!

1- Windshield.

Place a towel across your windshield and rear window. The ice will form on the towel instead and all you have to do is remove the towels and you’re ready to go.

<ul><li>DIY windshield de-icer. Mix 3:1 rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle with a squirt of dish soap. Apply liberally on windshield until ice melts.<ul><li>Note: This is not the magic spray the internet leads us to believe, but it will loosen the ice enough that it scrapes off easily.</li><li>Tip: use a half empty alcohol bottle and borrow a spray nozzle from a cleaner bottle, instead of purchasing a new bottle.</li><li>Myth: Spraying your windshield with vinegar will not keep it from freezing.</li><li>Myth: Hot water. Dumping hot water on your windshield will technically work but will probably crack it.</li></ul></li></ul>

2 – Getting unstuck

A cheap way to make sure you always have a way out of a slippery situation is to keep a bag of kitty litter in your car to pour underneath your tires to gain traction. If you’re in a pinch you can use the floor mats from your car to get out, just don’t forget to go back and get them! Also, if you do the towel on the windshield trick you can use the towels for the same effect.

3 – Wipers and Locks

Cover your wipers with a pair of socks so they don’t freeze. Use hand sanitizer to unfreeze your door locks, put it on the lock or on the key before you insert it. Spray WD-40 on locks to prevent them from freezing in the future.

4 – Doors

Spray door jam rubbers with cooking spray and wipe off with a rag to keep them from freezing shut. You can also use your homemade alcohol de-icer to get them unfrozen.

5 – Winter car kit

<ul><li>Socks. Put socks over shoes to help gain traction when getting unstuck.</li><li>Coat, gloves, blankets etc.</li><li>Power bars and water. Wrap water in survival blankets and keep in a soft cooler so it doesn’t freeze.</li><li>Coffee can heater: Fill a coffee can with metal cup tea lights and matches. Burn four candles at a time inside the coffee can. The metal will help conduct the heat to warm up your car if you’re stranded.</li><li>Keep a standard safety kit: Tool kit, survival blankets, flashlight, first aid kit, etc.</li></ul>

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