The cold weather is here and now is the time to make sure your car is properly prepared. You need to make sure that your car can withstand the winter mechanically.
You’ll also want to make sure that you have the tools to deal with snow and ice.
Here Are 25 Hacks To Get Your Car Through Winter With A Breeze:
1) Emergency Kit
It’s always best to be prepared. Keep an emergency kit in your car to keep you safe in case you get stuck in your car during cold weather. You Unzip a winter coat and place extra socks, underwear, a warm hat, gloves, scarf, and snow pants. Zip it up and store in our car. Your kit should also have a candle, matches and or a lighter, a flashlight, a warm blanket, ph0ne charger, hand/foot warmers, bottle of water, and energy bars.
2) Stop Foggy Windows
Foggy windows are annoying and can be dangerous. You can roll down your windows to quickly defog windows. You can also keep a clean chalkboard eraser in your car to wipe the fog away.
3) Don’t Get Stuck
Don’t want to get stuck in the snow? Place a few 20-pound bags of kitty litter in your trunk. They will give your rear wheels tractions if you have rear wheel drive. You can also try sprinkling some under the tires. Keeping a small shovel in the trunk is also a good idea.
4) Socks In the Glove Box
Always keep a pair of socks in your glove compartment. You can put them over your shoes. This will give you better traction if you have to push your car over ice or walk on ice.
5) Keep The Underside Of Your Car Clean
It’s important to keep regularly clean off the bottom of your car during the winter. This is because it can accumulate salt, dirt, and ice that can cause damage and erosion. Slide a sprinkler underneath your car on a warmer day and drive back and forth over it.
6) Socks As Windshield Wiper Covers
Don’t let your wiper blades ice up. Place some thick warm socks over them at night. This will make it easier to de-ice your windshield in the morning.
7) Increase Your Headlight Visibility
It’s important to have good visibility when it snows. The best way to do that it so make sure you’re headlights are clear. Cover your headlights with toothpaste, let it sit for a bit and rinse with warm water.
8) Protect Your Headlight
Once you’ve cleared your headlights, you’ll want to keep them protected. Add a layer of wax to your headlights. Snow and water will slide right off.
9) Keep Wiper Blades From Sticking.
If you’re not using socks on your blades, they can become frozen to your windshield. Pour some rubbing alcohol on a cloth and wipe the blade down with it. The alcohol will prevent your blades from sticking to your window.
10) Shaving Cream Your Windows
Stop window fog before it stops. Cover the windows with your shaving cream and then wipe it off. Shaving cream has a lot of the same ingredients as commercial defoggers.
11) Keep Doors From Freezing
You can skip the deicer by using WD-40. Spray some in the keyhole, cracks of your doors, and on the rubber before the cold weather hits. It will prevent from icing in the keyhole. It will also prevent frozen water from resting in the cracks of your doors.
12) DIY Ice Scraper
Did you forget your ice scraper? You can run in the house and grab a spatula. You can also use a plastic card.
13) Makeshift De-Icer
Is your lock, car door or handle frozen? Heat up your key with a lighter or match and place it into the lock. Or just a straw to blow into the keyhole. You can also squirt some hand sanitizer onto the door handle and let the ice melt.
14) Use The Sun
Park your car facing east. Since the sun rises in this way it will naturally defrost your windshield. You’ll use less elbow grease when de-icing your car in the morning.
15) Stock Up On Windshield Washer Fluid
Your windows get super dirty in the winter. You have ice and snow spewing onto your windshield from cars driving in front of you. You’ll need a lot of windshield washer fluid.
16) DIY Vinegar De-Icer
Instantly de-ice your entire windshield with a spray. You can make it yourself. Mix three parts vinegar with one part water and spray the mixture onto your windshield so that ice won’t form.
17) Prevent Your Side Mirrors From Frosting
Sometimes it takes a while from your side mirrors to defrost. Prevent them from freezing up by placed a plastic bag over your mirrors overnight. Just secure them with a rubber band.
18) Prevent Car Moisture
Cars can be filled with lots of moisture in the winter from condensation and fogging. Fill a stocking or sock with kitty litter and leave it in your car overnight. It will absorb all the water and moisture.
19) Put A Rug On Your Windshield
Place a rug or tarp over your windshield before it snows. The snow and ice won’t stick. You just have to pull it off.
20) Use A Penny To Check Your Tires
Having proper tire treads is so important when driving in the winter. Hold a penny with your fingers grasping Lincoln’s body. Place it in one of the grooves in your tire. If the top of Lincoln’s head disappears its fine, if not you need new tires.
21) Use A Broom
Getting snow off the top of your car is a pain in the ass. But it can be dangerous if you don’t. Push it off with a broom.
22) Smack Your Car Up
Is your car covered in ice? Give the hood a smack. It will shatter the ice.
23) Or Karate Chop It
Roll your window down. Karate chop the remaining ice. Just don’t hurt yourself.
24) Cardboard For Traction
Stuck in the snow? Keep some cardboard in your car. You can place it under your tires for traction.
25) Don’t Leave Water Bottles In Your Car
Never leave water bottles in your car during the winter. It will create frost on the inside of your windows. Just toss them or bring them inside.
Bonus. Winter Wedding Decor Ideas
Ornamental Centerpiece
Everything you see below can be purchased at the dollar store. They will often have festive colored charger plates and packs of ornaments. They also sell candles. get the details on this
Rosemary Wreath Placecards
These are cute and simple touch. But they really give your table settings the extra flare that looks like you spent money on it.
Twig and Berry Centerpieces
These are great for a winter wedding with an earthy vibe. You can buy or have someone cut logs to use as a stand for your decor. Then you can buy dollar store votive holders and fill it with water, berries, and some pine twigs. Top it with a floating candle. You can also use red and white roses in water to create gorgeous and inexpensive centerpieces and decor.
Paper Flower Corsage
Want the look of corsage flowers without paying for them? Make paper flower corsages.
Givenchy Inspired Headpiece
This headpiece is GORGEOUS. You’d probably spend hundreds on something like this at the store. Buy yourself some Swavorski crystal beads and make your own. The instructions can be found here.
Make A Hot Chocolate Bar
This is a fun way to add a little something extra at your wedding without spending a lot of money. Just have a large machine or container to hold your hot chocolate and keep it hot. Then buy glass containers from the dollar store and fill it with things to top your hot chocolate with like chocolate chips, candy canes or coconut.
Photo Holders/Seat Markers
Photo holders make great take-home gifts and even better seat markers. These are super easy to make. You just need some spraypaint, wire, and a glue gun
Gold Bottle Candle Holders
Instead of buying fancy candle holders, you can make your own. Just spray paint some bottles in gold or another metallic color and pop in a candle. You can place them around your party space for decor or use as a centerpiece.
Etched Votive Holder
Candles are just a nice way to set a romantic mood for your wedding. Instead of plain votive holder, etch a design into votives you find from the dollar store.
Snow Covered Pine Cones
You can use pine cones in a variety of ways. And they look extra festive if you make them look like they are covered in snow. Once you collect and prepare your pine cones you can turn them into all different kinds of decor like a chandelier.
Tree Stumps
Tree stumps and pieces offer an earthy rustic look. Kind of like you’re in a beautiful winter forest. use them to create depth and dimension.
Put Things In Jars
You can find beautiful apothecary jars in bulk for a discount online. You can fill it with all kinds of different things. Filling them with flowers, pine cones, and ornaments for a holiday look.
Beaded Wire
You can use beaded wire to create stunning centerpieces. Wrap it around some painted branches for a magical feel. Just place inside a glass container.
Christmas Tree Decor
Nothing says Christmas like a Christmas tree. Buy some inexpensive mini ones and decorate them on your own. Use them as centerpieces or as decor elsewhere. You can even make trees out of beads, balls, and pine cones if you don’t want pine.
Gingerbread Houses
If you’re going for a literal Christmas themed wedding that’s fun, use gingerbread houses as decor. You can make your own gingerbread or buy those premade kits. Use them as centerpieces or decor.