The quickest way to prepare a car for cold weather is to cover three things before the first freeze: make sure the car itself is ready (tires, battery, washer fluid, lights), carry a small emergency kit with traction aids, and have a few cheap tricks for frost, ice and fog. The 25 tips below cover all three, from kitty litter in the trunk to socks on the wiper blades.
Some of these are proper maintenance, the kind the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends every winter. Others are household hacks that drivers swear by. Where a popular trick has a catch, such as hitting ice with your hand or using a lighter on a modern key, we say so plainly, because a hack that damages your car or your hand is not much of a saving.
Before winter really bites, it is also worth booking a quick check-up: a mechanic can test the battery, belts, hoses and coolant in a few minutes, and cold weather is exactly when weak batteries give up. Electric and hybrid cars lose range in the cold, so keep them charged and plugged in overnight when you can. The tips are grouped by job, so you can work through one group at a time.
Emergency kit and traction
1. Pack a winter emergency kit
Photo: One Good Thing by Jillee
A neat trick is to zip spare clothing inside an old winter coat (hat, gloves, scarf, thick socks, even snow trousers) so it stays together in the trunk. Add a flashlight, phone charger, blanket, hand warmers, water, energy bars and any medication you need. NHTSA also suggests a shovel, ice scraper, jumper cables, warning triangles or flares, and a first aid kit. Skip open flames like candles in a closed car unless you are sure there is ventilation.
2. Carry kitty litter or sand for grip
Photo: Now You Know Facts
A bag or two of clay kitty litter or sand gives spinning tires something to bite on; sprinkle it in front of the drive wheels. NHTSA lists sand or kitty litter as standard kit for exactly this reason. In a rear-wheel-drive car, heavy bags over the rear axle also add useful weight. A small folding shovel completes the set.
3. Keep spare socks in the glove box
Photo: One Good Thing by Jillee
Pulling a pair of old socks over your shoes can give extra grip if you have to walk across an icy car park or push a stuck car. They also mean you have something dry to change into if your feet get soaked. Treat it as a stopgap; proper ice grips for boots work better.
4. Use cardboard as a traction mat
Photo: YouTube screenshot
A flattened cardboard box wedged under the drive wheels can help a car climb out of a snowy rut. Clear snow from around the tire first, straighten the wheels and accelerate gently. Flooring the pedal just shreds the cardboard and digs the tire deeper.
Tires, fluids, lights and underbody
5. Check tire tread with a coin
Photo: utires.com
In the US, the classic test is to put a penny into the tread groove with Lincoln's head pointing down. If you can see the top of his head, the tread is roughly at or below 2/32 of an inch, the minimum NHTSA mentions, and it is time for new tires. For snow, more tread is better, and winter tires are worth considering where storms are common. Check tire pressure too: it drops as temperatures fall.
6. Fill up with winter washer fluid
Photo: Mom 4 Real
Slush and road salt thrown up by other cars can blind you in seconds, and you will use far more washer fluid in winter than in summer. Use a fluid rated for freezing temperatures; NHTSA recommends one with de-icer. Homemade mixes are popular, but if they are not rated for the cold they can freeze in the reservoir or on the glass.
7. Clean cloudy headlights
Photo: Lifehack
Plastic headlight covers yellow over time, and dim lights are dangerous on dark winter afternoons. Regular toothpaste is a mild abrasive, so rubbing a little on, leaving it briefly and rinsing can make lights noticeably clearer. It is a temporary fix; a headlight restoration kit with UV sealant lasts longer.
8. Wax the headlights after cleaning
Photo: One Good Thing by Jillee
A thin coat of car wax on clean headlight covers helps water and light snow slide off. It also gives the plastic some protection from salt and grime. Reapply every few weeks during the season.
9. Rinse salt off the underside
Photo: YouTube screenshot
Road salt and wet grit collect under the car and speed up rust on the body and brake lines. On a milder day, a lawn sprinkler slid under the car, or a car wash with an underbody spray, washes much of it off. Doing this every couple of weeks in salty conditions is a cheap way to protect the car's value.
Stop ice forming overnight
10. Put socks over the wiper blades
Photo: Lifehacker
Old socks pulled over lifted wiper blades stop them from freezing to the glass overnight. In the morning you pull them off and the rubber is still flexible. Remember to remove them before driving.
11. Wipe the blades with rubbing alcohol
Photo: One Good Thing by Jillee
If you do not cover the wipers, a cloth dampened with rubbing alcohol wiped along the rubber helps stop them sticking to the windshield. Alcohol has a much lower freezing point than water. Never run wipers that are frozen to the glass, as it can tear the rubber or strain the motor.
12. Cover the windshield
Photo: Cheap Cars Canada
A rug, tarp or purpose-made windshield cover laid over the glass before snow or frost means you simply peel it off in the morning. Tuck the edges into the closed doors so wind cannot lift it. It saves a lot of scraping.
13. Bag the side mirrors
Photo: AutogeekOnline
Side mirrors often stay frosted long after the windshield clears. A plastic bag held on with a rubber band overnight keeps frost off them. Heated mirrors make this unnecessary, if your car has them.
14. Park facing east
Photo: One Good Thing by Jillee
The sun rises in the east, so a car parked with its windshield facing that way gets the earliest sunshine on the glass. On clear mornings, that can melt a fair amount of frost before you head out. It will not help on overcast days, but it costs nothing.
15. Try a vinegar spray as a frost preventer
Photo: YouTube screenshot
A widely shared mix is three parts white vinegar to one part water, sprayed on the windshield the night before to discourage frost. Results vary, and some drivers avoid it because vinegar is acidic and may be harsh on rubber seals and paint over time. A commercial de-icer spray is the safer option for regular use.
16. Treat door seals and locks before the freeze
Photo: One Good Thing by Jillee
Doors freeze shut when water settles on the rubber seals and turns to ice. Wiping the seals with a silicone spray or rubber protectant before winter helps keep them supple and water-repellent. Many drivers also use a light spray of WD-40 in the lock, though a dedicated lock lubricant is often recommended for long-term use.
Quick fixes for frozen locks, ice and snow
17. Thaw a frozen lock
Photo: Firestone
Hand sanitizer squeezed onto a frozen handle or into a lock works because of its alcohol content. Blowing warm air through a straw into the keyhole can also help. Warming a key with a lighter is an old trick, but be careful with modern keys: most contain plastic and electronics that heat can damage, and hot metal burns fingers.
18. Improvise an ice scraper
Photo: One Good Thing by Jillee
Forgot the scraper? A plastic kitchen spatula or an old plastic card (not one you need) will shift thin frost. Avoid metal tools, which scratch glass. Do not pour boiling water on a frozen windshield; the sudden temperature change can crack it.
19. Tap thick ice to crack it
Photo: imgur user foxxxaygrandpa
When a car is sealed in a thick shell of freezing rain, a firm tap with the flat of a gloved hand can crack the ice into sheets that lift away. Go gently: hard blows can dent panels, and glass should never be struck. Running the engine with the defroster on first softens the ice and makes the job much easier.
20. Break off window ice from the inside
Image: BuzzFeed
A side window coated in ice can sometimes be cleared by lowering it slightly, so the ice crust breaks along the top edge, then pushing the loosened sheet away. This only works if the window is not frozen to its seals; forcing a stuck window can damage the motor. Protect your hands with gloves.
21. Clear the roof with a broom
Photo: Real Shreveport
Snow left on the roof can slide over the windshield when you brake, or fly off onto the car behind. A soft broom or snow brush pushes it off quickly without scratching the paint. In some places, driving with a snow-covered roof can also get you fined.
Keep fog and moisture out of the cabin
22. Clear fogged windows fast
Photo: Pinterest, via One Good Thing by Jillee
Fogged glass is dangerous because it creeps up on you. Opening a window briefly lets humid air out, and switching on the air conditioning with the defroster dries the air quickly, even in winter. A clean chalkboard eraser in the door pocket is handy for wiping a patch clear.
23. Prevent fog with shaving cream
Photo: One Good Thing by Jillee
A thin layer of foam shaving cream spread on the inside of the glass and then buffed off completely leaves a film that helps resist fogging. Test it on a small area first and polish until there are no streaks, as any haze reduces visibility at night.
24. Soak up moisture with a litter-filled sock
Photo: YouTube screenshot
Silica-type cat litter tied inside an old sock or stocking makes a cheap dehumidifier. Leave it on the dashboard or under a seat overnight to absorb moisture from wet boots and breath. Dry it out at home now and then so it keeps working.
25. Watch out for water in the car
Photo: Wide Open Eats
Open drinks, wet clothes and damp mats all add moisture that turns into frost on the inside of the glass on cold nights. Take them indoors. Do keep sealed water in your emergency kit, as NHTSA advises, but expect it to freeze, and leave room in the bottle so it does not split.
If you get stuck or stranded
NHTSA's advice for a car stuck in snow is simple and worth remembering. Stay with your vehicle, because it is shelter and is easier for rescuers to find than a person on foot. Do not exhaust yourself digging. Tie something bright to the antenna or window, and keep the dome light on at night.
Most importantly, clear snow from the exhaust pipe before running the engine, and run it only now and then to stay warm, with a window slightly open. A blocked tailpipe can fill the cabin with carbon monoxide, which has no smell. Before any long trip, check the forecast and road reports, keep the fuel tank close to full, and tell someone your route and when you expect to arrive.
None of these tips takes more than a few minutes or costs much, and together they make winter mornings calmer and winter emergencies safer.
Sources: NHTSA, Winter Driving Tips. Photo credits as shown under each image: One Good Thing by Jillee, Now You Know Facts, Lifehacker, Lifehack, Firestone Complete Auto Care, Mom 4 Real, AutogeekOnline, Cheap Cars Canada, utires.com, Real Shreveport, imgur user foxxxaygrandpa, BuzzFeed, Wide Open Eats and YouTube creators. Tip collection first gathered by Home Hacks (news.homehacks.co).
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