For much of the U.S., the cold weather is settling in and that makes everything more complicated if you own a car. Whether it's clearing the snow from your vehicle, warming your car up every morning, or driving on slippery roads, none of it's fun. Don’t you wish there was something that could make the winter months a little easier?
One issue that people struggle with is an icy windshield. If you’re patient, it will melt from your car heater’s defrost setting. Or you can bust your butt with the ice scraper, chipping away at it in the freezing cold. Who is that patient, though?
Turns out, there’s a quick and easy way to defrost your windshield...and it takes just SECONDS. Unbelievable, right?
In addition to this hack being pretty quick and easy, it also requires very little effort to pull together. Meteorologist Ken Weathers showed off the simple solution: mix up one part water and two parts rubbing alcohol, then add it to a spray bottle.
Armed with this magical solution in your spray bottle, just...spray. Then, like magic, the ice disappears. What is this, witchcraft?
According to the Weather Channel video, this de-icing mixture is effective because rubbing alcohol has a freezing point of 128 degrees below freezing. This means you can keep it in your car and it will never freeze!
If your windshield wipers are frozen to the car, you can soak a cloth in rubbing alcohol and wipe them down. Ice = melted, so your wipers are free to do their thing.
So, now you don’t have to wait for your heater to do the work and you don’t have to labor away with your ice scraper either. Win-win. But, guess what? There are other winter problems that have simple solutions too.
Not everyone has waterproof boots, which can mean some freezing toes if you’re in the elements too long. This is old school: after putting on socks, wrap your feet in plastic bags, then add another pair of socks over the plastic before putting on your shoes.
One of our favorite cold weather hacks is spraying a bit of WD-40 inside your car’s keyhole to melt the ice. Crisis averted.
If your car door handles have gotten icy, a squirt of hand sanitizer will instantly melt it. There’s that rubbing alcohol at work again.
Pre-heat your bed! Place a hot water bottle between the sheets at night before you go to bed. You’ll be glad to have a warmed-up place to snuggle on those cold winter nights.
Finally, make a pair of cozy mittens out of an old sweater with this easy sewing project. Recycle a sweater that doesn’t get any use in a unique (and warm) way.