Snow and ice come to parts of our country, creating havoc for car safety measures. There are plenty of products on the market to help you deal with some of the headaches this season brings, but they often cost a lot of money. If you don’t have that much to spend, there are some cheaper hacks you can try to get yourself going. 

How winter weather can be a hassle on your vehicle

Those who live in wintry states know how frustrating and annoying it can be to wake up and have a windshield full of ice or snow. It’s also illegal in some states because you can’t technically drive with anything blocking your line of sight. So, you have to spend time scraping and defrosting the windshield before you can leave home. 

Even if you get the outside cleaned off enough to drive, you might have to deal with a foggy windshield from the inside. This occurs when warm and cold air mix together inside the vehicle. You still can’t get going until you clear the window of the fog. 

If you’re in a hurry to get to work or to go home, it will make you even more frustrated because it takes time to get the windshield ready so you can see to drive. Luckily, you can do a few DIY hacks to make it easier the next time you get ready to go somewhere. 

Winter hacks that make driving easier

The best way to deal with the annoying icy and snowy windshield is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. When you park your car, whether it be at night or in the parking lot at work, you can put a rug, tarp, or piece of cardboard on the windshield if you know it’s about to storm. The snow and ice won’t stick to the glass, so you can remove the rug, and you’re good to go. 

To prevent your side mirrors from icing up, wrap a gallon-sized baggie or plastic grocery bag around them when you park, according to One Good Thing. When you go to drive, remove the bag, and the mirrors are all clean and ready to go.

Another problem winter drivers face is wipers that ice up and stick to the windshield. It’s important to unstick them before turning them on to avoid damaging the wipers. Instead, keep socks covering them whenever the car is parked. When you get in your car and drive, take the socks off and store them in your glove compartment. 

More tips for ice and fog on your windshield

Windshields will fog up during the winter months, and it can be frustrating to have to wait for them to clear off so you can go. To prevent this from happening, spread a thin layer of shaving cream on the inside of your windshield. Then you can wipe it off. The residue left behind acts as a defogger, according to Yipes! North. 

If you haven’t used the shaving cream and you find your windshield foggy, you can use a chalkboard eraser to wipe the window clear quickly. Also, ensure your car’s air recirculation is turned off, as its use promotes humidity. Use air intake instead to pull dry air in from the outside. 

You can also turn up your air conditioning instead of the heater. This will remove the humidity in the air before you turn on the heat. Cracking the window a little will also let cold air in, which will dry it out. Another thing to keep in mind is to remove any liquid bottles from the vehicle, according to Hot Cars. This will contribute to the humidity the car produces, causing the windshield to fog. 

If you have snow on your windshield and you can’t find your scraper, a credit card, gift card, or plastic spatula can be used in a pinch. Also, you can try parking your car facing East overnight. In the morning, the sun will rise and warm up the snowy windshield, making it much easier to scrape off. 

Dealing with snowy and foggy windshields is a pain for sure, but they don’t have to be if you use these tips to prevent the situation from happening in the first place. If they do, you can try the easy tips to tackle the problem quickly so you can get going with your day.