Out In The Cold – 12 Expert Hacks To Survive The Winter
Whether you like it or not, winter is on its way and it’s bringing the cold and the snow. From frigid temperatures to power outages and serious squalls, winter can challenge you from all angles. Luckily, with a few expert hacks, you can not only survive winter, but face it head on with ease.
- Out of windshield washer fluid? No problem! Make your own by mixing 2 quarts of rubbing alcohol, 1 cup of water and a teaspoon of dish detergent – Voila!
- If your lock gets frozen, try coating your key in heat rub like A535, or heating the key with a lighter before inserting it into the keyhole.
- Leaving cabinet doors ajar can look sloppy, but believe it or not can help you out this winter. Open doors which lead to sink pipes can circulate warm air and prevent your pipes from freezing up.
- Feeling a draft? Walk around gingerly with a lit candle after dark and see where the flicker of the flame is coming from. See a flicker, you’ve found where the cool air is leaking in!
- Even the sturdiest of pipes and taps can get stuck in the winter. Apply a liberal coating of WD-40 to all your outdoor taps to prevent freezing damage or the risk of them getting stuck from ice or corrosion.
- When the dreaded freezing rain comes to town and the regular scraper won’t cut it, grab the vinegar! Mixing a spray bottle with 2/3 vinegar and 1/3 water will magically clean up that icy windshield right before your eyes!
- If you’re stuck on ice or packed snow and you’re tires keep spinning, get traction from kitty litter! Carrying a bag of granulated kitty litter in your trunk is an easy fix to get your car out of a slick situation.
- If your home is heated by a radiator, be sure the heat in going into your home, not the walls. Place a sheet of tinfoil between the wall and radiator to reflex the heat back into your house.
- If you lose power and the temperature starts to drop, grab a terra cotta plant pot from your garage. Raising the pot up an inch with tea lights underneath makes a great space heater in a pinch.
- Incase of an emergency on the road, keep a blanket, matches and crayons in your trunk. A wax crayon will burn for up to 30 minutes while you wait for a tow truck.
- Before you hit the hay, fill up a hot water bottle and put it in your bedsheets. Not only will it warm up the bed for you, it will allow you to drop the thermostat a few degrees while it keeps you warm throughout the night.
- Avoid snow and ice sticking to your headlights and reducing your visibility by giving them a coat of car wax before a storm rolls in.
Despite the countless winters we endure, the cold and snow always seem to get the best of us. A few simple tricks of the trade can help keep you warm, dry and most importantly safe while you battle the blizzards and brave the blustery season.
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