Cold Weather Car Hacks You Should and Shouldn’t Try in Indiana

We've been feeling the sting of winter weather here in the Hoosier State, but there are some hacks that might help you out...and some you should avoid.

By now, you've been outside. You know it's cold, you've seen and shoveled the snow, and you're most likely over it all. There's also a good chance that you have been on social media and have seen posts or videos where people offer up some pretty interesting winter weather hacks. Some of these make you scratch your head, wondering if they really work or not. The truth is, there are a few of them that are circulating on social media that actually work. Likewise, there are some out there that you don't want to attempt because the outcome might not be as "useful" as promised.

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Cold Weather Car Hacks You SHOULD Try

1. Using hand sanitizer to unfreeze door locks.

You might have heard of some people using those little bottles of hand sanitizer that they carry around on their door locks because it will melt the ice. In fact, it does. In a pinch, hand sanitizer can help thaw frozen locks due to its alcohol content, which melts ice.

2. Covering side mirrors with socks/bags overnight.

Defrosting your windows early in the morning before work is one thing. Not being able to see out of your side mirrors due to frost/ice is another. Nobody wants to stand outside and scrape that off. While it might look silly, putting socks or small plastic bags over your side mirrors actually works. Doing this stops frost from forming overnight, and it also saves time scraping in the morning.

3. Filling a sock with cat litter to stop foggy windows.

All you need to do is fill a sock most of the way with kitty litter. Secure the end of the sock with an elastic band so the kitty litter doesn’t leak out. Then, simply place the sock on the dash of your car, and you won’t need to worry about fogged-up glass!  Silica-based cat litter draws moisture from the air, which can help keep your windows fog-free from the inside.

Cold Weather Car Hacks You SHOULDN'T Try

1. Rubbing potatoes on your windshield to prevent frost.

This is one that you might have seen on social media that was so interesting, you couldn't believe it was true. Well, that's because it's kind of a viral myth that always pops up each winter. Here's the thing: the starch might delay ice slightly, but it leaves a sticky film that's worse to clean than plain ice. That being said, some people still swear by it.

2. Pouring boiling water on a frozen windshield.

This is one that I have seen on a lot of occasions on social media, especially on TikTok. Sure, in theory, putting hot water over ice would be an easy way to have it melt fast. However, the extreme temperature shift can shatter your windscreen in seconds. Some people have tried it, and everything turned out just fine. No cracked or shattered windshield. However, it's probably wise not risk it because it's easy to get online to see a lot of videos on social media where those windshields shattered.