Winter is the most enchanting time of the year. However, not everyone shares the same feeling, as cold weather can be unbearable, particularly with snow. Some individuals would rather stay in bed under multiple sheets of blankets, but responsibilities do not permit. Nevertheless, some uncomplicated tricks have been enlisted below to make your winter days more endurable and trouble-free, and it may also help to alleviate your winter blues.
Protect Your Windshield Wipers
To avoid discarding your old socks, use them in a beneficial way. One way of doing this is by utilizing any unused or neglected fuzzy tube socks as a covering for your windshield wipers, effectively insulating them against snow and ice.
In case of an extremely harsh storm, the socks can provide a slight protection to lessen the impact. This suggestion also saves you the trouble of removing the wipers that may get frozen into the windshield due to the adhesive ice formed overnight.
DIY Mixture for Preventing Ice
We have the perfect solution for preventing your car’s windshield and windows from getting covered in ice. Simply combine rubbing alcohol and water in a spray bottle in a ratio of two to one. Spray this mixture on your ice-free windshield and windows at night to keep ice from forming overnight.
Additionally, the combination can be utilized to immediately get rid of ice that has developed due to a decrease in temperature. Furthermore, you can apply the blend to cleanse the interior of your vehicle’s windscreen to prevent it from getting misty.
Cooking Spray for Easier Shoveling
Living in a snowy area, owning shovels is essential. In case, the snow firmly sticks to the shovel, you can use a simple trick. Just find any cooking spray, such as Pam, and apply it to the shovel.
Using the spray will stop the snow from clinging to your shovel, allowing you to shovel more effectively. By using the appropriate amount of spray, you will notice that the snow easily slides off the shovel.
DIY De-Icer
Have you ever considered the simplest and most affordable method for removing ice from your driveway? Instead of purchasing multiple expensive de-icing products, you can create your own de-icer. Simply mix half a gallon of hot water, one teaspoon of dish soap, and one tablespoon of rubbing alcohol in a bucket.
After pouring the mixture onto your driveway, it will cause snow and ice to start bubbling and dissolve. Remember to have your shovel sprayed with cooking spray nearby, to clear away any remaining ice.
Use Newspaper to Dry Shoes
Dealing with shoes that are completely wet is not an enjoyable experience, and though one may get the urge to dry them quickly using the dryer, there’s a better way to handle it. You can make use of newspapers to do this, by placing them inside the shoes and wrapping them on the outside. This method is more effective.
To achieve optimal outcomes, encircle the newspaper with some rubber bands so that it stays tightly bonded to the shoes. Additionally, taking out the insoles from the shoes might be useful. This technique is efficient and unlike a dryer, it doesn’t pose any risk of damaging your shoes.
Use Kitty Litter or Sand For Traction
One of the most exasperating occurrences is getting trapped on a snowy road, but there is a chance that you might possess a bag of sand or cat litter to assist you in getting out of that difficult situation.
Surprisingly, kitty litter can serve various purposes, such as acting as a grip for your wheels. Similarly, sand can also function similarly, so you can keep a stash of sand handy for instances when you need it, even if you don’t prefer using kitty litter.
DIY Hand Warmers
It seems like you’ve already depleted the hand warmers that you purchased from Amazon, but don’t worry. You can create your own by using calcium chloride, water, and two sandwich bags (one small and one large). First, pour the calcium chloride into the bigger bag.
Subsequent to pouring water into the smaller bag, it ought to be inserted inside the larger bag. As you rupture the smaller bag in the larger one, a chemical process will take place causing it to become warm. It is important to ensure that this blend does not get into contact with your skin.
Blow Bubbles Outside
It’s not really a hack, but more of a way to have fun. Step outside to blow bubbles and observe them quickly transform into frozen spheres. Any regular bubble solution or a homemade combination of one portion water, four portions dish soap, and a bit of light corn syrup would work.
If the temperature drops below freezing or reaches subzero levels, you can witness the bubbles freezing in just a few minutes or even seconds while watching them.
Use a Credit Card as an Ice Scraper
The next tip may appear to be quite evident, but it can be a hassle-free solution when you’re in a difficult situation. In case you’re unexpectedly hit by a hard frost and your vehicle is fully covered in ice, you can utilize a credit card to remove the ice.
You might not possess a proper scraper, however, a rigid plastic object can also work effectively. Rest assured, it won’t cause any harm to your car. However, it would be wise to consider purchasing a genuine scraper once you have removed the frost from your windshield and windows.
Use Hand Sanitizer to Unlock Your Car
It seems like you’re having trouble inserting your key in the car door, and the cold weather is making you uncomfortable. Your car lock may have frozen due to the weather conditions, but fortunately, we have an effective solution to help you, which is to use hand sanitizer.
Hand sanitizer is not just useful for killing germs, it happens to contain sufficient alcohol that can help melt the ice in lock, enabling you to get into your car without getting frozen. All you need to do is to pour some into the lock, wait for a short period, and then insert your key until the ice is broken.
Leave the Oven Door Open
If you want to reduce heating expenses, using the oven instead of the stove to cook your meals can help. Additionally, leaving the oven door open after cooking can help warm up the house.
You have not only prepared a tasty meal to enjoy, but also conserved some money by reducing your use of the thermostat. Additionally, now that your oven is providing warmth, you will not have to wear multiple layers while moving around the house.
There’s a Noodle in My Boots
As previously mentioned, people adore their winter clothing. While winter boots are amazing, they may lose their shape and become flat when stored in your closet. To preserve their form and lifespan, one solution is to use a pool noodle by cutting it up and inserting into the boots.
By using the noodle when your shoes are not in use, it will maintain their form and structure. Therefore, you can keep up with the latest fashion trends without having to purchase new shoes unnecessarily.
Zip Ties on Your Bicycle Wheels
If you’re planning to ride a bike but lack snow tires, just fasten some zip ties onto them to improve grip. It’s important to take this step since cycling on an icy pavement can be slippery and dangerous.
To avoid getting injured and having to go to the hospital, it would be wise to secure your wheels with some zip ties to prevent slippage. Once the icy conditions subside, the ties can be easily removed with a pair of scissors.
Draft Blocker
We’ve come to realize that pool noodles aren’t just for floating around in the pool. In fact, these foam floaty devices have a lot of practical uses around the house. During the wintertime, you can even use a noodle to prevent a draft from coming in.
All you have to do is cut the noodle to the width of the door and then slide down the length so it can essentially ‘hug’ the bottom of the door. If you want some added protection, wrap the noodle in an old shirt or pair of pants.
Insulate Windows With Bubble Wrap
You probably thought that bubble wrap was just used for packing protection but it’s actually handier than you think. It happens to be an excellent window insulator thanks to the small pockets of air trapped within the bubbles.
Simply spray the window with water and adhere the wrap with the bubble side facing the glass. After applying the bubble wrap to your windowpane from the inside, tiny bubbles serve as a network of insulating pockets filled with air.
Cover Your Side Mirrors
A little planning can go a long way and save you quite a lot of stress the next morning when you need to leave for work and of course, get yourself that morning coffee. If you know that there’s a storm a-brewing, just cover your car’s side mirrors with plastic or sandwich bags to prevent ice from forming overnight.
Secure the bags with clothespins or rubber bands to ensure that they stay put. You can thank us later when you realize just how much of a time-saver this little hack is…
Shut the Doors
It’s one of the most obvious things yet we all forget to do it, but just shut the doors! During the wintertime, when the cold is almost intolerable and you’re trying to keep yourself warm, you can heat up a room pretty easily by concentrating all the warmth and heat into a smaller space.
Do this by closing off the rooms that aren’t being used at that particular moment. If you have a study or office that doesn’t really get much use, close the door so you don’t waste the heat in that room.
Tin Foil in the Fireplace
This next one isn’t just a tip for winter — it’s also a cleaning hack. You want to use your fireplace but it’s a big pain to clean the ash away after the fire has burned. Measure the base of your fireplace and just make an easy-cleanup tray using nothing but some tin foil.
We recommend that you double up on the layers of foil since it’ll be under the fire. You can just fold up the foil and toss it in the trash after the fire has burned to ash.
Run Your Ceiling Fan in Reverse
If you have a ceiling fan, this hack is for you. Your fan most likely spins counter-clockwise, a normal setting in order to keep the room cool during the summer or hot weather. During the wintertime, though, you can flip the switch down in order to make it spin clockwise or in reverse.
This will circulate warm air back down to the floor level as heat naturally rises. And there you have it — a quick and cheap way to avoid turning up the thermostat and keep warm. Talk about efficiency!
Park Facing East
There’s nothing worse than waking up in the morning to discover that you can’t get your car out of the snow — now you’re late to work and you definitely don’t have time to stop for your morning coffee. Here’s a little tip to avoid getting snowed in.
If you park facing east, most of the ice on your windshield and around your car will melt away when exposed to sunlight. You’ll save some precious time and energy so you can get your coffee and still make it to work on time!
Use a Razor to Shave Off Pills/Lint Balls
Everyone loves winter attire and sweater weather! But what happens if your old cool coats and/or sweaters are pilling? Don’t fret! You probably have a razor lying around the house somewhere. Just use that to shave off those stubborn, little lint balls and your clothes will be as good as new!
Not only have you restored that favorite sweater of yours but you also saved yourself some money and a trip to the mall. That sounds like a win-win-win if you ask us!
Use a Hot Water Bottle
Hot water bottles aren’t just for tummy aches, muscle pains, and cramps. In fact, this age-old rubber bottle is a great way to keep warm and cozy all night long, especially if it has a wool or fleece cover!
Instead of wasting an unnecessary amount of energy and power with an electric blanket, just boil up some water and pour it into what will become your favorite winter buddy! That little bottle will keep the water toasty until morning…
Bathtub Humidifier
We know how painfully cold this time of year can be and just how dry the air can get. To avoid dry or cracked lips and skin, you can repurpose your bath water — that is, if you’re someone who likes taking baths.
Rather than draining the hot bath water as soon as you get out, you can actually allow it to sit in the tub until it reaches room temperature. The warm water will add some humidity to the air in your house. Now you won’t have to worry about slathering on the moisturizer or lotion…
Grapefruits for Health
Wintertime and flu season are two peas in a pod. Luckily, we have some things you can do at home to help boost your immune system during these brutally chilly months. Promoted to treat and prevent infections, grapefruit seed extract contains antioxidants and antimicrobials that will help kill bacteria as well as yeasts.
You can get it in the form of liquid concentrate or capsules. The liquid can be applied topically to surfaces as a disinfectant or to the skin as an antiseptic. The capsules, which contain high amounts of disease-fighting antioxidants, are to be taken orally.
Garlic’s All You Need
Another powerful supplement to prevent yourself from getting sick is garlic oil. Garlic is known to be antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal — all things that lead to getting sick. If you don’t have any garlic oil lying around, cooking with garlic will suffice. Make sure to have your meals with lots of garlic.
You can always brush your teeth if your breath stinks, but at least you’ll be preventing yourself from catching the flu. And if you’re already feeling under the weather, garlic will help you bounce back much faster.
DIY Space Heater
You can stay warm and toasty while making a dent in your heating bill by using materials easily found around the house. For this simple DIY space heater, light some candles and place them directly under flower pots. Feel free to use any candles you might have, tea lights work well but most should be fine.
If possible, use an “orchard terra cotta flower pot” as these pots come with a hole in the bottom that provides the flame with oxygen.
Sunny Days
When we’re in the middle of winter we long for those bright sunny days we enjoyed in the summer. But the sun does come out somedays so if you happen to have a sunny day, use it to your advantage by utilizing the heat from the sun rays to help warm your home by fully opening the curtains.
Even when the external temperature is low, any warmth radiated from the sun will help your home stay warmer.
Keep Your Hands Soft
Winter can be rough on your hands, that cold and dry atmosphere makes for a lethal combination when it comes to your skin. So while we all want those soft and silky hands, we need to make a dedicated effort to get them. First of all, it’s essential to moisturize as dry skin leads to premature aging, then wear cotton gloves over your hands.
This will help to lock moisture into your skin and keep your hands warm while you’re at it!
Work It Out
While winter may mean we spend more time indoors, it doesn’t mean that we have to lose our level of fitness and all that hard work we put in during the warmer seasons. So make the most out of it by investing in the right workout clothes that won’t make exercise seem so unappealing.
Pick up a hat, gloves, and an extra layer to be sure the cold weather isn’t preventing you from being comfortable and snug during your workout.
Happy Feet
In the winter and throughout the year, keeping warm is essential, and there is probably nothing’s worse than suffering from freezing toes. To make your boots or winter shoes are instantly warmer, simply add insoles made out of sheepskin wool or even an old felt sweater.
They say the most ergonomic design would be 6mm thick, as this is the most comfortable and gives enough support for every pair of shoes. Now that’s one way to make your toes happy.
Upcycle!
There’s no need to throw out you treasured sweaters if you find it difficult to part with your old knitted garments, turn them into mittens. First, send them through the washer and dryer and transform them into a soft, dense material that can be repurposed without unraveling!
Then lay the pattern pieces over the sweater, pinning each of the pattern pieces. Then cut them out and stitch the mitten together, leaving lower edge open for you to insert your hands.
Finger-Knitting
Have you ever tried knitting? Tried but found it was too hard? Never tried but wanted to know how? Well, this finger knitted scarf is very simple, fun and easy! much easier than those pesky knitting needles! For this project, all you will need is yarn and your hand!
It may seem tricky but with the right tutorial, you will find it just takes a few minutes to learn and that it’s not nearly as complicated as it seems.
Vitamin D
Adults, especially in wintertime, may experience aches and pains in their bones and muscles — it turns out that it’s due to a vitamin D deficiency. Most people can get enough vitamin D from sun exposure during the summer months, but for many during the wintertime can be inadequate.
During the colder season, it’s much harder to get enough vitamin D because people bundle up inside more often, and the sun also stays lower in the sky. Taking a vitamin D supplement can help prevent that from happening.
Outdoor Fridge
As the temperature drops to a more chilly climate, it means that your fridge doesn’t have to be limited to the inside of your house. You can keep food cold without even plugging it in and save on energy. In below-zero temperatures, regular fridges may seize up, cease to function, or otherwise get damaged.
So if you consistently experience these temperatures, it would be wiser to turn the fridge off, since the temperature outside is colder than the fridge itself.
Sock and Glove Compartment
There is a good amount of snow and ice on the ground in certain parts of the world during winter. Those who don’t wear the proper shoes may notice that the water will seep in and eventually soak their socks, and there’s nothing worse than getting your socks wet.
Nobody wants to walk around with wet socks! So keep extra pairs of socks in your glove compartment. You never know when you may need an extra pair!
Give Yourself Some Traction
Speaking of socks, it’s always handy to pack an extra pair in the glove compartment of your car. They wouldn’t be for cold feet, though. Instead, by keeping a pair of socks in the glove box, you’re saving yourself some precious time. How?
Well, let’s say that your car gets stuck and you need to push it over ice. Well, we guarantee that the wool of the socks will create much more traction when put over your shoe than you would have with just your shoes alone.
Reflect Heat Back Into the Room
It’s no secret that apartments and houses can get pretty chilly during the wintertime, especially if your homes are dated and lack insulation. In order to keep yourself warm, you can use something as simple as kitchen bakeware but note that this tip will work best for those that have a radiator.
So, place a sheet of tin foil against the wall behind your radiator. This way, it’ll reflect the heat back into the room rather than getting absorbed into the wall.
The Stinky Truth
This next hack is for all those adrenaline junkies and hikers out there — your lives are about to change! While you may use antiperspirant on your armpits to stop them from smelling or sweating, you probably didn’t know that deodorant has multiple uses. Aside from rubbing some on your pits before you set off for your run or hike, try rubbing some on your feet as well.
This will stop blisters from forming plus the fact that it’ll keep your feet warm during the winter season.
DIY Toilet Seat Cover
No one likes waking up in the middle of the night just to pee, especially during the winter. Not only are you tired but it’s also seriously freezing! The worst part about it all? Sitting down on the toilet seat. We don’t know about you but sometimes it gets so cold that we’re literally shivering.
A quick tip for anyone that hates this as much as we do — just cover the toilet seat with a pair of socks and you’ll be good to go!
I Can See Clearly Now…
There’s no doubt that the cold can damage your car over time, including your headlights. Lucky for you, we’ve got just the hack that’ll help you maintain your vehicle for as long as you can…and all you need is some toothpaste! In order to improve the clarity of your headlights, you can actually rub toothpaste into the headlight cover using a toothbrush.
Continue to rub until you feel and see the headlight progressively getting cleaner. Then, spray warm water onto the headlight and wipe away the toothpaste with a cloth!
Shave Away the Fog
How many of you would agree that it’s such a pain getting into your car during the winter and all the windows are just completely fogged up? Yeah, it can be pretty annoying to have to wait for your car to heat up for a good ten minutes before you can even drive it. Luckily, this household item would come in such handy — shaving cream!
All you have to do is spray some on the inside of your windows and then wipe it right off. It contains many of the same ingredients that are found in defoggers.
DIY Shoe/Drying Rack
After a long day of rain and/or snow, our shoes can get pretty dirty, especially for kids. To stop your house from becoming a complete pigsty, you can create your own pebble boot tray. All you need is a tray or baking sheet of sorts, as well as some rocks and/or pebbles.
If you dry your boots on this little DIY masterpiece, the ice and mud will drain through the rocks to the bottom of the tray leaving your foyer absolutely mess-free!
A Wintertime Treat
This one isn’t so much of a hack as it is a suggestion. If you aren’t making hot chocolate during the wintertime, you’re doing it all wrong. Hot cocoa is honestly the perfect treat for the chilly season — it’ll help you stay warm and comfy, plus the fact that it’s absolutely delicious, especially with the mini marshmallows!
There really is nothing like a hot cup of piping chocolate to keep your body heat up and your tummies happy.
Quilt it Up
In order to try and keep the heat inside your home, you can also try using old quilts and we’d have to say that thicker, the better. Not only are these thick blankets sort of decorative but they’re also perfect for warding off all the brisk, cold air that inevitably busts through your bubble-wrapped windows during the winter season.
Not only that, but it’s also a simple energy-saver that’ll keep you toasty when you need it most.
Slip-Proof Shoes
Slippery lanes and driveways are a huge problem, especially in the wintertime when it’s constantly raining and/or snowing. In order to keep yourself from slipping, try sticking some small screws into the bottom of your shoes. This will help you gain traction while you’re walking through the slippery snow.
While the soles of your shoes are thick, though, be careful not to push the screws far enough through that your feet are exposed to them on the inside of the shoes.
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