Winter Hacks: 15 Fixes for Cars, Clothing and a Warmer Home

Every winter brings the same small battles: frozen wipers, a car that spins its wheels at the first slope, slippery pavements, hat hair and a living room that never feels quite warm. These fifteen fixes went around the internet in early 2014, and most of them come down to a little planning and a few cheap items kept in the right place. Here is each trick with the practical know-how that makes it work.

Winter car hacks: traction, wipers and washer fluid

The car takes the hardest hits in a cold snap, so most of the list starts there.

1. Stuck in snow? Add grip under the drive wheels. A bag of cat litter or sand in the boot gives a spinning tyre something to bite on, and the car's floor mats can do the same job in a pinch. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) lists sand or cat litter in its winter car kit for exactly this reason, alongside a shovel, a broom, an ice scraper, jumper cables, a torch, blankets, water and a phone charger.

4. Keep the windscreen clear with the right fluid. The 2014 list suggested a vinegar-and-water spray on the glass the night before. The more reliable answer is to fill the washer reservoir with a quality winter screenwash containing de-icer before the cold arrives; NHTSA notes that one snowstorm can use a lot of it. Test the demister and replace worn blades at the same time.

6. Lift the wipers before a freeze. Raising the wiper arms away from the glass, or slipping old socks over the blades as in the photo at the top, stops the rubber from freezing to the windscreen overnight. Check your car's handbook first: some models have a service position for the wipers instead.

11. Bag the mirrors. A plastic bag or a fitted cover over each wing mirror keeps frost and snow off the glass while the car is parked. Pull them off before you drive away.

14. Park facing east. When the car points towards the sunrise, the low morning sun shines straight onto the windscreen and starts the thaw before you leave. It works best on clear mornings in an open spot.

15. No scraper? Use a plastic card. An old loyalty or store card makes a passable emergency scraper. Then buy a proper scraper and keep it in the door pocket, never in the house.

Cold-weather clothing and footwear tips

2. Shave off sweater pills. Wool and acrylic jumpers pill where they rub, under the arms and at the cuffs. A razor drawn lightly over a garment laid flat takes the bobbles off; a battery fabric shaver or a sweater comb does the same with less risk of snagging delicate knits.

3. Add grip to your soles. The viral version drove short screws into old shoes. Slip-on ice cleats or spiked traction devices give the same bite on packed snow and ice, and they come off when you step indoors.

5. Wear tights or leggings under trousers. A thin, close-fitting base layer traps a layer of warm air against the skin and adds warmth without bulk. Add a mid layer such as fleece and a windproof outer shell, and you have the layering system skiers and hikers rely on.

8. Fight hat hair. Static and a flattened crown are the price of a warm hat. A light mist of hairspray on the inside of the hat, or on the roots before you pull it on, helps hair keep its shape.

13. Keep boots upright. Cut pool noodles or rolled magazines slipped into tall boots stop the shafts from folding and creasing in the cupboard. Let wet boots dry fully first, away from direct heat.

Keep the house warm for less

7. Reverse the ceiling fan. Warm air rises and collects under the ceiling. ENERGY STAR advises running a ceiling fan clockwise at low speed in winter: the gentle updraft pushes that warm air down the walls and back into the room. Turn it off when you leave, since a fan moves air but does not heat it.

10. Reflect radiator heat back into the room. A radiator on an outside wall loses part of its heat straight into the brickwork. Reflector panels fitted behind it bounce that heat back into the room. The UK's Energy Saving Trust estimates a saving of about £25 a year for radiators on uninsulated external walls, and recommends purpose-made panels: plain kitchen foil is hard to keep in place and lacks the insulating backing. Turn the radiator off and let it cool before fitting.

Snow shovelling and winter cycling

9. Spray the shovel. A coat of cooking spray or silicone spray on the blade helps wet, heavy snow slide off instead of sticking. Clear snow little and often, before it is trampled and compacts, and push it where you can instead of lifting.

12. Zip-tie the bike tyres. Cable ties fastened around the rim and tyre act as makeshift chains for a short ride on packed snow, and they only work with disc brakes, since rim brakes catch on the ties. Regular winter riders fit studded tyres, which grip on ice and roll smoothly on clear tarmac.

Build a simple winter routine

The common thread in all fifteen fixes is preparation. Before the first frost, put a scraper, a small shovel and a bag of grit in the car, top up the screenwash and check tyre pressure, since cold air lowers it. At home, reverse the fan, bleed the radiators and find the boots before you need them.

Before a long drive in snow, check the forecast and tell someone your route. NHTSA's advice if you do get stranded: stay with the car, keep the exhaust pipe clear of snow and run the engine only now and then for warmth.

More winter know-how on Snow Addiction: why a car-window clip is not maintenance advice; walking more carefully on icy paths; Frozen Tundra: Oliver Würffell’s Wisconsin Winter Film; Rostov’s January 2014 Snowdrifts: The Full Photo Gallery.

Related reading:

• A Wood-Splitting Clip and the Detail That Holds It Together
• The Drinks-Can Stove: A Small Design With Real Limits

Sources