10 Surprising Tips and Tricks for Dealing with Ice and Snow
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From The Table
Table salt is a great temporary deicer, when used in moderation. To prevent a hard frost from forming on your car windshield overnight, try placing table salt in an old sock and rubbing it over the windows the night before, making sure to rub firmly over the entire surface. Use this trick sparingly as repeated use can cause damage to the surfaces you are deicing. You also can use salty liquids like pickle juice as a spray deicer. For large areas and long-term use, you may want to pick up a bag of salt specifically designed for snow and ice removal.
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Medical Fix
Your medicine cabinet contains a useful tool for defrosting windows: rubbing alcohol. Spray icy windows thoroughly with rubbing alcohol and then dry with an old towel. Not only will this trick get rid of the ice, but it will help prevent fogging and leave your windows with a streak-free shine.
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On the Rocks
Any clear alcohol—vodka, gin or rum—will work just as well as rubbing alcohol to deice windows. Simply spray well and then rub dry. Then celebrate your success by mixing up a tasty cocktail!
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Melt It Away
To clear away ice from car windows, door locks, steps, or walkways, try pouring lukewarm water over the area and then prevent additional ice from forming by using a squeegee to remove the run off immediately. Depending on how much ice has built up, you might have to repeat the process several times. A note of caution: Don’t try to speed the process along by using hot water—the temperature difference will crack windows, warp metal, and eventually even crack concrete.
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Cover Up
A canvas painting drop cloth or plastic tarp can be the key to speedy snow removal. If snowfall is predicted, cover your car, porch steps, or walkways with a sturdy cloth or tarp. When you leave the house in the morning, simply drag the snow-filled tarp to the side of the yard, shake the snow off, and head on your way.
Photo: fotosearch.com
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Blow It Away
Don’t put your leaf blower away just because fall is over. Make your blower do double duty by using it to blow away light snow from steps, walkways, driveways, and cars. If you need to move a heavier, wetter snow fall, upgrade to a snow blower or snow thrower instead.
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From The Shop To The Driveway
A trusty wet/dry vac is another tool that can be pressed into service as a snow removal aid. You can use the shop-vac to suck up the snow and dump it somewhere else. Alternatively, you can turn the vacuum onto “exhaust” mode and blow the snow away.
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Here Kitty, Kitty!
Kitty litter can provide a great source of traction on icy surfaces, which makes it a lifesaver for tires that need traction to pull out of snow drifts. Keep a large container of kitty litter in the trunk of your car—the extra weight might also help prevent you from getting stuck in the first place. Sand, birdseed, or wood ashes will also do the trick.
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Melting Point
Consider installing a snow melt mat—constructed with radiant heatingcables—underneath the driveway or walkway. These cables use electricity to generate heat, which radiates upwards through the surface, keeping the entire area free of snow and ice. If you or your budget aren't up for replacing the walkways, try heated mat that can sit above the surface to keep steps and entryways clear of slippery ice.
