35+ Hacks That Will Help To Keep Our Car And Driving Times In Top Gear
Owning a car comes with plenty of advantages. The commuting experience is much more comfortable when you control the ride. However, it would be unwise to overlook the downsides of driving and owning a vehicle. In addition to the cost of the car, vehicle owners are aware of numerous other expenses since maintaining one is not cheap. Maintenance costs, repair costs, and parking fees are just a few of them. This is why it’s vital to be aware of some useful car hacks to reduce the amount of money you end up shelling out on fixing your car. In this article, we explore a variety of little-known tricks that are sure to help you upkeep your vehicle while saving some money. Read on to learn how you can reduce those hefty expenses and persevere the quality of your automobile.
Locate Your Car Quickly
Truth be told, if you’ve had the experience of driving a car, you understand there is the possibility you might get confused when you park your car in a huge parking lot. This situation is just as much irritating as it is humiliating.
The solution is quite simple. Take a picture of where you left your vehicle. You may also capture some markers in a treasure map style for more certainty. The only complication is the vehicles around your car might change.
Neat Trunks
Like our rooms, the trunks in our vehicles tend to become cluttered over time. This happens because we seem to enjoy packing random things in there for some reason. You will discover that locating specific items can be difficult when searching through the mess.
A couple of large laundry baskets is the simple solution to this complication. Apart from organizing your belongings, they offer more storage capacity. Moreover, you are free to dump just about anything in them while still having a neat space. Locating your stuff will seem much simpler.
A Lasting Fresh Smell
Even though most motorists prefer vehicle sprays and floating air fresheners, we have a more efficient method of painting a fresh fragrance for longer. You will need some decent and good-smelling dryer sheets, which you probably already have at home.
Place a few of these underneath your car seats. Their perfume will spread through all corners of the car, eradicating foul odors while keeping your vehicle fresh all day long. You can also place them in your AC vent. Make sure to air out your vehicle from time to time too, so your interior will maintain a lovely smell.
The Hidden Lock
Electric locks are common for most autos nowadays. However, it is a fact that everything that runs on electricity has a high probability of malfunctioning eventually. What should you do when your car’s electric lock fails? It is as easy as locating your car’s manual safety lock.
Regardless of their electric features, most vehicles have a manual lock as a backup. Try looking for a tiny piece of plastic beneath the door handle. After taking it off, you should see an outstanding old manual lock underneath, which will definitely come in handy during desperate times.
Plunger To The Rescue
Repairing a ding on your car is quite costly. Luckily there is a simple solution. Everything you need is in your bathroom. As strange as it may sound, the plunger is more resourceful than you thought. It can come to the rescue to repair that little ding in your car.
Start by pouring a cup of hot water over the afflicted area. After ensuring the plunger is in the appropriate position, ensure it has a solid grip and pull until you notice the dent is nicely evened out. You can repeat the process until your results are satisfactory.
Telekinesis For Your Key Fob
Key fobs are an excellent way to help in locating your vehicle. However, occasionally, they might let you down. Suppose your fob is failing. There is a solution. It has been proven that placing the critical fob beneath your chin and exerting some of your telekinesis powers can rectify the situation.
We know it sounds strange, and we wonder where this hack originated from in the first place. But, your brainwave can reach a large range, especially when you believe in it. They may just extend the scope of your key. It’s worth a shot! What do you have to lose, right?
Taking The Penny Test
Not many people know when the time is right to change a car’s tires before the situation becomes dire. In essence, it is critical to closely monitor their treads to stay safe. A deep depth in your treads is an excellent thing. But how do you know they are deep enough?
Hold a coin upside down with the top of Lincoln’s head facing the bottom to check whether your treads are deep enough. For this trick, you can conclude your treads are safe if they extend beyond Lincoln’s brow. If the brow is still visible, you should consider replacing your tires soon.
DIY Phone Stand
For many years, rubber bands have come to our rescue on countless occasions. Their resourcefulness can be found in many areas, including closing packages, hair ties, and keeping things in place. They can be useful in cars, too. For example, they’re a cost-effective alternative to buying those expensive phone holders.
Instead of something fancy, take a couple of rubber bands and run them across your AC vent. You can use them to attach your phone while driving. As a bonus, you will not have to worry about getting lost or making wrong turns due to not having direction in front of you.
Takeout Warmer
While being caught up in traffic is quite annoying, seeing your food go cold at the same time adds to the frustration. Nothing is more irritating than having a full weekend planned only to find out you will have to reheat your chicken or pizza before enjoying it. Luckily, keeping your food warm in traffic is easy.
Seat warmers are an excellent option to avoid such inconveniences. All you need to do is place your takeaway food on the seat warmer. Within no time, you will have a delicious warm meal you can enjoy. It is a wonder how you can maintain heat on your food with a little creativity.
Wiper and Mirror Socks
Having a clear view of the road in terrible weather is quite challenging. You might feel the need to turn the wipers on full blast. Sadly, this may cause scratches on your windshield when there is dirt trapped underneath. As a solution, wrap your wipers safely in women’s stockings to offer more protection.
Not only does this hack ensure that you won’t scratch your windshield, but it will also protect the wipers from ice build-up during the wintery months. You can even place them around your rearview mirrors. If you don’t have old stockings, then socks will do the trick, too.
A Shoe For Your Coffee
Not to appear whiny or greedy, but we have all run into instances when a vehicle doesn’t offer a sufficient amount of cup holders. Some people tend to require more than two cups of coffee at a time. That notwithstanding, having an extra cup holder can be handy in some situations.
The solution can be found on your feet. Albeit your shoe may have an unpleasant smell, it can come to your rescue as a cup holder. After filling it with your beverage, you can position it between the chairs. If your cup is loose and needs extra cushion, feel free to add tissues or even a sock for better results.
Manicure For Your Car
Suppose you scratch your car at a time when you cannot afford an external makeover. Don’t panic. The remedy to this hiccup is quite simple. With nail polish, you can rectify the problem areas. All you need to do is cautiously apply the nail polish to the vehicle’s surface.
You need to ensure that the nail polish is the same color as your car before applying it to the scratches. Although this move will not solve your problem entirely, it is sufficient to make your scratches less evident as you prepare to redo your car professionally.
For Trash And Cereal
Since there is insufficient space in our vehicles, you might build up trash over time. Fortunately, a remedy exists. All you need to do is make a tiny trash can out of a cereal container, and you are all set to help keep your vehicle interior neat.
Find yourself an empty container. Place a plastic bag inside it you see above. Next, find a proper location in the corner of your car. With efficient utilization, you will find your car stays cleaner for longer. Moreover, you minimize the risk of staining the interior of your car.
Locating The Gas Tank
Finding the gas tank can be cumbersome with a new or rented car. Knowing for sure which side the tank is on is equivalent to a treasure hunt. What’s more frustrating is pulling up on the wrong side at the gas station when filling the tank. This little trick is sure to help you avoid such inconveniences.
Take a closer look at your gas meter gauge, and you will notice a tiny arrow adjacent to the gas pump icon. This arrow is more important than you realize. It points in the direction where the tank is located.
Cool Summer And Cool Car
Although being stuck in traffic is tough on its own, it is even more complicated in the middle of a hot summer when your air conditioner isn’t working correctly. Whereas most people opt to roll down all four windows, this does not count as the smartest option to cool down your vehicle.
The most ideal way to cool down your vehicle in this scenario is by opening the two front windows instead of all of them. Doing so forces the air to circulate inside your car. Consequently, hot air rushes out, letting the cool circulate.
The Tennis Ball Trick
We do not judge if you sometimes experience minor collisions in your garage. Although they might appear insignificant, they can culminate into many scratches and dings in no time. To avoid such challenges, the tennis ball trick is a good solution.
A trusty tennis ball will solve your problems. After parking your car appropriately, take note of the placement and position by hanging the tennis ball so it barely touches your windshield. With this move, you will have a guide that lets you know you’ve parked correctly.
Rice Against Moisture
Do you recall the trick whereby you place your cell in a bowl of rice to remove moisture and possibly revive your phone? This rationality can help dispense humidity from your car. After absorbing moisture, your windscreen will be dry, resulting in outstanding vision while driving.
All you need to do is simply fill a cloth bag with rice and position it on top of the dashboard. The rice should be capable of absorbing excess moisture, leaving your windshield clearer. Remember to microwave the rice bag occasionally to dry it.
The Gas Hack
When it comes to gasoline, we all prefer getting the most for our money. Sadly, achieving this is impossible if we keep on rushing through the process as though we are in the movie Fast and Furious. This trick will help ensure you get your money’s worth.
Next time you fill up your car, try going slower. While holding the pump at 50%, try unwinding a little as you fill the tank slowly. By doing so, you should be able to pump in more fuel and less air. It will enable you to get your money’s worth.
Hand Sanitizer To The Rescue
Besides freezing and possibly sliding and breaking a hip, chilly winter days affect cars, too. Your car might become encrusted in ice during this season, causing your keyhole jam. In such instances, that hand sanitizer you keep in your bag can help.
Start by squeezing a significant amount inside the lock. Ensure it gets deep in the crevices. Now, sit back and watch the ice melt away, making way for your key. Besides having an open keyhole, you will also have one that is sterilized from germs.
Drive Responsibly
Believe it or not, speeding is not the quickest or most efficient way to arrive at your destination. In fact, you will merely strain your breaks since you will have to stop at almost every stoplight during your trip. Instead of driving fast, you will find that maintaining a safer speed is the best option.
You stand a better chance of arriving at your destination quicker by following the speed limit. In essence, traffic lights and speed limits were created for this purpose. You are more likely to cruise through most green lights by adhering to the speed limit. In addition to arriving safely, you’ll preserve your brakes.
The Garage Noodle
To most people, pool noodles might appear irrelevant. However, these items have numerous practical applications outside the pool. One such use is offering a protective measure for your car doors against dings. The best place to start is your garage!
If your garage is small, you are likely to experience door dents. You will need to cut your pool noodle in half. Then, fix them to the wall on the sides where your door normally opens. You will get a soft bumper to cushion your door.
Stockings To The Rescue Again
If you have a car, it would probably do you some good stocking up on extra pairs of stockings. You might never know when they might be helpful for your automobile. In the event your fan belt breaks, stockings can offer a temporary solution.
When the fan belt snaps, bring your car to a stop as soon as possible. Detach the faulty belt after switching it off. Then, carefully wrap the stockings around the engine pulley. This hack should be capable of getting you home or to the nearest car shop.
Extra Storage Space
There is never enough space in a car. We constantly find ourselves in need of more after filling it up, especially if we have kids. Lucky for you, you can secure extra space within your automobile with this genius storage hack.
Start by tying some bungee ropes to a mesh net for this hack. Fix the cords to all the four hand-holders in your car. This DIY storage hack offers more space in your car. You should refrain from putting many items in it, though, or you risk banging your head whenever you get in the car.
Sticker Problem
Stickers tend to leave a mark, and this can look ugly. Additionally, this mess tends to collect dirt. Owing to this condition, updating emblems and car stickers seem to be problematic. With the right elimination tricks, you can bypass this problem!
Thankfully, there is a solution to this predicament. To start, apply a little amount of heat to those stickers with the help of a hairdryer before pulling them off. This move helps you to remove the stickers much quicker and leaves no sticky residue on your vehicle.
Toothpaste Against Foggy Headlights
Foggy headlights are annoying, and you might feel like you need to make a trip to the car shop to clear them up. However, you can perform this activity at home easily. You will simply need toothpaste and a toothbrush, of course, one you don’t use.
Rub a few drops of toothpaste all over your headlights until you cover the entire surface. Wait a few minutes before washing it away. Allow the paste to dry, then use warm water to rinse them. You will be left with bright and clear headlights.
Olive Oil Cleaner
Olive oil has slowly advanced from a simple cooking component to an all-around product. Over time, it has been useful in keeping people’s skin and hair looking fabulous. Another essential use of olive oil is making your car’s dashboard as good as new!
All you need to do is dab a few drops of olive oil on a coffee filter, then wipe off your dash. Besides the fact that it will not help to fry eggs there in summer, and it may have a slight smell for a moment before soaking in, it will give your dashboard a glossy appearance.
Shoe Organizers Don’t Just Belong In The House
In addition to the car ceiling, the back of your front seats can also offer additional space. The single pockets that are already attached to them may not be enough. Instead, consider a good pair of shoe organizers to help.
Shoe organizers have multiple pockets, meaning they are perfect for storage. Besides the fact that your storing items will be much simpler, you will also avoid rummaging through a mess when looking for something since everything is properly organized.
Car Paper Towel Holder
Wherever you are traveling, paper towels always seem to be useful. They are even more helpful in your car that is prone to dust, spills, and filth at any time. However, finding an ideal storage space for them is a difficult experience altogether.
What about the trunk? This is not to say you should toss it in there. You will need to take a piece of bungee cord and thread it through your paper towel. Then, tie it to the bottom of your trunk lid. This move further prevents your paper towels from rolling around and collecting dirt.
Keep Cup Holders Clean
Crumbs will always find their way into cup holders. Besides their resourcefulness for holding drinks, they are notorious for collecting dirt. Fortunately, there is a simple way of keeping them clean to avoid spending so much time cleaning them.
Put a few cupcake holders in the coffee holders, as you see above. These will catch anything that might otherwise fall in there. As a result, it will be much easier to pick up the holders and chuck them out when they become dirty.
Fresh Wipers
Nothing is as important as having a clear view of the road when driving. If your visibility is compromised, you are likely to get into an accident, whether your gas tank is full or not. Therefore, it is vital to always ensure that your wipers are clean.
The wipers tend to sweep debris across your windshield. Thus, if you fail to clean them, you end up smearing your windscreen with filth whenever you use them. Take some time to carefully wipe out your wipers using a damp washcloth and some cleaner to remedy this condition.
Slime Clean Out
We have all seen those crazy slime videos. In case you haven’t, some guy went viral sometime back on TikTok after uploading a video where he used slime in the crevices of his car to attract debris. This trick is magical and delivers superb results.
By simply running the slime across the interior of your motor car, you should be able to gather any dust and debris that you may come across. This trick works as effectively as any store-bought washcloth, albeit less costly.
Easily Accessible Garage Opener
Perhaps you have found yourself in this condition. You prepare to open the garage door as soon as you arrive home from a long day at work using the remote. Sadly enough, you realize it is misplaced somewhere within the crevices of your car. After a while of searching, there it is.
To avoid such inconveniences, you can install the opener in your car. Even though this experience requires professional help, you can also do it yourself if you are versatile with a car. This practice will make it easier to return home without any mishaps!
DIY Tints
While we might enjoy the feeling of the sun now and then, the feeling does not last long when we are driving. It’s no longer pleasant once the rays become intense. The warm and invigorating feeling quickly transforms into irritation.
For this reason, pilots came up with colorful plastic sheets to deal with this. No, you don’t need to cover the entire windscreen. Rather, you will merely identify a few spots where the sun penetrates. As a bonus, you can use the static from your windshield to help with the plastic’s adhesion.
Pool Noodle Part Two
As it appears, pool noodles seem more resourceful outside the pool, especially in the case of automobiles. Besides acting as door bumpers, they can also aid to avoid losing contents between the seats. You won’t have to worry about losing small items and spending ages to recover them.
It’s easy for items to get lost between the sides of your car seats. Instead of spending time bending down trying to locate fallen items, you can avoid this altogether by wedging pool noodle pieces into these crevices between the vehicle seats.
Vinegar Ice Melter
During the early mornings when you are in a hurry to exit the house, an icy windshield can be a nuisance, especially during the cold weather. Since you are already apprehensive of arriving late for work, the ice buildup will annoy you further.
Instead of sticking around and waiting for the heater to painstakingly melt the ice, a solution of vinegar and water can speed up the process. Mix these two compounds in a spray bottle. Then use it to spray the ice buildup on your windshield repetitively as you wait for it to melt.
Winter Driving Survival
Apart from the weather, driving during the winter can be quite chaotic due to slippery roads. This complicates your daily commute and makes it hard to drive safely. If there is not enough adequate contact between the tires and the road, you will find your car sliding around.
To help, you will need to exert extra pressure on your back tires. You can do this by putting a few water softener salt bags in your trunk. They will help boost the grip of your tires on the road. However, keep in mind that this trick may not be as efficient with front-wheel-drive cars.
East Is the Way To Go
Regardless of the weather, there are times when we need to rush out of the house and take our chances with the morning traffic. Winter or not, most people are impatient to wait for all the snow to thaw or find an item to help get it off. Luckily, nature provides a solution.
If you cannot access a garage, park your car with its windshield facing towards the East. This allows your car to have a complete view of the sunrise. You can thereby allow the early morning sun to do all the melting for you.
Carabiners Makes Groceries A Lot Easier To Handle
Trunks are ideal for storing groceries. It is also true that sometimes, we buy a lot of stuff that cannot fit in the trunk. There is always a need for an extra storage room. Although storing things in the backseat is acceptable, this doesn’t mean they won’t spillover.
If you need to solve this problem, you will require a handful of carabiners. Install them on your front seats. You will then have yourself a hook to pin your groceries on. With this, they will be safe and secure.
Making Keyrings Less Painful
Keyrings can cause a great deal of pain when you need to add something to them or take something off. They’re not designed to be easy to open. Therefore, whenever you have to insert a key, you have no option but to submit your fingers to so much pain.
Fortunately, there is a solution to avoid hurting yourself every time you have to introduce a new key. You will need a staple remover to hold the keyring apart. This hack not only makes the process faster but also helps to preserve your nails and fingers.