14 useful car tricks that every driver should know
Being an experienced driver does not mean that you know everything about cars.
Things like knowing that dishwashing liquid is really useful for cleaning windows, that socks can prevent your wipers from freezing in the winter, or that the simplest and easiest way to get rid of your headlights is just some handy tricks you will want to remember.
Because we love the cheap and easy solutions you can make yourself at home, we have reviewed some amazing tips for the care, protection and maintenance of your favorite four-wheeled assistant!
14. Use the air recirculation button when stuck in the traffic jam to recycle the polluted air.
Perhaps one of the most forgotten buttons on the dashboard of all of us is the air recirculation button.
It basically contributes to the circulation of air inside your car, instead of absorbing it from the outside. This can be useful if you are stuck in traffic and the outside air is filled with exhaust fumes. Just press the recirculate button to turn off the airflow from the outside. You can also do this this summer to keep the indoor air cool. Very practical trick!
13. Save fuel by removing the unwanted weight of the car.
Quite obvious, isn't it? Well, yes, but we bet everyone has a lot of things that have not left the car for centuries! The problem is that fuel consumption increases the heavier the car, because the engine has to burn more fuel to accelerate and keep it moving.
12. Use dishwashing liquid to remove grease from windows.
Dishwashing liquid can be a great and inexpensive way to clean your car windows and windshield after years of use. Anything from cigarette smoke and fingerprints to dog saliva can be difficult to remove in the long run, even with a good window cleaner. Just grab a damp, warm cloth, use a drop of dishwashing liquid and start cleaning. . Then continue with the normal window cleaning process. Dishwashing liquid is really good for removing any kind of grease. It is effective if applied as a cleaning solution for cleaning windows!
11. Use a moving shade on the windshield to avoid the sun.
Sometimes the sun is painful and really dangerous for all drivers. Fortunately, there is a cheap and proven way to alleviate the problem: a mobile "shadow". This trick has actually been used by pilots for years, so its usefulness has been proven time and time again. It is economical and will make the driving experience during the summer much better and less stressful.
10. Socks in the wipers
Getting out of the house early in the morning during the winter can be difficult, especially when you get in your car and see that not only is your windshield icy, but that your windshield wipers are the same. A handy tip to avoid freezing overnight is to pull them out and cover them with old socks. This will protect them from all kinds of things like snow, ice, rain and extreme cold.
9. Save your car in the GPS app to remember where you parked it.
We've all found ourselves in a city we're not familiar with or in a giant parking lot, and BAM! We are lost. A surefire way to remember where you left off your vehicle is to use your phone's GPS. Just pin the location where you parked the car on the map and relax, you are safe and do not need to remember exactly where you parked!
8. Use a wet newspaper to remove the sticker marks from the bumper.
The stickers on the bumpers are a reality that we have all faced. They are particularly annoying to the appearance of the car. A quick, cheap and easy way to remove them is to wet a newspaper with hot water and apply it to the wet area and then let it soak until it sticks to the car. Leave it for about 10 minutes so that the water penetrate the sticker glue / sticker mark. Then gently scrape (along with the newspaper) with a card (like a credit card). Repeat if necessary, we guarantee it will come out.
7. Clean blurred spotlights with sandpaper.
Blurred headlights are a reality that we have all faced over time. This makes the headlights less effective and if you leave them in this condition for a long time, it can be dangerous. First, you need to get a headlight cleaning kit. Then it is very convenient to have a wheel in hand, because you have to place it in a special wheel accessory to rub this yellow "dirt" on the headlights. Continue using different sandpaper and after the turbidity after the treatment looks like snow, polish it with the special chemical compound included in the kit. Then clean it well and you are ready!
6. Use a kitchen suction cup for dents.
Suction cups are really useful outside the kitchens and bathrooms. As shown in the picture, you can also use a suction cup to attach small and medium dimples to your car. Wet both the dent and the suction cup and use it as if to unblock the drain - push and pull - until it comes out.
5. Remove the rust with Coca-Cola.
Since Coca-Cola is available everywhere and because it is carbonated, it is a useful and inexpensive way to remove stains and rust from metals and their alloys, thanks to phosphoric acid. Just spray the desired rusty surface with Coca-Cola and, then use a brush (or a toothbrush if the area is smaller) to dissolve it. Apply and rub the area as needed. Do not forget to rinse the cleaned area with water after finishing.
4. Get out of mud or sand
We've all been on a picnic on a very rainy day, just to get our car stuck in the ugly mud or sand. The first thing to remember is that there is always a way out and panic is not helpful. You will need a shovel or a lot of patience with the digging to do it. Using the shovel, your hands or anything else you can dig and try to clear as much mud and sand from the wheels as possible. If your car is still not moving, there are other things you can try, such as switching from reverse to driving to start gaining momentum and thus deflating your tires to increase their surface area. Remember to take a shovel with you whenever you visit dangerous areas.
3. Keep your car remote control separate from your keys.
This is common sense, but most modern car alarm systems have a built-in system to prevent car theft, effectively locking everything in your car when you use it. It is especially convenient to keep it separate from your car keys in in case you fall victim to a robbery outside your car, if someone decides to drive your vehicle or, for any reason, you left the keys in the car.
2. Do not put in front of the car immediately in winter.
Like almost everything, car batteries do not enjoy extremely cold temperatures. In fact, these extremely low temperatures during the winter can be detrimental to your car battery if you do not heat it first. Just turn on the headlights for a while and then turn on the car engine. You can also heat it up using the radio if you prefer.
1. Use the arrow next to the fuel icon on the dashboard to find out which side the gas tank is on.
You went to the gas station for refueling, but you parked on the wrong side of the fuel tank, do not worry it has happened to all of us! It is the moment when we realize that everyone at the gas station will laugh with us. What most of us do not know (or have never noticed) is that the fuel icon on the dashboard tells us which side the tank is on with a small arrow.