40 Useful Winter Hacks That Help Prepare Us For Sleet Or Snow

It is that time of the year when the roads are cold, tires are frozen, the heater in the house is on full blast, and movement is generally is restricted. Winter is here, and with it comes the long-awaited snow. Depending on which area you’re living in, the degree or intensity of the snowfall might vary, but there will still be the general issues that everybody faces due to frigid weather. From experience, we know a lot of the issues that we face in the winter, from poor visibility to immobility and extra chillness, are inevitable. Still, one thing we can do is stay one step ahead. This article will show you different hacks that we’ve discovered to beat winter and the snow it brings along. We’ll be showing you different ways you can better enjoy your winter with the tools you already have in your home. 

Wooly wooly 

One common problem that we face during the cold winter months is keeping all of our body parts warm and cozy. We find that our fingers, lips, and toes are always frozen, causing us to feel numb and uncomfortable.

It is significantly worse when the numbing feeling is in our toes because it will be difficult or painful to move around. To help prevent this from happening, wear some wool socks over your regular socks. This will ensure that the heat stays trapped in your feet.

Home-made cleats 

It can be difficult going out in the winter. Usually, the roads are frozen over, the air is thin and sharp, and many other inconveniences due to the snow. However, some of us still like to go out for a change of scenery, irrespective of the weather.

We have a hack here that will help you maintain better traction on the slippery road, especially for those that love jogging despite the weather. Take a pair of your running shoes, and fix in screws at the base, as indicated in the picture above. 

Zip-tie tread 

Apart from our joggers, there are still others that like to go out irrespective of the weather. The snow offers a major hindrance and makes the road extremely unsafe to walk, jog, or even ride, but what can be done?

For those that still want to ride their bikes despite the weather, we have something that you can do to enjoy your ride still. You can give your bike tires a better grip on the road by adding a few zip-ties around the tires.

Cat Litter over salt

The snowfall can be unpredictable at times. Even though the weather forecast tries as much as possible to stay ahead and inform residents of the expected snow pattern, it is not always accurate. This is why it is best to always stay prepared.

So what do you do when you have to drive out of an unexpected snowy driveway? Here is a simple solution that you can adopt. Go to your garage and get out that cat litter you were planning to dispose of. Putting cat litter on your tires gives them better traction.

The oven is good, but have you tried the bathtub?

One thing we hate more than anything in the winter is the interior of our homes becoming too cold to cozy up in. It is understandable because we can’t go out, which will be way colder than the inside. We have a simple solution for this problem.

If you don’t have a heater or it is not providing you with enough heat, there is a simple and effective hack to get your house back to the warm and cozy way you like it. All you have to do is run a warm bath and leave the door open to let the warm air to circulate through your house.

Before care vs aftercare 

Apart from the chilly weather, winter brings on more problems than we think. One of those is ice or snow on our back or front porch. Shoveling snow or melting ice off the front steps is not an easy task because it will keep freezing over. 

However, don’t give up yet. We have something that will save you a lot of time and stress. Get yourself some hot water, alcohol, and dish soap. Mix these ingredients together, and you will have a magic potion that instantly melts all the ice.

Care to float 

The cold during the winter not only brings extra work and discomfort, but it does quite a lot of damage to our belongings. There are some things that we have to keep buying at the beginning of each winter because the items from last winter didn’t hold up.

One of these things is our winter boots. It is normal for us to get new winter boots each year because the last pair got damaged from the cold, but we have a hack to help save them for this year. Grab some pool noodles, then cut them to size and length of your bootleg and stuff the boots with them to help them hold their shape. 

5-minute crafts 

Winter is a period of great cold and with plenty of snow. The cold is a major challenge that we face, and our hands and feet suffer a great deal from this frigid weather. It is absolutely necessary to add extra layers, whether it be jackets or gloves.

However, are you tired of getting new pairs of gloves and socks every time? Well, here is something that can save you the extra cost. You can use your old pairs of socks as mittens, cut away the socks at the ankle and make a hole for your thumb, just like in the picture.

Protect the feet, not the shoe

This winter is going to be a great one because we have come prepared for it. We have yet another hack to beat the cold and moisture that typically attacks our feet during the winter, so let’s find out what it is.

The hack is simple, and all you need is within your reach. The first thing you need is your winter boots and a plastic bag. Wear the plastic bag on your leg first, then put on your boots. The bag serves as an insulator and keeps the cold away from your feet.

Remember, it takes a lot to freeze alcohol

Remember all the science fairs you had to do in elementary and middle school that encompassed a lot of science projects. Well, you remember that one guy whose project was around alcohol and its properties? They probably got an A on it for practicality.

Well, we are going to be referring back to this project and exploiting the properties of alcohol, one of which being that it doesn’t freeze as easily as water. You can use alcohol to melt ice and also prevent ice from forming in your keyholes and other small spaces.

Home-made weatherstripping 

It is impossible to stay indoors all through the winter, and at some point, we have to go out or open our doors for whatever reason. However, cold air can rush in even when the door is closed if you don’t have proper installation.

However, you don’t have to worry because we have a simple and cheap hack to prevent this. All you need is are pool noodles; you can cut the noodles to fit the base of your door, and so cold air won’t come in even when the door is closed.

Who can only sleep with the ceiling fan on?

No matter what we do, there is still the issue of the floor being cold during the winter. This is expected because the cold air is heavier than warm air, and it will sink to the floor, while warm tends to rise up.

What can we do in a situation like this if you don’t have a floor warmer or an automated floor that automatically warms itself? You can make do with your ceiling fan. It sounds crazy, we know. But if you make your ceiling fan rotate in the opposite direction, the heat will circulate the room.

Fun in the cold 

Who says winter has to ruin all the fun. Most of the time, the kids can’t go outside to play because of the cold, and the playground is usually frozen over or closed for the holidays, but who says that there are no other ways for them to have fun outside?

We have a way that you can take advantage of the cold and have a lot of fun outside with your kids. We’re all familiar with bubble guns or bubble rings, and if you blow a bubble outside and it touches the ground, it will freeze and form a crystal ball. Cool, right?

Penguins are the best winter spirit animals 

Sometimes, we watch documentaries on the extremely cold parts of the world, and we see all sorts of animals and the way they live in the cold, and then we wonder how they do it. One of these animals is the penguin.

Penguins live in areas with extreme cold, and they somehow still manage to move around without slipping. It is because they walk with their toes pushed forward and their arms or wings outward. We can also adopt this method when walking on ice, which is very effective.

Spray pam on the shovel 

During this cold season, it is not uncommon for us to wake up to our driveways frozen over or snow lodged up against our front steps, meaning we have no choice but to start shoveling snow. However, we have a hard time doing this because the snow keeps sticking to our shovel.

We have a hack that can help you have an easier time using your shovel to pack away snow. All you have to do is apply cooking spray to your wide-mouth shovel. The spray will prevent the snow from sticking to your shovel.

Let there be light

We bother ourselves with finding different ways to keep the house warm, and we try different things from turning the heater to full blast to looking for more ingenious methods. However, we tend to forget the most basic method.

What is it, you ask? Well, open your curtain. Yes, it is as simple as that. Open your curtain and let natural light flow into your house because it will bring the heat in with it. Don’t mistake opening your curtain for opening your window because you might freeze.

Candle-pot

One of the most important things we need during the winter is warmth because everywhere is cold, and more cold flows in from outside every chance it gets. We need to find ways to keep the house warm. However, most of the methods cost a lot of money.

However, we have a very cheap method you can employ to heat all the rooms in your house. All you need are flowerpots, tea-light candles, and glass bowls. Place the candles in the bowl, and cover the bowl with a flower pot having a hole at the top.

Go outside in the sun

The cold has most of us in hibernation, which is not very healthy for our bodies. While it is understandable that it is cold outside most of the time, there is still a period when the sun is out, making the outdoors not as unbearable as we like to think.

This hack is simple and very easy to do. All you have to do is wear your winter jacket and boots, go for a stroll, and allow the warm rays of the sun to hit your face and body. The sun will thaw your body and give you a good dose of vitamin D.

Don’t forget the garage door 

Before winter hits, most of us have already made preparations to battle the cold. We have sealed off all the inlets that cold can come in from, padded the doors, windows, and so on. However, many of us still notice that cold is getting into the house.

What could be wrong? Where is the cold coming from? Have you checked the garage door? Most often than not, we forget to check the garage door and insulate it like other doors in the house. We can lose so much heat from this one door.

A little chemistry project 

It can be very uncomfortable in the winter, especially when the cold starts getting to our hands and feet, like we said before. There is this numb feeling that makes it difficult for us to do some of the things that we normally do.

There is a common way of keeping our hands warm with the use of mittens or warming them over the stove. We also have another way that is more fun; put calcium chloride in a bag and put that bag in another one filled with water, and you have a homemade handwarmer.

Bouncing off the walls 

The heater or warming vents are one of the common ways that we keep our homes cozy. The heater produces warm air and blows it out of the vents that lead into the rooms, but there are cases where the vent is poorly positioned, and the heat doesn’t flow well.

Don’t worry. We have a way you can get the warm air flowing into your room, and all you need is foil paper. Foil paper has a reflective nature, and it reflects both light and heat. Put the foil paper in a way that it can reflect the heat coming from the vents into your room.

Bubble wrap fun

Heat is the major thing we want during the winter. We have made that clear. We go to different extents to generate heat and keep our house warm, from heaters to closing the doors and even insulating the doors that lead outside.

We have an easy way you can further insulate your house and keep the cold from getting in. When you get a new package, sometimes bubble wrap comes with it. Instead of tossing it or letting your kids pop all the bubbles, you can line your windows with it to trap heat.

Tire tracks to the rescue

One major problem with winter is the excessive downpour of snow overnight. Every inch is covered with snow by the next morning, making it really difficult to move our cars. What can we do to get out of this situation?

We have an effective method that can help you get your car running and moving smoothly in time for work. Placing tire tracks in front or behind your tires is more than enough to get your tires moving and on your where to where you need to go.

Good ol’ plastic to the rescue 

It is not uncommon to wake to a frozen windshield that’s covered with ice. This can be a huge hindrance, especially if we are rushing somewhere, like to work. It can also take a long time to defrost. And, not everybody has an ice scraper for their screens.

What can we do instead? If you find yourself in need of something to scrape the ice off your screen, don’t look too far. Check your wallet, and you will see the tool you need to get the ice off your glass; your credit or debit card.

Close the door

Winter can be very harsh and unfriendly at times, and it is a good thing that we have houses to protect us from the weather outside. Our homes can be cozy and warm, and most also have heaters to help beat the cold.

But then, sometimes, when we go out or open a door, we can feel the gust of cold air flowing in, and then the interior of our house becomes chilly in seconds. Well, we have a simple solution to this, and that is to keep the door closed unless it is an emergency.

Cover up for safety

Things can become risky in seconds, especially overnight, depending on the weather forecast. It is possible to wake up and see that your car is covered in ice. Nobody wants to be late for work because their mirrors are covered with ice.

Here is what you can do to prevent this. Get a plastic bag that is wide enough, then place the bag around your side mirror. If it does snow heavily, you can save the time it will take for you to scrape them clean.

Windshield wiper warmers 

There are several tricks and methods that people use to beat the snow. The whole point is to beat the snow and reduce the time that it will take to get the ice off the parts of your car like your side mirror, windshield, and even wiper.

We have a method that will save the wipers from freezing over or getting stuck to your windshield. This method is similar to how we keep our feet warm, and that is by putting socks over our wipers. This method is very effective.

The sun rises in the east

It can be very frustrating to wake up and see that your car is completely covered in ice, meaning you have to start scraping ice off different parts of your car and then wait for your engine to melt off the rest.

If you are not in a rush, we have a more natural way you can get the ice off your car, and that is with the aid of the sun. The sun rises in the east, so you can park your car facing that direction, meaning once the sun rises, it will melt off the ice.

Vicks baths bombs

Apart from the fact that the cold gets into our homes and our cars are often covered with ice, another major problem we face is the flu. Winter has a way of bringing the flu to us in waves, and it can become very difficult to breathe if this happens to you.

Here is an effective way you can get rid of blocked sinuses. Get Vicks VapoRub and mix it with cornstarch and water until it forms a paste. Allow the paste to cool and harden, then put the hardened paste in a bath or warm water and breathe in the steam.

Car Tarp

It’s winter, and there is snow everywhere. The thing about snow is it will eventually melt to form pools of water. It is annoying when we drive in and the snow clinging to parts of our car start melting onto the floor of our garage, making a mess.

If you’re tired of mopping melted ice off your floor, we have a hack that you can employ. What you need is a tarp and pool noodles. Cut the pool noodles and use them to form a border where you park your park, then lay the tarp within that border so you can park your car on top of it.

Wait, duct tape is flammable?

Duct tape is one of the most used tools in homes today. We use duct tape for a lot of things, but we mainly use it to keep things together. You’re probably wondering how this tool comes in handy in the winter?

You probably never knew, but duct tape is a very good source of heat and is extremely flammable. If you find yourself in need of a fire and you don’t have a starter or fuel, you can use duct tape. Of course, we won’t advise using this indoors.

Men can do it too 

Being cold in the winter is inevitable. It can be disturbing, and it has a way of getting into our bodies and bones. We’ve looked at some of the ways we can overcome the cold, and we have yet another one.

One thing that women do when it’s that time of the month, and they have pain is to place a warm heating pad or blanket on their tummy to relieve the pain. We can also use this same method to keep ourselves warm.

Does garlic boost immunity?

It is that time of the year again when everything is cold, and the cases of the flu begin to skyrocket. You know how difficult it can be for those who have come down with the flu during the winter.

Well, they say prevention is better than the cure, so why not prevent yourself from getting it at all. For those asking how, here is a simple method to avoid the flu: garlic. Garlic contains chemicals and nutrients that boost the immune system against the flu.

Clean up that fireplace

The fireplace is an invention that allows you to keep your house warm by burning different things, mainly wood, and at the same time keep the smoke out of your home. It can be a lot of work cleaning the fireplace since it causes a lot of ash.

We have a method that allows you to use your fireplace as much as possible without having to stress about cleaning off the ash. All you need to do is line the bottom of your fireplace with tin foil, and all the ash will drop on it, allowing for easy clean-up.

Squish, squish

Snow is a factor that is inevitable in the winter, but snow doesn’t stay solid forever. When coming from outside, it is impossible not to drag some snow in, causing our shows to be wet. There are ways we can dry our shoes, like using a dryer.

But apart from a dryer, what else can we do? We can use newspapers. Yes, you can use newspapers to dry your shoes, and it works like a charm. All you have to do is wrap your shoes in a newspaper as soon as you enter your house. 

Grapefruit seed extract 

We said before that the flu is another problem that comes with the cold. This is understandable because the air is cold and more suitable for the microorganism that causes the sickness. So, what more can be done to prevent the flu?

We’ve looked at one natural way we can fortify our bodies against the flu with the use of garlic, and now we have another way. Grapefruit seed extract is an effective way to boost the body’s immune system against the flu.

Heater? No, oven

We have seen different ways you can beat the cold in your house. The common and orthodox method that people use is the heater, and you can also use a warm bath or bubble wrap your windows. However, we want to show you another way to combat the heat. Your house should feel like a sauna by now.

The winter is that time of the year when the oven is used the most, from making the holiday turkey to baking different delicacies. However, that is not all the oven can be used for. Leaving the oven door open allows warm air to flow around the house.

Face coverings required 

Going outside in the winter can be difficult because the air is very cold and thin, and any small trace of moisture on our skin or face immediately freezes up. It is not uncommon to see people with ice crystals clinging to their mustaches, beard, or eyebrows.

Your face doesn’t have to freeze off anytime you go outside because all you need to do is wear a proper face cover. Yes, the same face cover that you were so reluctant to wear during the pandemic might just save you this winter.

Fashion or functionality

In a bid to overcome the cold, we humans have come up with different ways to beat this challenge, and one of them is the advent of clothes made from wool. Wool is a very thick material that has insulating properties. 

The problem with wool is when you wash it, it starts bringing out these tiny beads that disfigure the appearance of the clothes. However, don’t be so quick to toss out the garment. Instead, get a razor and use it to gently remove these beads.

Dry heat or moisture

In a bid to overcome the cold, we do different things that can make us warm. We install heaters, wear warm clothes, use mittens, and wool socks, and bathe in hot water on a daily basis. The use of water is very tempting.

But, we realize that after a hot shower, our skin gets dry, and sometimes lotions are not effective. So, what can we do in this case, we can’t use cold water, and we can’t use hot water, which leaves us with only one way to go. Use slightly warm or lukewarm water instead.