7 Winter Car Hacks to Make Cold Mornings Easier​

After spring, summer and autumn, it’s easy to forget the challenges winter can bring when it comes to driving. Driving during the winter can be stressful so you’ll want to be prepared before making any journeys. Luckily, getting your car ready for the freezing winter mornings doesn’t need to take you more than five minutes every day.

So, if you find yourself spending too much time in the morning preparing your car, find out how you can take back those precious minutes with our 7 winter car hacks:

Thaw frozen car doors

If you are tired of unsticking frozen doors, you can prevent car doors freezing in the first place with cooking oil spray. The cooking spray acts as an inexpensive water proofer, that can easily be wiped away with a wet cloth. Spray into the door seal the night before and open with ease the next morning!

Forget foggy windshields

Some cars are more prone to getting foggy windshields than others, but there are a few easy ways to tackle this common problem.

• Don’t leave water bottles in your car – the moisture can contribute to fog.
• Try cracking your window open to let in the dry air.
• Check your air conditioner is on a fresh air setting rather than a recirculate setting.
• To prevent fogging in the first place, apply shaving foam and then wipe away. The chemicals in shaving foam work as a chemical barrier to fog. 

Prevent frozen side mirrors

You’ve de-iced your windscreen and back window, you get in the car and realise you can’t see a thing out of your frozen side mirror! Avoid frozen side mirrors by covering them up over night with a plastic shopping bag – you can tie the end or use a rubber band to keep the cold air out.

Unfreeze your car door lock

Unfreeze your car lock with a small squeeze of hand sanitizer. The alcohol found in hand sanitiser lowers the freezing point of water and helps to melt the ice inside the lock. 

No ice scraper? No problem!

It’s so easy to forget an ice scraper for your car, especially if you are on the go. Thankfully, there are lots of everyday things you can use to remove ice. So, next time you’re left without an ice scraper, try using a plastic kitchen spatula or a plastic card from your wallet.

Get prepared

Battle freezing temperatures by ensuring you always have a pair of driving gloves, a scarf and a warm (and waterproof) coat in your car. If it’s really cold, it can be difficult to keep your hands on the wheel, which could be dangerous. You can find special driving gloves or simply use leather or faux leather gloves with lots of grip. In addition to warm clothing, you can also create a ‘winter survival kit’ including:

• Torches
• Warm blankets
• Bottles of water
• Snacks
• A portable phone charger

Ensure your Mazda is protected against all the common causes of breakdowns this winter with a Winter Car Check at Magna Mazda. Get in contact with your local Mazda dealership today to find out more about our aftersales offers.

Looking for a new car this winter? Visit our Magna Mazda showroom today to view the full range of new Mazda cars, including the all-new Mazda 3, Mazda 6 and more!