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Winter is arriving folks. Are you ready? More importantly, is your car ready?

Caring for your vehicle’s appearance is very important if you want it to stay looking nice for years down the road. Cosmetic treatments are often full of chemicals and can come with a heavy price tag as well. If you are a DIY’r and would rather do car repairs or maintenance yourself, Cars.com can be a great resource and support.  They are a leading online destination that helps customers with car shopping, sell or service their vehicles.

I was researching on how to remove snow and ice from the car the other day and landed on Cars.com. They really have some cool tips on how to get your car winter ready painlessly.

Usually, I sort of go with the flow. As in dealing with the ice when it happens but no harm in preparing ahead. Considering, we are in for a nasty winter weather this year…

Other than checking Cars.com, You can also skip the expense of car maintenance at your local dealership or repair shop by using the following tips from yours truly!

13 Thrifty Winter Car Care Tips and Hacks

1. If you have a ding in your car’s paint job and no money to fix it right now, use clear nail polish to keep it from rusting and spreading.

2. With cooler weather on the way, frost is sure to follow. To skip the scraping in the morning, spray your window down with rubbing alcohol.

3. If you have automatic antennas, avoid having them get stuck by occasionally rubbing them down with wax paper.

4. Corral your car clutter with an over the door shoe organizer. Cut one down (or use a shorter one if you can find it) so it fits on the back of your car seat. Place pens, crayons, little toys and papers in it.

5. To get rid of haze on your windows as well as grime, use vinegar.

6. To remove bugs easily, prevent them. On a clean grill, apply cooking spray. It will allow you to easily wipe off the critters.

7. If you drive an older car and need to get going fast and don’t have time to heat up the car in the winter, use your blow dryer on the carburetor for a few moments.

8. If you have a frozen lock, don’t call for help. Instead heat your key with a match or a lighter and then try again.

9. To keep your trunk from freezing, rub vegetable oil on the gasket/seal.

10.  To get better traction in the snow, keep sand in your trunk in a small container. You don’t need to lug a huge container, just make sure to refill when you use it.

11. Keep a candle in your car for emergency winter light and heat. With the days getting shorter, you don’t want to be stuck on the side of the road changing a tire in the dark.

12. To prevent corrosion of your battery, rub them with petroleum jelly. To clean what is already there, make a baking soda paste and leave on for 1 hour before removing.

13. For car care in the engine such as checking oil or changing it,  during cold months, keep a pair of old socks in your trunk rather than mess up nice gloves.

Got any genius winter car care tips to share? Go ahead and write them down in comments 🙂

And have a safe winter driving!