Maintaining your vehicle on a regular basis is, without a doubt most effective car hack. However, we recognize that not all car hacks entail oil changes and wheel alignments. We spend a significant amount of time in our automobiles. In the absence of proper organization and maintenance, things can become chaotic, broken, and even dangerous in your vehicle.
That’s why we’ve compiled a list of useful car hacks that will help you stay sane and safe while driving. The following car hacks will instantly improve your driving experience, whether you’re getting ready to go on a road trip or just want to make your daily commute a little less of a chore.
1. Using a Plunger and Hot Water, Repair a Dent:
Do you have a ding in the side of your car that is unsightly? Don’t be concerned! We all make mistakes, and the good news is that they are relatively simple to correct: Simply bring water to a boil in a teapot or saucepan and pour it over the affected area, then press the plunger down and pull the water out.
If the body has not been severely damaged, the dent should be able to be removed without difficulty; if not, it should at the very least appear less prominent. This hack will also save you spending a huge amount of bucks on your car repair.
2. Ziplock Bag Over the Mirror:
Ice is one of the winter’s most dangerous hazards, both on the road and in your vehicle. In order to avoid ice forming on your windshield and rearview mirrors, it’s always best to park in your garage or covered carport during the winter months.
However, there is a clever trick for those confined to parking in the open air. Open up a few Ziplock bags and place them over your mirrors, as explained by BobVilla.com. Simple as that. The plastic covering will prevent the majority of ice and snow from adhering to the surface, making those frigid mornings a whole lot less frustrating.
3. Use Toothpaste to Clean the Headlights
Avoid rushing to the auto store for a special solution if your headlights are fogged. It’s possible that you already have something that will solve your problem right in your own home. It turns out that toothpaste works just as well on headlights as it does on teeth because it contains mild abrasives intended to clean the enamel of the teeth. Your headlights can be as clear as day again with the help of toothpaste and a little elbow grease!
Please keep in mind that this will not always work. If your headlights are yellowing from the inside, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to fix the problem yourself, and it’s time to consider getting new ones.
4. To open your keyring, use a staple remover:
There are probably harder activities out there, but few are as aggravating as wrenching a key ring clip apart. The metal circle is meant to keep keys and keychains safe—so safe that adding new items or removing them may be impossible. Despite what your personal experience may suggest, there is a way to open your keyring without breaking a nail. All you’ll need is a tool that you probably already have on your desk.
There’s no need to sever your fingers trying to get that new set of keys onto your cinching metal keyring anymore. To insert them, simply pull apart the end pieces with a staple remover and slide them in! We bet you’re scratching your head, wondering why you didn’t think of it sooner.
5. Shower Caddy is Useful in the Trunk:
Shower caddies are well-known for their usefulness in, well, the shower itself. They not only help to keep shampoo and soap within easy reach but they can also be used to organize the contents of your car’s trunk. If you’re smart, you’ll keep some emergency supplies such as oil, a funnel, a rag, a flashlight, and other essentials in case of an emergency in the trunk of your car.
It would be best if you considered getting a shower caddy to store all of your important items securely so that they are all in one place and out of the way when you need them. It will also prevent anything else in your trunk from becoming dirty while you are driving.
6. Using a Pool Noodle to Prevent Door Dings:
Have you ever pulled your car into your garage, opened the car door, and unintentionally hit a wall with your car? A ding has appeared on the side of your car door in an instant. Everyone has experienced this, but there is a simple way to help avoid dents and dings on your vehicle.
There is a straightforward solution: All you have to do is cut a pool noodle in half and stick it to the wall where the door will be hitting it (the scuff marks should make it easy enough to tell). Your car and your wall will both be safe, regardless of whether you use bolts or simple command strips to secure them.
7. Cereal Bin Can be used as a Trash Can:
It is common for us to leave trash all over our cars without giving it a second thought. But did you know that if you are not careful, all of the smells from that trash can will stick to the inside of your car for the rest of your life? Take care of this issue by purchasing a trash can for your residence.
All you’ll need is one of those small plastic containers that are used to store breakfast cereals. Simply line it with a plastic bag, and you’ve got yourself a compact and easily sealed trash can that keeps your car neat and organized while also smelling great.
8. To reduce frost, park your car facing east:
It may appear to be some strange witchy trick, but it’s actually rather easy and sensible. When you park your automobile facing the sun in the morning, the sun’s rays will defrost your front windshield first. You’ll never have to wait for the defroster to warm up again if you leave for work after the sun rises!
You should be able to use your windshield wipers to perform the hard work with this approach.
Keep these tips in mind when dealing with snow, ice, and frost on a regular basis. Don’t use your credit card to clear a tiny area, then drive away like a tank commander with only a tiny hole cleared. Spending a few minutes now will save you a lot of time on the road and keep you and others safer.
9. If You Hold Your Keys to Your Head, You’ll Extend Their Range:
In the event that you find yourself wandering through rows of cars, indiscriminately pressing the unlock button on your car’s remote key fob, there’s a rumored trick to increase the range of the remote and increase the likelihood of finding your car. What’s the trick? Keep the remote close to your head.
We understand that it sounds ridiculous, but we swear it works! Holding your keys under your chin and pressing the button again will increase the range of the signal a little bit because the fluids in your head will exchange the signal’s range a little bit. Simply put, if you still don’t believe us, just give it a shot for yourself.
10. On a Long Car Ride with a Messy Kid? Use Magna-Doodle:
When taking a long car ride with a young child, there are two obvious problems: they are messy, and they become easily bored. Fortunately for you, keeping a MagnaDoodle in your arsenal of toys can help you with both of these issues at the same time. For starters, they are unquestionably one of the most entertaining toys available, as children can draw and redraw endlessly without running out of (or dropping) materials to use.
You may not have realized that they can also be used as a tray table for children to eat their meals from without getting crumbs and spills all over the place. That is what we refer to as a win-win situation!
11. Clean Your Wheels with Coca-Cola:
You’ve probably heard the phrase “use Coke to clean this” a million times, but a solution made from cola and dish detergent will actually remove all of the road grime and brake dust from your rims and leave them sparkling like new. Some people are concerned that the soda will simply make things sticky, but the detergent you mix in ensures that no buildup occurs.
Additionally, Coca-Cola can be used to clean the alloy wheels. All you have to do is wet some aluminum foil with Coca-Cola and lightly sand the wheels to remove rust spots, and within minutes you will get a shiny new wheel.
12. Pantyhose Can Be Used as a Fan Belt in an Emergency:
First and foremost, we should point out that if you have any other options available to you when your fan belt fails (such as calling a tow truck), you should take advantage of them. A small amount of money saved is not worth the risk of starting a fire in your engine.
However, if you are truly stranded, you can tie a pair of pantyhose together to serve as a fan belt, which will allow you to get to the nearest gas station or area with cell service, where you can call for help. A pantyhose cannot be used as an emergency belt in serpentine belted vehicles because it lacks grooves to follow the path of the belt.
13. Nail Polish Can Fix Little Scratches:
The majority of the time, when you get a small scratch or chip in your car’s paint, it is not worth the expense of having it professionally repaired. As a result, you’ll be driving around with unsightly scratches on your car, which is an unfortunate side effect of this situation.
We’re willing to bet you didn’t realize you could do that yourself! All you need is a dab of nail polish to complete the look. Because nail polish can be mixed in with the paint on your vehicle to achieve a reasonably close match, a small amount of it will cover up scratches well enough that no one would notice them unless they were specifically looking for them.
14. De-Ice Your Key Holes with Hand Sanitizer:
If you’ve ever experienced the frustration of having frozen locks on your car door, you know how difficult it can be to resolve the situation. Hand sanitizer, to be precise, is the solution, which you may not have anticipated. Even though it may seem counterintuitive to pour something into a locked door that isn’t working, alcohol in the solution will help melt the ice, and you will turn the lock after that.
Apply a couple of drops of hand sanitizer to your key and gently push the key into the lock. Repeat this process for the other keys. It may be necessary to turn or wiggle the key a little at a time to distribute the alcohol evenly throughout the lock.
15. Keep Your Belt Buckled In Hot Weather:
Attempting to fasten your seatbelt in the heat of the summer is a risky proposition. Any metal part of your car that has been exposed to sunlight and heat will cause your hands to become sore. Metal seat belt buckles, plastic latches on car seats, and even door handles can become extremely hot, causing burns on the skin of an unsuspecting child in a matter of seconds if they come into contact with it.
But you can at least avoid the seatbelt problem by buckling it in after you get out of your car and leaving it there until the next time you get back into it. If the sun cannot reach it, it will not heat up to burning temperatures!
16. Over the Door Shoe Rack:
An over-the-door shoe organizer is an ideal solution for organizing stuff n the cars. There are a plethora of items that can be stored in the hanging shoe holders to keep them looking neat and tidy.
If you have children, you will find this one particularly useful: A simple over-the-door shoe rack can serve as an excellent storage solution for all of the backseat necessities — sippy cups, toys, chargers, snacks, and anything else you can think of. All of the pouches are easily accessible, and they are significantly easier to see at a glance than the pouches that come with some minivan seats.
17. On window chips, use clear nail polish:
The enchantress of nail polish strikes once more! If you get a crack or chip in your windshield, it’s almost certain to spread and crack deeper, making driving risky. If you can’t afford to repair your windshield, a few drops of clear nail paint in the afflicted region, similar to a run in a pair of stockings, should keep the crack from spreading until you can.
Clear nail paint can fill up the nooks and crannies of small windshield chips and cracks, and as it dries, it seals and protects the area from the cold and elements, which can cause more breaking! To begin, use dish soap and warm water to clean the damaged area of your windshield.
18. Use a Rubber Band as Phone Holder:
When you need to look at your GPS but don’t have a co-pilot to hold it up for you and don’t have one of those windows or air vent holders to hold your phone, it’s extremely inconvenient (and potentially dangerous).
If you know where to look, it’s actually quite simple to accomplish the same result with a rubber band. Simply loop it through a couple of the vents in your center console, as well as around the top and bottom of your phone, and the tension will hold it securely in place.
(Note: if you use a binder clip, the hold will be even stronger!)
19. Quickly cool down your hot car:
It’s been a long day, and we’ve all been there at some point. You’re exhausted and ready to get back to your apartment. Your car door is greeted by a wall of intense, caged heat as soon as you open it. You are not alone in this experience. Then you had to stand there and air out your suffocatingly hot car in the summer, just enough so that you could breathe when you got back inside, wouldn’t you?
Simply rolling down the passenger-side window and opening and closing the driver’s-side door rapidly for a few seconds will expedite the process. It creates a fanning effect that draws all of the hot, stale air out of your car and allows fresh air to flow in.
20. Your Next Air Freshener Could Be Dryer Sheets:
Don’t waste your money on air fresheners that attach to your clothes or hang over your mirror and last only a few days. A box of dryer sheets lasts significantly longer, doesn’t get in the way, and effectively absorbs odors when used as directed. You can choose between scented and unscented options, and your car will smell pleasant and fresh for several months afterward.
Simply wrap some downy unstoppables in a new dryer sheet and tie it with a ribbon to complete the look. Placing it under your car seat will keep your vehicle smelling great for several months! It is by far the best car freshener you might have ever used!
21. Nanotech Car Scratch Remover Cloth:
Although this isn’t exactly a hack, it is a really cool product that can make a significant difference in terms of the aesthetics of your vehicle. With the help of advanced nanotechnology, these Multipurpose Scratch Remover Clothes can be used to remove car scratches and stains, restore vehicle color, and protect paint surfaces, among other applications.
According to the company, each cloth can be reused between 10 and 15 times before needing to be replaced. If you are unsure about the product’s effectiveness, it is covered by a one-year limited guarantee. So you can try them out and contact the company if you are dissatisfied before returning them.
22. Wax Cube Air Fresheners:
Aside from using dryer sheets, there’s another DIY air freshener hack that will make your nose happy. Take some scents wax cubes and place them in a mason jar with some holes cut into the lead. That’s it! Leave the jar in your car, and as the vehicle heats up, the wax will begin to melt, filling your car with a pleasant fragrance.
If you’re using a stronger-scented wax melt, we recommend placing the jar under one of your car seats to keep the smell contained. If you prefer a milder scent, we recommend placing the jar in one of the cup holders in your car. After a while, the scents should fade away, and the wax melts are simple to dispose of once the scent is no longer detectable.
23. Penny in the Tire:
The following tip might just save your life. Turn a coin upside down and place it in the treads of your tires. You’re good if President Lincoln’s head sinks halfway in. You’ll need new tires if the tread doesn’t cover any of the president’s heads.
Place a penny in various tread grooves across the tire, head first. Your treads are shallow and worn if you can always see the top of Lincoln’s head. Your tires will need to be replaced if this is the case. You have more than 2/32 of an inch of tread depth left if the tread always covers part of Lincoln’s head.
24. Cup(Cake) Holder:
Purchase a package of silicone cupcake wrappers and place them in the cupholders of your vehicle. They’ll keep all of your loose change organized, and they’re simple to remove and clean, so your cup holders will remain spotless.
Simply take the cupcake liner out of the oven, shake it, wash it in the sink, and put it back in your car. Depending on the size of the cups you put into your holder, the liners may stick to the bottom and be difficult to remove – but it’s a minor inconvenience for a green car hack that will save you a significant amount of energy overall.
25. Carabiner Hooks:
In the event that you like to keep items in your car, such as extra bottles of water, you may have the good fortune of discovering those who have managed to get away from you. Choose some carabiner hooks and attach them to the headrests of your seats if you need to make some additional space in your back seat.
They can be used to store a variety of items such as bags, groceries, umbrellas, and so on. They also make it simple to reach for bottles and other items, even when you are behind the wheel of the vehicle.
26. Muffin Pan Cupholder:
If you’re heading out to pick up a large fast-food order, make sure you don’t forget to pack a muffin pan in your basket before you leave. Why? This is because it makes a massive and comparatively more durable holder for soft drinks.
We’ve all had that one fast food cup that we’ve kept in our car for far too long, allowing the contents to seep into the cup holder and ruining the interior of the vehicle. Cup holders in automobiles seem to attract the most disgusting gunk. For this hack, all you need is a set of reusable silicone muffin cups that you can pick up at your local superstore. Simply place them in the cup holders of your vehicle, and you’re done with it.
27. Laundry Basket for Groceries:
Your laundry basket is no longer only for clothes. The home item can be used to make your weekly food haul easier, thanks to some savvy grocery store buyers on social media. Before you leave for the grocery store, place a laundry basket in the trunk of your car. Prepare to go grocery shopping as usual. When you arrive at the checkout counter, ask the cashier to skip the bags and load your purchases directly into your shopping cart. (There will be no paper, no plastic, and no bags at all!)
Another life-saving hack of this hack is that you can fill the basket with bags when you get home, reducing the number of trips back and forth to the car.
28. Kitty Litter:
Even if you don’t have a cat, it’s a good idea to keep some kitty litter in the trunk of your car. Why? As a result of its ability to improve traction on ice and snow during the winter months. According to the theory, the litter, designed to absorb cat urine, will also absorb the moisture in your car, which causes your windshield to fog up.
Fill the sock with kitty litter until it reaches approximately the point where your ankle would begin, and then tie it off tightly at that point. As soon as you have your litter bomb, place it on your dashboard and remember to use it every time you park and exit your vehicle.
29. Command Hooks:
If you require a secure location to store your purse, bag, or mask without your belongings strewn across the floor, simply attach a command hook at floor level. It ensures that everything you need is easily accessible, as well as neat and tidy, at all times.
However, the use of command hooks in your car is not recommended because the adhesiveness of the strips may be compromised or even lost when the temperature rises above 40 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, because vinyl dashboards and door panels contain a high concentration of plasticizers, it is difficult for the strips to adhere firmly to the surface.
30. Q Tinted Plastic Sheet Will Reduce Glare:
We have all experienced the frustration of forgetting our sunglasses while driving west in the evening sun. Especially The Summer, on the other hand, has the effect of making it seem like all of that roiling mass and heat is sitting right outside your car window, baking the interior and dazzling your eyes.
Even though your visor won’t protect you from this vantage point, there is something that will. With static electricity, a simple tinted plastic sheet will adhere to your car window, allowing you to move it wherever you need it, ensuring that the sun will never bother you again.
31. Clean Windshield Wipers:
If you’ve been putting off replacing your windshield wipers, “wet a clean white rag with your favorite glass cleaner and use it to wipe the windows down.” Wipe the wiper blades with the rag all the way up and down the length of the blades. You’ll be able to see the results on the rag, and you’ll be able to see out of your windshield much better when it rains.”
Wipe down your wiper blades with warm, soapy water, and then wipe the edge of the blade with rubbing alcohol to disinfect it. If you’re still having problems with water smearing on your windshield, consider upgrading your wiper fluid.
32. Paper Towels:
When your kids are running from one activity to the next, you may find yourself eating in the car. It isn’t exactly a habit that keeps the automobile clean. Establish guidelines for food and drink as eating will almost certainly occur in the automobile. Any drink other than water was a recipe for catastrophe in the car, as we discovered the hard way. Believe me when I say that milk left in the car has a long-lasting effect.
Attach a stack of paper towels to the roof of your trunk with a little bungee cord to save yourself from all of the disasters mentioned above. You’ll always have paper towels in the trunk, but they won’t roll around or get crushed while you’re driving.
33. DIY Car Mats:
Custom-cut old carpet remnants to fit on the floor as DIY mats to keep the floor under the passenger and backseats clean. You can maintain the car clean this way, and when they get dirty, you can just throw them out. Your new floor mats will have a lovely and sturdy completed edge thanks to do-it-yourself self-adhesive carpet binding tape, and no one will ever know you manufactured them yourself.
You’ll need to measure carefully before you start cutting and constructing new floor mats to ensure they’ll fit. You’ll also need to figure out what size carpet remnant you’ll need and how much carpet binding tape you’ll require.
34. Vinegar on the Windshield:
Fill a spray bottle three-quarters full of vinegar and one-quarter full of water before driving at night to prevent your windshield from icing over. The acid in the vinegar will prevent your car window from freezing if you spray the mixture on it evenly.
Pour three parts vinegar and one part water into a spray bottle and shake it well. Take the mixture outside and liberally spray it on your vehicle’s windshield, side windows, and rear window. After that, use an old rag or a squeegee to wipe down each window. You won’t have any problems if you forget to do this the night before.
