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THE owner of a hardware store has revealed the two items you must keep in your car during the snowy winter months.
Both can double as time-saving hacks for dealing with irritating issues on chilly mornings.
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Winter has announced its arrival with powerful snow storms and freezing conditions across the nation.
Forecasts from the National Weather Service suggest that the mercury could dip as low as 4F in parts of Michigan overnight, with much of the far north seeing lows in the single figures.
This presents a unique set of challenges for drivers as snow and ice blanket roads.
Indeed, just this week in Grand Rapids, MI, officials blamed a pileup along I-94 on the treacherous weather conditions.
Motorists can expect plenty more delays and jams as the weather becomes more severe over the festive period.
Fortunately, Grand Rapids resident Bill DeJong has drawn on his many years of snow driving experience to recommend a pair of tricks to beat the conditions.
Bill, who owns a hardware store in the city, explained how two household essentials could make all the difference in a wintry traffic jam.
He told Fox 17: “One of the things I was just thinking of would be windshield washer solvent.
“Because you get ice on your window, and frost.
“That’ll help clear the frost off.”
Most washer fluid contains a proportion of antifreeze, which will help stop your view from being obscured as you sit in traffic.
Make sure your fluid is regularly topped up during winter and keep some spare in the trunk just in case.
And for a homemade solution, you can also use a mix of rubbing alcohol and a little water in a spray bottle.
Both of these work by mixing with the moisture on the windshield and lowering its freezing point and prevent the frost.
The second item Bill urged drivers to keep in mind is, unusually, kitty litter.
And no, it’s not there in case you get caught short on the road – it’s actually another useful way to keep good visibility.
Cat litter is designed to absorb water and it doesn’t make any distinction on how clean that water is.
Empty a bit of litter into a sock, tie off the end and place it on your dashboard.
It will absorb much of the moisture on the inside of the windshield, helping to prevent it from misting up.
Even better, both of Bill’s tricks aren’t just reserved for traffic jams.
They can be used just as effectively to clear your view before you head to work on a chilly morning.
