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Tricks for drivers: These lifehacks will get you through the winter well

2019-12-21T11:03:05.424Z


Does cat litter help with misted up windows and is petroleum jelly suitable for frost protection? On the Internet you can find adventurous lifehacks for car care in winter. A chemist and a car expert explain what makes sense.



There are all sorts of tips in online forums about the budget that can be used to maintain your car in winter. This is tempting when there is no product at hand from a specialist dealer. But are such experiments really useful and, above all, safe? We spoke to Thorsten Rechtien, automotive expert at TÜV Rheinland, and Wolfgang Maison, professor of chemistry at the University of Hamburg, about petroleum jelly as frost protection, cat litter against misted windows and toothpaste as a polishing agent for blunt headlights.

Defrost the windscreen

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Vinegar, alcohol, hot water - only two of the three methods are recommended

Tip from the forum:

Morning ice scraping is annoying. There are ways to alleviate the evil. Those who spray a mixture of vinegar and water in a ratio of 3: 1 onto the glass have an easier time, according to various forums. A saline solution is also a success, as is a cocktail made from two parts of alcohol and one part of water. A little more drastic is the tip of pouring hot water onto the front screen.

  • That's what the chemistry professor says: With a mixture of vinegar and water, you can shift the melting point down and thaw the ice. This also works with salt, but then crystals remain and promote corrosion. Also works: A mixture of alcohol and water. As with schnapps in the icebox: Aquavit can be pre-cooled at minus 18 degrees without the bottle bursting. Commercial disc deicers basically do not contain anything else: cheap short-chain alcohols, such as isopropyl alcohol.
  • This is what the automotive expert says: Tipping hot water over the window is a bad idea. The temperature difference is too big. Due to the strong voltage difference, the pane can tear. In addition, the water that runs from the car to the floor forms icy puddles at sub-zero temperatures and becomes a safety risk.

Make dull headlights shine again

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Providing a clear view with toothpaste - is that really possible?

Tip from the forum:

The darker the season, the more important the lighting. However, environmental influences dull the surface of headlights over time. With some toothpaste and a cotton cloth, plastic lights can be used to provide a clear view again, many users recommend.

  • The chemistry professor says: Whether universal paste, cream for sensitive teeth or whitening, all products contain polishing agents. A fine granulate, for example. Conversely, you could also brush your teeth with polish. Of course you shouldn't, because it contains toxic substances.
  • The motor vehicle expert says: Even if the lifehack is successful, headlights are type-approved and must not be modified. The polish changes the surface of the lens. We do not know if it is still good for something or can go straight to the trash.

Better tire grip in winter

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Just let some air out for more traction

Tip from the forum:

Manufacturers recommend increasing the tire pressure minimally to compensate for cold temperatures. Air contracts in the cold and the tire loses pressure. If it has snowed heavily, the tips from the forums tend to go in the opposite direction: let some air out of the tires to increase the contact area and thus increase traction on rough roads.

  • The automotive expert says: Basically, this can only be a short-term solution. A tire has a certain spring effect, rigidity and stability. Drive with a wheelbarrow that has a flat tire. Then you will notice how impassable it is. Basically, you should always follow the manufacturer's recommendations and ensure that tires are adapted to the weather and have enough tread - preferably 4 to 5 millimeters.

Always these fogged windows

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Insider tip cat litter - absorb moisture in a small space

Tip from the forum:

If you get into the car with wet clothes and breathe moist, this is reflected on the cold windows. If you fill a sock with cat litter and put it on the dashboard, you can absorb moisture in a small space, it says in auto forums. Even with a long-term effect: the effect continues until the litter has to be replaced.

  • This is what the automotive expert says: They cannot dump as much cat litter into the car as they carry moisture into the car after a walk in snow and rain. The method is useful, however, if the car is stored for a long time in winter. It's almost like storing a boat in a hall and depositing a dehumidifier in the interior.

So the door opens in any case

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Vaseline prevents car doors from freezing. Or?

Tip from the forum:

The car is ready to go, and then that: the doors cannot be opened. The rubber seals are frozen. If you gain access by force, the sensitive material tears. A reach into the medicine cabinet helps: If you treat seals with petroleum jelly, you reduce the likelihood of standing in front of a closed door - at least that is often read as a tip.

  • That's what the chemistry professor says: Not every rubber can handle this treatment. Vaseline keeps artificially made rubber seals elastic. For natural plastics such as latex, they are rather counterproductive because they reduce stability and make the material brittle.

    Incidentally, this also applies to deer tallow. The exuberant animal fat is used by hikers to avoid blistering their feet over long distances. In any case, do not first use the paste in frost, as it is hard as stone. It takes a warm place to prepare seals.

Source: spiegel

All tech articles on 2019-12-21

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