The winter can be extremely harsh, especially when it comes to your car. If the cold is causing some delays in your morning routine, use these tips to combat the winter effects on your car.

Winter Hacks for Your Car

The winter can get quite cold, and beyond this simply being uncomfortable, it can also turn into an inconvenience. While you may be able to suit up for the cold before leaving your home, your car doesn't have the same level of protection from the elements. This can lead to quite a bit of issues, but these can be easily prevented with some winter car hacks.

Take Care of Your Windshield

On particularly cold mornings, your windshield can give you some issues. From freezing over to fogging up, you may end up getting quite frustrated with it. Luckily, you can easily remedy these two things with household items. First, if your windshield has a layer of ice on it and you don't have an ice scraper, you still have a fighting chance. Grab an old credit card from your wallet and use this to scrape away some ice. If you don't have any old cards for the job, you can also grab a plastic spatula from your kitchen to remove the ice. Avoid using a metal one because this can scratch your windshield. Never use warm water to melt away the ice because this can actually crack your windshield. If your main issue has to do with your windshield fogging up, then grab some shaving cream from your bathroom. This may sound crazy, but commercial defrosters and shaving cream have some of the same ingredients. Once you have your shaving cream in hand, head out to your car and spread this over the inside of your windshield. Once you've covered every inch, clean it off carefully. This should ensure your windshield stays nice and clear through the winter. Bonus tip: if your car is quite humid, this can lead your windshield to fog up. Remove items like water cups or wet clothes that can increase humidity and lead to fogging. You can also use kitty litter to absorb some of the moisture in your car.

Check Your Tire Tread

Since the winter roads can get quite slick, your tire tread is more important than ever. You may be worried that your tires aren't gripping the road as well as they should, but how can you check? You can start by checking that your tires have plenty of tread left. The easiest way to do this is with a penny. Grab a penny from your change jar and head out to your car. Stick the penny into the spaces between tread to get a reading of how much tread you have left. The penny should go in headfirst and if the top of Lincoln's head is visible, your tire tread is no longer sufficient. If Lincoln's head is still covered by the tread, then you should be fine. If you're worried about your car's engine being damaged by the cold, a synthetic oil change in Austin, TX can help keep it protected. Click here to buy AMSOIL's Signature Series 0W-40 Synthetic Motor Oil and keep your engine protected no longer how cold it gets. The friendly oil experts at AMSOIL Dealer-Carol Bell can help you find a great oil for your car. To learn more about their products or to place an order, give them a call at (512) 658-0357. Check out their online store for more great items or to place your order.

Prevent Freezing

It may sound obvious to say winter is cold, but some people may not realize that it can get so cold outside that parts of their car can freeze. One such part is the keyhole in your car's door. If your car is parked outside overnight, then your keyhole may be frozen solid. If you have to stick your key into the keyhole, you may find out in a very frustrating way that your warm key can get stuck in the frozen keyhole. To ensure your morning doesn't get ruined by this, take the proper precautions. This is very easy to prevent with just a bit of rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. Rub a bit of this on your key before sticking it in the keyhole because the alcohol will help melt the frozen parts.

It's Time for a Synthetic Oil Change in Austin, TX

To ensure this winter is a smooth one, give your car a synthetic oil change in Austin, TX. To find a great oil for your car, contact AMSOIL Dealer-Carol Bell. Give them a call at (512) 658-0357 to learn more or to place an order.