by Many motorists, finding themselves in difficult situations without the necessary items at hand or damaging their property, come up with ingenious ways that help them get out of trouble or avoid such situations in the future.
To prevent the jack from damaging the body
Often a car jack in inexperienced hands can cause scratches on the car body. This, in turn, leads to faster corrosion. To avoid chips and scratches, place a piece of a plastic bottle between the jack’s lifting platform and the slots for it on the car.
How to inflate a tire without a compressor?
These are risky and not entirely effective methods, but in emergency situations, some drivers use a canister of compressed air for blowing out office equipment. The key is that the substance does not corrode the rubber or freeze. The pressure inside such a canister is just 1.8-2.8 bar.
However, one canister is definitely not enough to inflate a tire from zero, but it can slightly compensate for a small “leak.” 
Another option is to inflate the tire from the exhaust pipe. Here you need to ensure complete sealing of the connections. The engine can provide 2 bar of pressure, but there is a risk of damaging the catalytic converter or the exhaust system’s flex pipe. So, no matter how inventive a driver’s mind may be, it’s best to get a compressor. For example, Belavto Ural 2 will quickly inflate an R16 tire and won’t take up much space in the trunk.
Fog prevention without car chemistry
If you haven’t bought an anti-fogging agent for windows yet or consider it a waste of money, you can try two simpler methods:
- treat the windows with shaving foam – it will provide the same effect as specialized chemicals;
- cool down the interior before leaving to the ambient temperature. This compensates for the temperature difference, so condensation won’t form.
Accelerating the interior’s warming
If you have a manual adjustment for the air intake flaps, this method will suit you.
To warm up the interior faster, set the air intake flaps from the outside to the middle position. Also, thanks to this, the windows will fog up less.
How to protect headlight glasses?
Over time, headlight glass becomes matte due to external influences. To delay this moment, when waxing your car, apply a thin layer to the headlights as well.
A razor against a dirty windshield
After a trip, many insects may stick to the glass, and the wipers can’t handle them? You can use a regular razor to scrape off the dirt. The main task when doing this is not to leave scratches on the glass.
Replacing “anti-rain” with… hair conditioner
Hair conditioner is no less effective against rain streaks than “anti-rain.” It also creates a hydrophobic coating.
Dilute the conditioner with water in a 1:2 ratio and treat the car with the solution after washing. Wait for 7-10 minutes and rinse off the composition with water.
Mat vs. snow trap
If you get stuck in the snow in winter and there’s no one nearby to help push the car or no items to place under the stuck wheel, use a regular car mat. Place the mats face down under the drive wheels and drive out at a low speed. This will provide good traction, and the risk of damaging the mats on the snow is practically zero.
Soda, coffee, and vinegar instead of an air freshener
Not all air fresheners can eliminate strong and unpleasant odors in the interior.
If you want to remove the smell of nicotine from the interior, leave an open container of vinegar in the car overnight. For fresh stains from food or animal waste on the upholstery, sprinkle soda on them and leave for several hours (preferably overnight). Then vacuum the upholstery, and you won’t notice any stains or odors. Brewed and left in a cup, coffee also effectively eliminates unpleasant odors and creates a cozy atmosphere in the interior.
Nail polish against windshield cracks
If a small crack has formed on the windshield, to prevent it from spreading, use clear nail polish. To do this, coat the crack with polish on both sides of the glass.
