Rachel Malone
aimClear
Winter is here! Ugh. As I was scraping off my windshield,
this morning, with my Walgreen’s Reward Card, I had a brilliant idea for the
next Fuse Duluth blog post: 5 Winter
Hacks for Hacks That Forget How to Do Winter. As a native Minnesotan and a
“seasoned” Duluthian, below are some tips and tricks that I have picked up over
the years.
1. Prevent Icy Windshield with Vinegar
Supplies: Spray
bottle, white vinegar, water, and an old rag
Directions: Mix 3
parts vinegar to one part water, in a small water bottle. Spray your windshield
with the mixture, liberally. Then wipe off your windshield with the old rag.
In the morning, you will have a frost free (or relatively
frost free) windshield! If you’re like me, you hate leaving the comfort of your
home, early in the morning, to start your car. This can shave valuable minutes
off of your morning prep by eliminating the strenuous scraping!
2. Place Beer (or other liquids) Between Inner
and Outer Windows
Supplies: Bent
Paddles’ Cold Press Black Ale in cans
Directions: Place
the cans in between the inner window pane and the outer window/screen. If you
don’t have the old school double window panes, place your beverages in a
cooler, outside.
Free up some room in your refrigerator and let nature work
for you! Downside- once we hit those double-digit-negative temperatures, bring
that beer back inside. Nothing is worse than an exploded beer can in between
two window panes.
3. Old Socks on Your Windshield Wipers
Supplies: Old
socks
Directions: At
night, lift your windshield wipers in their upright position and place old
socks over the wipers.
Another time saver! Never lose the rubber wiper to a frozen
windshield again! Keeping the wipers warm and cozy will ensure a greater scrape
in the morning and reduced risk of breaking the wiper. If only, I would have
thought of this last winter before I lost 3 sets of wipers to my frozen
windshield.
4. Tinfoil Between the Wall and Your
Wall-Mounted Heater
Supplies:
Tin-foil and electrical tape
Directions: Place
a layer of tin-foil, with electrical tape around the edges, on the wall behind
your old school heater.
The tin-foil will reflect the heat back into your
apartment/house and save your valuable heat (and money) from absorbing into the
wall. Anything that can save you money on those wonderful Duluth heating bills!
5. Dry out Boots with Newspaper
Supplies:
wet/soggy boots and old newspaper
Directions:
Instead of placing you wet boots by a heater to dry out, stuff them with
newspaper.
The newspaper will absorb the moisture quicker and more
efficiently than the heat source. You may need to replace the newspaper a few
times but it will help keep those valuable Uggs in pristine condition.
