14 hacks for your car that work!
1. Got a hole in your fuel tank? Use toffee as a temporary fix.
It pays to have a few toffees in the car on the off chance your fuel tank springs a leak. For a temporary fix before seeing your local mechanic, chew the toffee until it sticks to your teeth. When this happens chew it further to flatten it out. With a rag wipe the area around the leak until it is as dry as possible and then apply the toffee.
2. Need to clean cloudy headlights? Use Toothpaste.
Yes it's true, toothpaste (especially whitening) can clean foggy headlights. For this one you'll definitely need to bring your elbow grease. Apply toothpaste to the plastic lens cover with a cloth and thoroughly rub it in all over the lens. Then rinse off completely with clean water and dry. For further protection use a furniture polish or car wax with UV protection.
3. No cup holder? No problem, use a shoe!
If your car is from the dark ages you may not have the luxury of using inbuilt cup holders. To that I say NAY! Why not use one of your sneakers? By the gear shift or on the seat it will work perfectly giving your drink more stability. Thirst = quenched.
4. Can't get your registration sticker off? Use wet newspaper.
Out-of-date registration stickers are very irritating! Sometimes they can feel like they've been set in the glass when trying to take them off. But no need to worry; some wet newspaper will do the trick. Use warm water and place the newspaper over the sticker for 10 minutes. This lets the warm water penetrate the sticker and will almost fall off into your hands.
5. Rip your fingers to shreds trying to put a key on a key ring? Use a staple remover.
Do you find it hard to get keys on a key ring or do they tear up your fingers and finger nails? Then it's time to upgrade to the ultimate in key ring helping technology, a staple remover. Put the teeth of the staple remover in between the two rings, then press down and watch them separate.
6. Picked up pizza for dinner? Use your seat warmer to keep it hot.
This one is pretty self-explanatory… Do you have the luxury of using a seat warmer in your car? Well good for you! If you're ever picking up pizza turn the seat warmer on for the drive home. The result, no were cold pizza.
7. Bang your doors in the garage wall? Use half a pool noodle.
This is a cheap and effective way to stop having to worry about how close your door is to the garage wall when getting in and out of your car. Cut the tube in half and either glue, nail or bolt the tube at the specific height your door meets the wall.
8. No paint for small chips and scratches? Use the closest nail polish.
Park a little too close to the car next to you and while you were at the supermarket they left a little present for you? We can't fix poor judgement in a few minutes but we can fix that scratch with nail polish. Of course it needs to be as close as possible to your car's colour. This may be the only option if you're unable to obtain or don't own the particular colour from the manufacturer.
9. Hang a tennis ball at the back of your garage roof as a parking guide.
If you have trouble gauging the distance between the front or back of your car and the garage wall when parking then this is for you. You'll need two screw hooks, string or yarn and a tennis ball. To start have your vehicle parked in the right position. Then, using a ladder and the string, measure the distance between the roof and the middle of your windscreen, add an extra foot (for knot tying) then cut. Once this is done you can put together the guide by screwing the first hook into the tennis ball and the other into your roof directly above the middle of your windscreen and then tie the string to each hook.
The tennis ball should sit nicely in the middle of your windscreen. If it doesn't, untie one of the knots and adjust the height using the additional length.
10. Use a plunger to remove small dents.
This hack is fairly self-explanatory. If you have a small dent on one of your car panels you can use a plunger to try and get it out. When pulled back the suction of the plunger also pulls the dented part of the panel forward and back into place.
11. No cleaning products in site? Use a razor blade to clean your windscreen.
Many of us don't have the luxury of a living close to a petrol station. So we don't have close access to a squeegee bin and water for cleaning your windscreen. Most of the time it won't be too clean anyway so you're probably better off putting this hack into action. A simple but useful tool, a razor blade can do the job effortlessly. Keep one stashed away in your glovebox and use it to scrape off any dirt or bugs that try to go through your windscreen. Plus you never know, it may come in handy for other situations.
12. Use a sticky pad on your dashboard to keep your gadgets in one place.
Sticky mats are a great tool for keeping your gadgets in one place on your dashboard. No more phones flying around the car when going around corners! The sticky mat is also perfect if you're unable to mount your GPS to the windscreen.
13. Replace broken fan belt with pantyhose
First let's start off by saying that if your fan belt is broken, we recommend you call your nearest service centre to see if your car can be towed to their workshop. But if you're in a situation where calling your nearest workshop is not an option (and willing to take the risk) then you can replace a broken fan belt with stockings for a temporary fix. This may be more difficult in newer cars with numerous other components in the way but it has been done.
14. Boost the range of your car remote by holding it to your head.
Does your car remote lack the range needed for it to actually be useful? One way to increase the range of the remote is to hold it underneath your chin. I know it sounds crazy but it actually works and should add a few car lengths to the remote's capable distance.
STAFF REPORTER
It pays to have a few toffees in the car on the off chance your fuel tank springs a leak. For a temporary fix before seeing your local mechanic, chew the toffee until it sticks to your teeth. When this happens chew it further to flatten it out. With a rag wipe the area around the leak until it is as dry as possible and then apply the toffee.
2. Need to clean cloudy headlights? Use Toothpaste.
Yes it's true, toothpaste (especially whitening) can clean foggy headlights. For this one you'll definitely need to bring your elbow grease. Apply toothpaste to the plastic lens cover with a cloth and thoroughly rub it in all over the lens. Then rinse off completely with clean water and dry. For further protection use a furniture polish or car wax with UV protection.
3. No cup holder? No problem, use a shoe!
If your car is from the dark ages you may not have the luxury of using inbuilt cup holders. To that I say NAY! Why not use one of your sneakers? By the gear shift or on the seat it will work perfectly giving your drink more stability. Thirst = quenched.
4. Can't get your registration sticker off? Use wet newspaper.
Out-of-date registration stickers are very irritating! Sometimes they can feel like they've been set in the glass when trying to take them off. But no need to worry; some wet newspaper will do the trick. Use warm water and place the newspaper over the sticker for 10 minutes. This lets the warm water penetrate the sticker and will almost fall off into your hands.
5. Rip your fingers to shreds trying to put a key on a key ring? Use a staple remover.
Do you find it hard to get keys on a key ring or do they tear up your fingers and finger nails? Then it's time to upgrade to the ultimate in key ring helping technology, a staple remover. Put the teeth of the staple remover in between the two rings, then press down and watch them separate.
6. Picked up pizza for dinner? Use your seat warmer to keep it hot.
This one is pretty self-explanatory… Do you have the luxury of using a seat warmer in your car? Well good for you! If you're ever picking up pizza turn the seat warmer on for the drive home. The result, no were cold pizza.
7. Bang your doors in the garage wall? Use half a pool noodle.
This is a cheap and effective way to stop having to worry about how close your door is to the garage wall when getting in and out of your car. Cut the tube in half and either glue, nail or bolt the tube at the specific height your door meets the wall.
8. No paint for small chips and scratches? Use the closest nail polish.
Park a little too close to the car next to you and while you were at the supermarket they left a little present for you? We can't fix poor judgement in a few minutes but we can fix that scratch with nail polish. Of course it needs to be as close as possible to your car's colour. This may be the only option if you're unable to obtain or don't own the particular colour from the manufacturer.
9. Hang a tennis ball at the back of your garage roof as a parking guide.
If you have trouble gauging the distance between the front or back of your car and the garage wall when parking then this is for you. You'll need two screw hooks, string or yarn and a tennis ball. To start have your vehicle parked in the right position. Then, using a ladder and the string, measure the distance between the roof and the middle of your windscreen, add an extra foot (for knot tying) then cut. Once this is done you can put together the guide by screwing the first hook into the tennis ball and the other into your roof directly above the middle of your windscreen and then tie the string to each hook.
The tennis ball should sit nicely in the middle of your windscreen. If it doesn't, untie one of the knots and adjust the height using the additional length.
10. Use a plunger to remove small dents.
This hack is fairly self-explanatory. If you have a small dent on one of your car panels you can use a plunger to try and get it out. When pulled back the suction of the plunger also pulls the dented part of the panel forward and back into place.
11. No cleaning products in site? Use a razor blade to clean your windscreen.
Many of us don't have the luxury of a living close to a petrol station. So we don't have close access to a squeegee bin and water for cleaning your windscreen. Most of the time it won't be too clean anyway so you're probably better off putting this hack into action. A simple but useful tool, a razor blade can do the job effortlessly. Keep one stashed away in your glovebox and use it to scrape off any dirt or bugs that try to go through your windscreen. Plus you never know, it may come in handy for other situations.
12. Use a sticky pad on your dashboard to keep your gadgets in one place.
Sticky mats are a great tool for keeping your gadgets in one place on your dashboard. No more phones flying around the car when going around corners! The sticky mat is also perfect if you're unable to mount your GPS to the windscreen.
13. Replace broken fan belt with pantyhose
First let's start off by saying that if your fan belt is broken, we recommend you call your nearest service centre to see if your car can be towed to their workshop. But if you're in a situation where calling your nearest workshop is not an option (and willing to take the risk) then you can replace a broken fan belt with stockings for a temporary fix. This may be more difficult in newer cars with numerous other components in the way but it has been done.
14. Boost the range of your car remote by holding it to your head.
Does your car remote lack the range needed for it to actually be useful? One way to increase the range of the remote is to hold it underneath your chin. I know it sounds crazy but it actually works and should add a few car lengths to the remote's capable distance.
STAFF REPORTER
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