Three Ways To Easily Remove Snow and Ice From Your Vehicle

On Tuesday, Sioux Falls and Southeast South Dakota got its first measurable snowfall for Fall 2020.

For people like me and my wife who live in an apartment, removing snow from sidewalks and driveways isn't something we think about. That's why we pay rent. But if we park outside, then it's on us to remove snow and ice from the cars.

Everyone's favorite home rebuilding guy, Bob Villa has a list of 10 snow and ice removal tips. I'll adapt three of these to removing snow and ice from your car.

1. If you know that snow is coming, Villa says put a painting drop cloth, a blue roof tarp, or a fitted car cover over your vehicle. Use your snow brush to remove the bulk of the snow and pull off the tarp. This way you won't have snow stuck in every gap and vent on the car. Be careful to not scratch your car's paint.

2. If you think that a leaf blower is a one-season tool, think again. Use it to blow the snow away. It helps if the snow is dry and fluffy. I've heard of people using a leaf blower to dry their car after washing it, why not use it to blow off the snow?

3. Tired of finding hard frost on your windshield in the morning? Villa says you can prevent that by rubbing an old sock filled with table salt firmly over the entire glass surface before the frost forms. Villa recommends only using this trick sparingly as repeated use can damage the glass. If ice or frost that has already formed on the glass, try spraying rubbing alcohol directly on the ice, give it a few seconds to soften up the ice, then use a scraper to easily remove it.

Bonus suggestion. To avoid all this, park in a garage if you can!

Check out Bob Villa's complete list here.