Car hacks that will change your life

Make driving easier with these car hacks: use your boot as a cup holder, put a stocking on your windshield wiper, and stop the doorbell from ringing with pool noodles.

If you are one of those people who find ingenious solutions to everyday problems, you are probably the envy of all your friends. Why didn't I think about it? it's a phrase you hear a lot. If you can come up with car fixes using everyday products, consider yourself a car hacker (that's an endearing expression, by the way).

Here are some ways to use everyday items to make your car trip more enjoyable or maybe save your life:

V-belts

If your car's V-belt breaks, you won't get far. The V-belt connects the vehicle's pulleys to other components such as the alternator, hydraulic pump, power steering, air conditioner, fan, and water pump. In other words, the V-belt is really important.

Sometimes they click. However, if you have a woman's stocking on hand, you can use it as a temporary solution.

Remove the broken V-belt (you may have to cut it or use a socket wrench to loosen a few bolts) and tie the stocking around the pulleys as tight as possible. After wrapping the stocking around the pulleys, tie the two ends in a very tight knot. This quick fix might get you to the nearest gas station or auto parts store, but don't expect this fix to last many miles.

Wiper blade falls off

The faithful stocking comes to the rescue again. If one of your wiper blades falls off and you need to clean your windshield, the bare metal will scratch the windshield to hell. To fix this, wrap the stocking around the wiper that is missing the blade. The stocking will protect your windshield from scratches and keep your window clean.

Trunks

An otherwise immaculate car can have a horribly disorganized trunk. Sports equipment, baby equipment, bags of things that you were going to take to a recycling center can make your trunk look like a teenager's room. There's a quick way to tidy up your trunk - buy two or three laundry baskets and put things that go together in one basket. For example, put everything related to sports in one basket, children's things in another, and so on. Before you know it, your trunk will be organized. And if you're lucky, you might even find what you're looking for.

Your key fob is out of range

Let's say you're in a parking lot and you're not sure if you've locked your car. You try to use the key fob, but it turns out that you are out of range. You have two options. You can walk all the way to your car to make sure it's locked. Or you can hold the keychain under your chin to increase its reach. Sounds completely ridiculous, right?

Tim Pozar, a Silicon Valley engineer, told the New York Times that the fluid in your head acts as a conductor. He says that by placing the key fob under the chin, the range can be increased by several vehicle lengths. Don't argue with Silicon Valley engineers. They know secret things.

cup holders

Late model cars usually come with double cup holders in the front seats. However, if you're driving an older car, you're probably out of luck. If you're driving in an old car, the bottle of water you drink is either sitting between your legs or rolling around in the passenger seat. What should the owner do?

Try putting tennis shoes between the seats. You may need to secure it with a rag or two to keep it from slipping, but it will work. If the thought of using stinky athletic shoes as a cup holder disgusts you, go to a boat shop and buy a cup holder that you can hook onto your door.

clear the headlights

After a few years on the road, your headlights will begin to fog up and turn yellow. If not replace the whole light, what can you do? Use some toothpaste (on a brush or rag) and clean the light. You will most likely have to work on the headlights a bit, but the end result will be a clean and clear headlight.

Annoying Stickers

If you have stickers stuck to your window, they can be very difficult to remove. Take a newspaper (remember those?) dipped in warm water, place it on the sticker for 10-15 minutes, and the sticker should come off easily.

Heated seats

The main purpose of seat heaters is to keep your butt warm when it's cold outside. Heated seats are also a good way to warm up pizza (or any other takeaway food) while you drive home.

Use your noodles to secure your door

Garages can be tight, especially if you're trying to fit two cars into a small space. At some point, you will slam your car door against the wall. The resulting damage may or may not be significant, but why take the risk? Buy a couple of Styrofoam noodles that kids use when they learn to swim and stick them (the noodles, not the kids) on the garage wall where your car door rests. If you accidentally open the door too hard, no problem, you'll get caught in the foam.

Hand sanitizer can defrost door locks

When it's cold outside, everything can freeze. If you find that the door locks are frozen, apply hand sanitizer to the lock. The alcohol in the hand wash will melt the ice.

Cracks in the windshield

At some point in your driving career, you will likely encounter a cracked windshield. If you're away from home or can't get to a repair shop quickly, use clear nail polish on both the inside and outside of the glass to prevent further cracking.

Coffee filters and EVOO

Want to restore the shine to your dashboard? Take an unused coffee filter and add some olive oil. Wipe down the dashboard with a coffee filter to freshen up the interior. If you don't like putting olive oil on your dashboard, you can wipe it down with a coffee filter or an oil-free cloth. However, try to avoid drying wipes as they contain harsh chemicals.

Cars aren't perfect. After you buy a particular model, you'll probably say, "I wish this car came with...". There is no reason for the buyer's remorse. With a little ingenuity and the ability to think outside the box, you can solve almost any problem.

Some problems, like making a makeshift cup holder or using a seat heater to keep pizza warm, won't change your life. But knowing how to use a stocking to replace a broken V-belt can save it, and you'll be known as a car hacker among your friends.