A winter tip from my dad
By Faye
@FayeHazel (40243)
United States
December 6, 2021 11:09am CST
Living in a part of the world that tends to get a lot of snow and cold comes with challenges. Happily there are work around that make life easier at times. This one comes from my dad. I think most people are familiar with the "car brush" for snow and ice. The preferred device for removing snow off of your car. But, in Minnesota, if you don't have a garage to park in this gets tedious. Whisk whisk whisk. run around so that you get both sides of the car.
Well enter dad's trick. You don't want one of those little brushes that is probably good if you're in California or some other place where it's summer year round.
What you want is a shop broom like one of the ones pictured. Now, this gets a little cumbersome, so you'll probably want one where the head of the broom screws into the handle, so that you can at least take that apart. Then it's easy enough to store in your trunk. Anyway,a few pushes with the broom and you're done, with no jogging around your car even.
Though you'll want to keep the California brush for it's ice removing qualities.
Do you have any handy hints?
Photo: Pixabay
14 people like this
13 responses
@FourWalls (68120)
• United States
6 Dec 21
My handiest hint for handling winter weather is to go to Florida when it starts snowing. 
Since that isn’t feasible, the one thing I’ve done for ages and eons is to keep a blanket in the car. (In my case, I have a mummy sleeping bag rated at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.). It came in handy once: I came across a car that had slid off the road once (long time ago). I checked on the driver and gave her my blanket while we waited for the ambulance to arrive. 
Since that isn’t feasible, the one thing I’ve done for ages and eons is to keep a blanket in the car. (In my case, I have a mummy sleeping bag rated at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.). It came in handy once: I came across a car that had slid off the road once (long time ago). I checked on the driver and gave her my blanket while we waited for the ambulance to arrive. 3 people like this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
7 Dec 21
I like your idea the best. Not feasible for me, either though alas! lol. That is a very good and useful top. Thank goodness you were there for that woman
2 people like this
@nela13 (58667)
• Portugal
7 Dec 21
@FayeHazel my kids are always expecting for snow but so far only if we travel we can see it.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
9 Dec 21
@nela13 Ha ha! Oh that's funny. But it is fun when you're a kid. There's snow angels , snow ball fights, snow forts, sledding.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
7 Dec 21
Oh nice! I would like to not remember it snowing in a long time lol
2 people like this
@much2say (55669)
• Los Angeles, California
6 Dec 21
Yep - in this part of CA we don't have to deal with snow or ice, but sometimes we do have a thick frost on the windshield/windows. Well one tip on what NOT to do is pour hot water on a cold windshield . . . my CA friend found out WHY the hard way 
.
.2 people like this
@much2say (55669)
• Los Angeles, California
11 Dec 21
@FayeHazel I guess that's why folks like us are so fascinated by snow . . . we "go" to see snow somewhere but it's never in our own yard! I think we do have a broom like the one you have pictured . . . so we'll be ready if it ever comes 
.
.1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
15 Dec 21
@much2say Ha ha, that's funny. It can be sort of pretty. I guess. lol. Makes everything bright. But is cold, wet, messy to deal with ha ha
@RebeccasFarm (89870)
• Arvada, Colorado
6 Dec 21
This is such a good top RIP your dear Dad Faye xo
I also use the broom out here for snow on the patio..it is much easier than shoveling
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
7 Dec 21
Thanks! I feel so mixed. He could be wonderful at times.
Smart , I may have to keep a broom at momma's place for the back deck. You're right, much easier
2 people like this
@crobyghost (178)
• United States
7 Dec 21
i use a wide yard broom on a front porch it works a treat and brissles are hard enough to move the snow that sticks on the wood
3 people like this
@Ronrybs (19363)
• London, England
8 Dec 21
@FayeHazel Not shabby. I walk most places or use a bike for longer or heavier loaded trips. Long journeys are by train, so I can read and drink tea as I go along!
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
7 Dec 21
lol! Is the public transport pretty good there?
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
9 Dec 21
@Ronrybs wow! Train! That's right, you have far better rail travel than us. Can you take a picture from the train?
1 person likes this
@crobyghost (178)
• United States
6 Dec 21
I also live in Minnesota , and a tip I have is keeping a tarpolin on the car in the winter (make sure its plastic and not the stuff umbrellas are made of) a large one that covers from hood to trunk then weight it down with a brick or a stone on the hood (this prevents the snow from getting under the tarpolin)
This also stops the windows from freezing up and its a matter of a couple of shakes of the tarpolin and you have a snow free car.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
7 Dec 21
Oh that's a good idea! BTW hi and welcome fellow Minnesotan! Do you weight it on the trunk end too ? to keep it on incase it's windy?
1 person likes this
@crobyghost (178)
• United States
7 Dec 21
@FayeHazel not exactly , i usually open the trunk and tuck the extra inside so it stays tort with the body of the car, you can also open the hood and tuck inside the hood too.
2 people like this
@xander6464 (44250)
• Wapello, Iowa
6 Dec 21
That is a good tip. I like using a flame thrower to remove ice and snow but it's not for everyone because it can be a little hard on the car's finish. And you have to be careful around the gas tank.
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (44250)
• Wapello, Iowa
7 Dec 21
@FayeHazel It can be a lot of fun. Sometimes, you'll make the car explode or melt the windshield or ruin the finish but it's worth it.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
9 Dec 21
@xander6464 Well, I probably wouldn't do it to my car then, but I can think of a few people who DESERVE having their car melted off with flamethrower
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41447)
• United States
6 Dec 21
We don't usually get much snow or ice (now watch, we'll probably have five blizzards since I said that!), but the broom idea is a great one.
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
7 Dec 21
Ha ha! Well I hope you don't get any blizzards but that is how it seems to go. Ah yes, big broom makes it so much easier
1 person likes this
@Courtlynn (67083)
• United States
6 Dec 21
We've used brooms before. It's very helpful
2 people like this
@Courtlynn (67083)
• United States
8 Dec 21
@FayeHazel definitely. Tiring though.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40243)
• United States
7 Dec 21
Thanks! That is a stock photo, but mine is similar
1 person likes this
