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Have you ever pulled your car into your garage, opened the car door and accidentally hit the wall? Just like that, the side of your car door has a ding. We’ve all been there, but there’s an inexpensive way to help avoid dents and dings. A pool noodle may be the key to helping protect your car doors, according to Precision Garage Door of Salt Lake.
Watch this video to see how a pool noodle can become a bumper for your car door.
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First, gather these materials:
Use a utility knife or box cutter to cut the pool noodle in half lengthwise. Take care when cutting — do this step on a flat surface such as a workbench or the garage floor. You may also want to consider wearing work gloves while cutting.
Carefully open your car door to determine where it makes contact with the garage wall. Using a pencil, lightly mark the point of contact on the wall. Using that mark as your guide, draw a longer line horizontally across the wall. If desired, you can use a measuring tape to make sure you are extending your line at the correct height or for the length of the pool noodle.
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Cut two strips of mounting tape the length of the pool noodle. Apply these strips of tape to the edges of the noodle. Then, attach the noodle to the wall, horizontally along the line you marked earlier.
Alternatively, The Family Handyman says you could use nails to attach the pool noodle to the wall to really help it stay in place. However, be sure to use the appropriate tools and nails for your garage wall.
Again, carefully open the car door. It should now touch the soft pool noodle instead of the wall. If it doesn’t, remount the noodle at the appropriate height.
No one likes dents in their car, especially when it is from something as simple as opening the door. Use this quick fix to help avoid door dings by mounting a simple pool noodle to your garage wall.
Originally posted on November 16, 2016.
The post Quick Fix: Avoid Door Dings With A Pool Noodle appeared first on The Allstate Blog.
Do your car windows need a good cleaning? There may be a simple solution in your cabinets. According to Reader’s Digest, a mixture of vinegar, ammonia and cornstarch can help you get sparkling car windows without leaving streaks.
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Start by gathering the ingredients you need to make the glass cleaning solution:
You’ll also need a clean bucket to use while you’re mixing the solution. When the cleaner is ready, you’ll need a spray bottle and clean cloth, such as a microfiber towel, to use while cleaning.
Follow these steps to get clean windows without pesky streaks.
In a bucket, combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with ½ cup ammonia, ½ cup white vinegar and 3 to 4 quarts of warm water. Mix the ingredients together — Reader’s Digest says it’s normal for it to look milky.
Pour the finished mixture into an empty spray bottle. Then, spray the solution onto your car window.
Wipe the window with warm water to rinse off the solution and loosened dirt. Then, use a lint-free cloth or paper towel to dry the window.
Repeat this process for each window on your vehicle.
For best results, consider these window-cleaning tips from Angie’s List:
Making sure your car windows are clean not only helps your car to look it’s best, but can also help improve visibility while you’re driving. With this homemade glass cleaner and a little effort, you’ll have a clearer view of the road ahead.
Originally published on October 2, 2017.
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The post How to Clean Your Car Windows Without Getting Streaks appeared first on The Allstate Blog.
During those cold winter months, you may often find your windshield covered in frost. Maybe you let the car run with the defrost on, or you get out an ice scraper to clear your windshield. But, Meteorologist Ken Weathers has a tip that may help you clear up the frost quickly and with less effort.
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Put on rubber gloves, then mix two parts rubbing alcohol with one part water. (Do not use hot water, Weathers says, because it may crack your windshield. Room temperature or cold water is fine. Isopropyl alcohol can be used instead of rubbing alcohol, too.)
Pour the mixture into an empty spray bottle.
Spray the mixture onto your windshield, and watch the frost clear up.
You can even leave the spray bottle with the mixture in your car, because rubbing alcohol has a freezing point of 128 degrees below zero (in Fahrenheit), says Weathers.
As the temperatures drop, be ready for frosty days by having this simple defrosting spray at hand. By spending a few minutes to make this mixture, this quick fix can help you get on the road a little quicker.
Originally published on January 4, 2017.
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When dealing with the frigid temperatures of winter, there’s not much worse than coming out to your car to find the doors frozen shut. According to Lifehacker, car doors can freeze because water from rain or snow gets into the rubber seal, or gasket, around the door and then freezes when the temperatures drop. Fortunately, there is a simple trick that may help prevent this from happening, using nothing but ordinary household cooking spray.
Apply the spray to the door’s rubber seal weekly during the coldest winter months, or as needed before expected icy, frigid storms, says Brian L. Gochenour, laser operations manager and sales engineer at Broadway Metal Works.
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Any ordinary cooking spray should work.
Open your car door, and look for the rubber gasket all around its edge. Spray the rubber on the top, side and bottom of the door with the cooking spray.
Take a dry paper towel and gently rub the rubber seal to get rid of drips and excess spray.
Apply the cooking spray to each door on your car. This should help prevent the doors from freezing shut, and you’ll be able to get into your vehicle with ease in the cold weather.
Originally published on November 15, 2016.
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The post Help Prevent Car Doors From Freezing With Cooking Spray appeared first on The Allstate Blog.
If you like to enjoy a morning cup of coffee in the car as you drive to work, start your errands or drop the kids off at school, you’re not alone. But, because we’re all human, this multitasking can sometimes lead to coffee spills on the carpets.
Don’t worry! This step-by-step guide can help you clean those stains right up. But, as Autoblog.com indicates, the method varies based on whether you drink your coffee with milk or not.
Note: Do not attempt to clean up any spills while driving. Wait until you have stopped your car to perform the steps below.
Soak up as much of the spill as possible, as soon as possible, using a towel and pressure from the palm of your hand or fist. This may help keep the spill from spreading, says Autoblog.com
If your coffee was black, or contained no milk, Autoblog.com suggests mixing a solution of 1/3 white vinegar to 2/3 water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture onto the stain and blot again with a clean towel.
If you drink your coffee with milk, you’ll need to complete an extra step in this process. Prior to applying the vinegar mixture to the stain, you should first use a spray bottle to apply a mixture of a teaspoon of enzyme detergent and a cup of water, says Autoblog.com. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, using a towel, blot up the spot and use a light brush agitation if needed. This extra step helps to break up the protein stain from the milk, according to the site.
Let the vinegar mixture soak for a few minutes.
Lightly rinse with cold water.
Using a new towel, blot the area again until it is dry.
Originally published on July 7, 2016.
The post Quick Fix: Clean Coffee Stains Out of Your Car Mats appeared first on The Allstate Blog.
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