With winter weather can come the dangers of snow and ice. When going out is unavoidable, these tips and tricks may come in handy.

A Quick Escape

If you find your car stuck in snow or ice one solution could be using the mats in your car. Simply turn the mats carpet-side down and place them in front of the drive wheels (depending on if your car is forward or rear-wheel drive). Placing the mats as far under the wheels as possible should help you gain traction and quickly get back on the road. Others also recommend using kitty litter to free your car from being stuck in snow or ice. Spread the kitty litter in front of and behind all four tires. This should help get your car out of this tough situation.

Out-of-the-Box Solutions

Have left over shingles laying around in your garage. Some users recommend using them as a solution to freeing your car from snow and ice. Place the shingles under the drive wheels and they should help your tires gain traction to get moving.

Keep it Dry

For those looking for tricks to keep your feet dry in the snow and ice, look no further than your plastic grocery bags. The go-to solution for many users is to tie a few plastic grocery bags over their shoes when they are venturing out in the snow to keep their feet from getting wet. For those who want to maintain their traction or will be outside for an extended amount of time, an alternative suggestion is to wrap your feet in the plastic bags after you have put your socks on, but before donning your shoes. This adds a waterproof layer between your socks and shoes that allows your feet to stay dry even if your shoes aren't.

Melt It

There are many tricks that we saw around the web for deicing windshields, stairs and walkways. Below are a few we considered trying.

Out-of-the-Box Solutions

One of the most untraditional tips we found included using salty liquids like pickle juice as a spray-on deicer. Others recommended using water softener from your local home repair store. It was said to be a cheaper alternative to rock salt that was just as effective at deicing walkways because of its high salt content.

Salt

If you find yourself in a pinch, many recommend grabbing your standard table salt. Table salt is a great temporary deicer, when used in moderation. To combat a hard frost from developing on your windshield overnight, some recommend rubbing a sock or soft fabric filled with table salt on your windows. Be careful how often you use this trick because overuse can cause damage to the surfaces you are deicing. Using rock salt instead of table salt is also a less expensive alternative.

A Tip for Spreading Salt

Some users suggest using a grass seed spreader to help evenly and efficiently distribute salt on concrete walkways. They also noted that it helps them to use less salt.

For a liquid deicer that includes table salt combine 1/4 cup of table salt and a quart of water, then heat it until the salt is completely dissolved. When poured over icy steps or walkways, this mixture is known to be an effective deicer. Not only is it said to immediately melt ice, but it also should prevent any re-freezing. Applying this layer of salt water should keep your walkway and stairs ice-free for multiple days.

Alcohol

One of the most popular deicer tips we found was using alcohol. Although some recommended using any clear alcohol, most suggested rubbing alcohol. Simply grab your standard rubbing alcohol from your medicine cabinet and thoroughly spray your icy windows. Then dry them with a towel and the ice should be gone. As an added bonus, users say this will also prevent your windows from fogging and leave them with a nice shine.

Simple Deicer

The simplest deicer recipe we ran across consisted of just pouring lukewarm water on your walkways, steps or car windows and door locks. Depending on the amount of ice on your surfaces, it was recommend to repeat a process of pouring lukewarm water over the icy area and removing any runoff immediately with a squeegee to prevent the creation of more ice. It was noted that water that was too warm could damage the surface.

Keep it Covered

To prevent ice or snow from accumulating on your car, steps or walkways, users recommend covering the surfaces with fabric or cardboard. Before the winter weather comes, lay down a tarp, cloth, towel or cardboard over the area you’d like to protect. When you’re ready to, simply remove the cloth, tarp or cardboard and be on your way. Your surface should be snow and ice free.

Watch Your Step

To increase traction on icy walkways, some users repurpose coffee grounds. Simply spread the coffee grounds on the icy walkways and they should help prevent you from slipping and sliding. Another popular solution for traction is spreading kitty litter on the ground. Many mention keeping a container of kitty litter in their trunk to be ready to combat any slick spots they encounter.

Out-of-the-Box Solutions

Some users skipped the commonly used products to increase traction and instead grabbed sand, birdseed, or wood ashes. Many who have tried them say that they are just as effective.

Red Devil's Recommendation: The SLAMSCRAPER® Impact Tool

If you’re like us then you are not a fan of ice covered walkways. One quick fix to clear your path is using the SLAMSCRAPER® Impact Tool. This tool quickly became a crowd favorite for helping our users to conserve their energy and spend less time while remove ice from their driveways and sidewalks. The sturdy impact handle creates a chisel effect that helps to multiply the force used without wearing out the user. Pros and homeowners also use this tool to quickly and easily remove tile, linoleum, carpet, roofing and other adhesive coverings.

Click here to see the SLAMSCRAPER® Impact Tool in action.