Concerning winter driving there are things that everybody is familiar with, such as having a can of de-icer, a spare pair of gloves in the glove box, and so on.

These are some tips that you wouldn’t ordinarily think about, but work great.

Small plastic spray bottle of windshield washer fluid

There are going to be instances where you have to clean something in your car. Most people carry around a spray bottle of glass cleaner (and if you don’t, you should). In winter this can be a problem because it can freeze.

Windshield washer fluid does not freeze. You can buy yourself a small fine-mist bottle, fill it with washer fluid and you’ve got yourself some cleaning solution when you need it, and know it will work.

This is the kind of spray bottle I’m referring to:

This is the perfect choice because it’s small, has a plastic cap to prevent leaking and can fit in the glove box easily.

If you can’t find a small fine-mist spray bottle, use an old cologne/perfume bottle that has the mist nozzle, or buy a "new car scent" bottle you can empty, clean out thoroughly and put the washer fluid into.

Very important notes: Winter washer cleaning solution is very strong stuff. It uses a 1:1 dilution factor while summer solution ordinarily uses 1:10. It is suggested you water it down significantly. You only want enough in the spray bottle so it does not freeze. A 5% solution/95% water is the best way to do it. Also bear in mind this should not be used on touchscreen devices. But for quick cleanups such as the dashboard and your cell phone’s screen (assuming it’s not a touchscreen) is fine. Remember: Don’t directly spray on the surface you’re going to clean. Spray to towel first, then wash.

It also goes without saying that this stuff works best on glass, as that is its intended purpose.

Stainless steel outdoor thermal mug

The absolute best mug for winter driving is the outdoor stainless steel thermal mug. These are not ordinarily sold in the auto section of your local department store but rather the camping area.

These things are built rugged, can withstand even the coldest of temperatures, will not warp and most importantly stay put in the cup holder.

A true testament to how good these mugs are is this:

Fill up your existing mug with coffee, then go into your car and turn it completely upside down to see if it leaks or spills all over the place. Do you have enough confidence in your mug to do that? Are you brave enough? Probably not.

If you had a stainless steel camping mug, you could do that and not worry about it. Not that you would, but you could.

Craftsman tool bag

For tools? No. It’s for everything else.

The reason a Craftsman tool bag is a must-have in the car is because it is unbelievably rugged (while staying light) and has pockets everywhere on it, both inside and outside. This bag can hold your cell phone(s), GPS device, cleaning solutions, towels, car chargers/adapters, etc. while keeping them all protected and separated from each other. It is the Swiss Army knife of bags.

For winter driving in particular you will thank your lucky stars after you get one of these. It’s better than the glove box and you can easily store it behind the seat or the passenger-side footwell.

Several types of bags are available. See them here. 17 pockets not enough for you? Don’t worry, they have 21-pocket models also.

Where to get one locally (in the US)? Sears, of course.

Doormat as floor mat

(Even for you sensitive readers out there, you’ve got to admit that the image here is the best doormat ever. Feel free to buy one if you like it.)

In the winter, the inside of your car will get wrecked on an almost daily basis. You will be tracking in water and mud just about every time you get in the car.

Buying a pair of cheap floor mats is a waste of money because all you care about is the driver’s side. In this instance, use a doormat. Remember, nobody cares what the inside of your car looks like in the winter.

The doormat is cheaper than a set of floor mats and actually works better. It will catch more of the dirt/mud/etc. you bring in, can be shaken out easily, stays put and if it doesn’t fit correctly, cut to size. And when the winter is over, clean the mat and and put in the trunk.

Polish cloths as electronic "wraps"

It’s often the situation where you have some kind of portable electronic device but do not have a case for it. You need a cloth that’s on the smaller side and can serve as a small protector "blanket" of sorts, and be able to perform quick cleanups when needed. Polish cloths fit the bill nicely in this respect.

Polish cloths do not scratch anything nor to they cause static electricity. You can wrap them around any portable electronic device. They are also perfect for dry-wipe cleaning of touchscreen devices and on top of all that will easily wipe lint off as well.

Cheap prepaid cell phone

You already have a cell phone but probably don’t have a backup. And if you’re ever in a situation where your car breaks down and your cell phone doesn’t work or can’t get reception where you are, that cheap 10-dollar cell phone could in fact save your life.

This is not something you have to put a lot of money into. Buy a phone off the shelf and then purchase a 90-day time card for it. That more or less covers the entire winter season for most areas. Activate the phone, charge it fully, place a test call to make sure it works, then turn it off and chuck it in the glove box. If you need it, it’s there and ready to use.

If you have an AAA membership or have a free towing service via your car insurance company, take a piece of masking tape, put it on the back of the phone, and write down your policy number and 800 number for the service on it. This is probably the only information you would need to know if you ever needed to use the phone. (Remember, the phonebook won’t be able to store the policy number info, so you’ll have to write it down.)

It’s suggested you turn on the phone once a week just to make sure it’s still operable.

You may also want to pick up a cheap car charger for it. You shouldn’t ever need to use it, but better safe than sorry.

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