11 Fantastic Ways to Use Vinegar in Your Car

Keeping cars clean is one of the biggest challenges many car owners face. But what if there was a simple product that you already have in your pantry that could keep your car clean? Turns out, there is! Vinegar’s good for so much more than salad dressing - it makes a great household and car cleaner. It’s gentle and all-natural, so you don’t have to worry about putting harsh chemicals into your car. Here are 11 ways you can use vinegar to clean your car:

1. Keep car windows frost-free overnight in winter by coating them with a solution of 3 parts white distilled vinegar to 1 part water.
2. Polish car chrome with full-strength white distilled vinegar on a soft cloth.
3. Remove unwanted decals and bumper stickers by covering them with a cloth soaked in white distilled vinegar, or by repeatedly spraying them with full-strength white distilled vinegar. They should peel off in a couple of hours.
4. Rid the windshield wipers of road grime by wiping them with a white distilled vinegar-soaked cloth.
5. Remove the leftover odor after a rider has been carsick by leaving a bowl of white distilled vinegar overnight on the floor.
6. Get rid of hard water stains on your car with a rinse made from 3 parts soft water to one part white distilled vinegar.
7. Wipe vinyl upholstery with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water.
8. Remove winter road salt residue on car carpeting by spraying with a mixture of equal parts white distilled vinegar and water, then blot with a soft towel.
9. Remove the hazy film that builds up on inside windows by spraying with white distilled vinegar.
10. Remove dirt and stains from car carpeting with a mixture of half white distilled vinegar and half water.
11. When doing car maintenance, soak rusty bolts and screws with white distilled vinegar to make them easier to remove.

Read more uses for vinegar in your car here: http://bit.ly/VMV3Xc

What Makes Brakes Work?

One pedal makes it go, and the other one makes it stop - but how much do you really know about your brakes? They’re critical to keeping your car on the road and your family safe. In fact, brakes use a lot of interesting technology to ensure that you always stop when you press the brakes. Here’s a quick explanation from How Stuff Works:

We all know that pushing down on the brake pedal slows a car to a stop. But how does this happen? How does your car transmit the force from your leg to its wheels? How does it multiply the force so that it is enough to stop something as big as a car?
When you depress your brake pedal, your car transmits the force from your foot to its brakes through a fluid. Since the actual brakes require a much greater force than you could apply with your leg, your car must also multiply the force of your foot. It does this in two ways:

• Mechanical advantage(leverage)
• Hydraulic force multiplication

The brakes transmit the force to the tires using friction, and the tires transmit that force to the road using friction also.

Learn more about your brakes and read the original article here: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-types/brake.htm

Does Your Car Color Reveal Your Personality?

Many people enjoy picking out their favorite color when they’re buying a new car. However, the color of your car could reveal more about your personality than you thought! Here are what a few common car colors could be saying about you:

Gold: Warm, Intelligent, Glamorous

Gray: Neutral, Sober, Practical

Dark Green: Well-Balanced, Trustworthy, Traditional

Light Green: Organic, No-Fuss, Understated

Dark Blue: Confident, Credible, Authoritative

Light-Mid Blue: Calm, Faithful, True

Brown: Powerful, Unique

Beige: Natural, Down-To-Earth

Black: Powerful, Classic, Elegant

White: Pure, Pristine, Direct

Silver: Futuristic, Prestigious, Elegant

Red: Sensual, Dynamic, Outgoing

Learn about what other colors could say about you and read the original article here: http://bit.ly/Kqr9EV

Happy New Year!

Whatever Happened to Hood Ornaments?

Remember when car hoods had fun, sleek or sophisticated figurines? Today, you’ll hardly ever see one. But what happened to the hood ornaments we knew and loved in the past? It turns out, there’s a surprising history behind hood ornaments - and why they disappeared.

Ornaments have long adorned our modes of transport, from lady luck strapped to the bow of a ship to the ornate spires worn by carriage horses. Car historians trace the hood ornament back to the early 20th century, when cars still had external radiator caps and temperature gauges. Seeking ways to dress them up, designers turned to miniature works of art—animals, emblems and model machines that embodied the car's identity. In the 1920s, the Cadillac LaSalle featured an elaborate statuette of its namesake, intrepid 17th century French explorer Robert de LaSalle, tipping his hat over a burned-out campfire.

By the end of the decade, the practical need for the hood ornament was gone, as radiator caps were relocated under hoods and temperature gauges moved to dashboards. But that didn't stop the auto mascot from enjoying a life of its own. Some sort of doppelganger topped most cars made in America between 1930 and 1950. Among the classics: the forward-leaning Roman messenger goddess Mercury used on Buicks in the 1930s; the wild and sinewy Archer on vintage Pierce Arrows; and the Goddess of Speed that once graced Packards.

Stripped-down hippie tastes, Nader-esque concerns that ornaments could turn otherwise minor pedestrian scraps into fatal accidents, and even irrational fears about heightened fuel costs from increased drag, began to erode the popularity of hood ornaments over the years.

Read the original article here: http://thebea.st/UkF42c

Traveling This Holiday Season? Keep Your Kids Safe!

Car seats save lives! Did you know that only 3% of children ages 1 - 3 ride in a rear-facing car seat? To ensure that your children stay safe in the car, make sure they’re traveling properly. Check out this infographic to get more information on how to protect your kids when they’re riding in a car:
http://www.edgarsnyder.com/infographics/car-seats-infographic.html

5 Simple Ways to Drive Safe in the Snow

Going dashing through the snow this holiday season? Make sure you’re ready for anything winter has to throw at you by following these tips from the NHTSA:

Keep yourself and others safe by planning ahead before you venture out into bad weather.

• Check the weather, road conditions, and traffic; plan to leave early if necessary.
• Don't rush! Allow plenty of time to get to your destination safely.
• Familiarize yourself with directions and maps before you go, and let others know your route and anticipated arrival time.
• Keep your gas tank close to full. If you get stuck in a traffic jam or in snow, you might need more fuel to get home or keep warm. Note: To avoid carbon monoxide poisoning when stuck in snow, be sure to keep your vehicle's exhaust pipe clear of snow and ice, run your vehicle only in the open with the windows partially down, and run it only long enough to keep warm.
• If road conditions are hazardous, avoid driving if possible. Wait until road and weather conditions improve before venturing out in your vehicle.

Carry items in your vehicle to handle common winter driving tasks such as cleaning off your
windshield as well as any supplies you might need in an emergency. Keep the following on hand:

• Snow shovel, broom, and ice scraper.
• Abrasive material, such as sand or kitty litter, in case your vehicle gets stuck in the snow.
• Jumper cables, flashlight and warning devices, such as flares and markers.
• Blankets for protection from the cold.
• A cell phone, water, food, and any necessary medicine (for longer trips or when driving
• in lightly populated areas).

Read the full article and get more tips from the NHTSA here: http://1.usa.gov/XLk5La