Survival Mode: 5 hacks to get you through Jacksonville’s arctic week

The City of Jacksonville will open a warming center on Sunday, Jan. 18, from 9 p.m. to Jan. 19 in response to a forecast of dangerously cold temperatures

By Aaron Schachter

If you looked at the forecast for this week, you probably let out a heavy sigh. We are staring down the barrel of multiple nights in the 30s, which means the “check tire pressure” light is coming on and we have to remember how to use the heater.

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Since we are all just trying to make it to the weekend without turning into human popsicles, I dug up five cold-weather hacks that sound ridiculous, but actually work! Here is your survival kit for the week:

  • Hand Sanitizer for Frozen Locks: If your keyhole freezes over, squirt a little hand sanitizer into it. The alcohol melts the ice almost instantly, proving that hand sanitizer really is the MVP of the 2020s.
  • The Pool Noodle Draft Stopper: You know those pool noodles collecting dust in your garage? Cut one in half lengthwise and slide it under your drafty doors. It creates an instant seal to keep the cold air out and the warm air in, proving that summer toys actually have a winter purpose.
  • The “After-Dinner” Oven Trick: After you finish baking your dinner (or heating up a frozen pizza, no judgment), turn the oven off but leave the door cracked open a few inches. It lets all that trapped heat escape into your kitchen instead of just disappearing, giving you a nice blast of warmth for free.
  • Socks on Windshield Wipers: To keep your wiper blades from freezing to the glass, put an old pair of tube socks over them at night. Yes, your car will look like it’s wearing leg warmers from the 80s, but you won’t have to chip ice off your wipers in the morning.
  • Reverse Your Ceiling Fan: There is a little switch on the side of your ceiling fan that nobody ever touches—flip it so the blades spin clockwise. This pushes the warm air (which rises) back down to where you are actually sitting, saving you money on heat!

So go ahead and grab the hand sanitizer, and those old gym socks. It might look a little crazy, but when you are the only one in the neighborhood not struggling to open your car door tomorrow morning, you’ll look like a genius!

🔥Stay toasty, Duuuval!🔥