Many things in your life and in your house have their own set of “Do It Yourself”workarounds that improve, repair and tweak your belongings to make your life easier. These hacks are usually cheap and will take only a little effort but they make your life so much more convenient. Cars on the other hand come with only a few DIYs, and today we will let you in on some of the best ones.

 

1. To fix a dent

 

 

Hitting another car almost always means a trip to the workshop.But what about that little ding from the mailbox, the garbage can, or the really inconvenient parking sign? Grab a pot of boiling hot water, a pair of rubber gloves so you don’t burn yourself, and another pot of cold water. Pour the hot water on the dent, and while it’s warm, reach from the inside and pop it out. Then, while it’s in the original shape, pour cold water so it quickly cools down. It will not work with serious body repairs, but it saves you a hefty labor charge to get even minor cosmetic flaws fixed.

 

2. To fix cracks and scratches

 

 

While nail polish is a cosmetic upgrade for a woman’s nails, it can do many, many things, and its clear variety is an amazing solve-all. Use clear nail polish to slow a crack in a windshield or window. Use clear nail polish on dings to prevent the area form rusting. If you manage to find a nail polish shade that (closely) matches your car’s paint job, it can work as less-expensive touch-up paint and hide scratches.

 

3. To remove coffee and other stains

 

 

We’ll start by saying, please avoid eating inside the car,especially liquid food as they tend to splash about as the car moves. But if you do drop your morning coffee and stain the seats, we’ve got a hack for you. Act fast because a fresh spill is a lot easier to clean up (and smells much better) than stale, dried coffee. Grab a paper towel, cloth, baby wipe or whatever you have handy and try to soak up as much as you can.Take one-third vinegar, two-thirds water and a few squirts of dish soap. You can also use a spray-on upholstery cleaner. Apply this solution to the stain and then rub gently with a clean sponge or dishtowel. Don’t skip this step! While you don’t want to completely soak the seat, rinse as well as you can. Keep blotting until no more brown coffee stains appear on the dishtowel or the cloth you’re using. Dry the wet seat with a hairdryer, set on low. If it’s a hot and sunny day, you may be able to get away with leaving your windows down.

 

4. To clean your windshield

 

 

Are your windshield and windows crusted and hazed over with dirt, gunk and bug guts? Keep a covered razor blade in your glove compartmentfor a quick means of dealing with noticeable blotches. If the razor blade is double edged then snap it in two because you might just cut your fingers. The real trick in using these things is to keep the work area wet (glass cleaner is the best, but water works too), to keep the angle small—as if you are trying to shave the glass, work in small areas—no broad streaks, and keep the blade flat, don’t use the corners.

 

5. To get better fuel economy

 

 

Well, we are paying high sums for our fuel.The tricks to squeeze the most distance out of your tank is thus always welcome. We’re not going to recommend shutting down your engine unless you’re stuck at Koteshowr during rush hour. But here are a few tips to save you some precious fuel:

 

• Track your mileage: You can’t tell if your efficiency efforts are working unless you’re keeping track. Try resetting the odometer every time you refill your tank, rather than trying to note and guess mileages individually.

 

• Leave lots of space ahead of you: This not only shows you paid attention during driving lessons, it also gives you more time to gradually slow down instead of slamming on your brakes and losing all your momentum. By leaving ample space between yourself and the car in front of you, there is enough time to coast to a stop and avoid stepping on the brakes.

 

• Avoid standing still with the engine running: Traffic lights are the biggest cause of this. If you see a red light in front of you, take your foot off the gas and let your car coast up to it. Sitting in traffic should also be avoided.

 

• Accelerate gradually, over a greater distance: The longer your take to achieve a speed, the less fuel it will require to get there. In many cars, using cruise control to slowly approach the desired speed will help regulate accelerations. Just avoid squashing the gas pedal like a bug.