The winter season has finally ended, but your car is still covered by a layer of ice and packed snow hence this guide on how to get packed snow out of tires. And if you’re like most people, you’ll have to wait until the weather becomes friendly enough to scrap it off your tires.
Obviously, you are afraid of driving with packed snow since you understand how risky it can be. For instance, it can stick on your tire treads, restricting movement while also posing an accident risk.
Additionally, the tires can’t get a good grip on the road, so it is hard to steer and accelerate. At your heart, you are always craving smooth and safe rides. So definitely, you will probably need help in getting packed snow out of your tires.
How to Get Packed Snow Out of Tires
Stripping away stubborn packed snow from your tires is a PAIN! While there are many methods to gently remove snow and ice from your vehicle, they can take hours to deal with, and you’re left feeling exhausted.
Fortunately, you can take a few simple steps to get your tires cleared and ready for driving.
Before anything, check your owner’s manual for any specific instructions on doing this. Some tires have special instructions that take precedence over the steps below. For instance, for an all-wheel-drive system with differentials between the front and rear wheels, you may need to adjust some settings before scraping off the ice.
If it turns out that your owner’s manual doesn’t cover removing packed snow out of your tires, here are our simple yet effective ways you can use it.
1. Use a Broom or Brush to Sweep Off Loose Snow First
Unless you’re in a blizzard, the first thing to do to de-snow your tires is to use a broom or brush to sweep off the loose snow. If it’s really packed down, tap on the wheel with your hand or stomp on it a few times.
If you’ve tried everything and still can’t get the snow out of your wheel well—or if you get stuck in a blizzard—you might have to resort to scraping the snow with a plastic scraper or ice scraper.
Needless to say, when you scrape, be careful not to damage the wheel well or scratch the tire itself.
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2. Start With the Warmest Part of the Day
While there are plenty of ways to remove packed snow from your tires, the most effective way is to take advantage of the day’s heat. And the first step is to get a head start on melting the snow by starting in the evening so that you’ll be ready to go by morning.
Similarly, if you’re planning to be out and about before it gets light out, look for a warm spot (like a garage or shed) where you can store your vehicle during the night.
Even leaving your car parked outside overnight will help, but don’t forget to clear off any tree branches that might scratch it.
3. Use a Snow Shovel
Put on your winter gear and head out to the car. If it’s still snowing, don’t bother with a brush — just use a snow shovel to knock off the snow from around each tire. The key here is to clear out the area to see the tire treads and sidewalls.
If there’s too much snow in front of your car, use one hand to hold down the hood while you clear away the excess with the other. You might want to consider buying a rubber mallet to pound down any stubborn chunks of ice or slush.
Once you’ve cleared away all that excess packed snow, get back into your warm indoors and grab an old rag or cloth towel. This will help absorb any water left behind after removing most of the snow.
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4. Use Hot Water
You can use boiling water from the tap or a kettle to soften up the snow. Pour it into your tire and let it sit for a minute or two. Then spray with a hose or use an electric tire inflator to remove any remaining chunks of ice.
This method is best for removing small amounts of packed snow from your tires, like after driving through a winter storm or on days when the temperature gets above freezing, but there is still some ice on the road.
5. Use a Pressure Washer
A pressure washer is one of the most effective ways to get packed snow out of tires. It will blast away even the thickest layers of ice and snow from your car. This method works best on cars that have four or more wheels.
Depending on how much room you have available in your garage or driveway, you can use a pressure washer indoors or outside. To start with, remove all loose debris from your car — anything that’s been blown onto the wheels by windy conditions or accumulated there through normal driving activity.
Then spray down each wheel until it’s completely covered with water before moving on to the next. The water will loosen up the packed snow helping you scrape it off with a plastic spatula or putty knife.
In case you don’t have one, you can buy one online on Amazon or other home improvement stores.
6. Clear Out All Four Tires at Once
It’s tempting to focus on one tire at a time when clearing out snow, but if you do this, it could end up making things worse instead of better.
That’s why it’s best to clear out all four tires at once, so they’re uniform in appearance again after clearing them out of snow and ice.
And there you go, a couple of ways to make your XL tires more snow-friendly. Don’t forget that your efforts will make all the difference in the end. Whether you use these methods or not, keep working at it, and you’ll get the hang of it eventually.
You won’t be stuck forever, and that knowledge is worth making some sacrifices to achieve. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and take back control of your winter.