Drivers Are Using This Cheap Trick To Keep Their Car Door Handles From Freezing - But Should You?

• Cars

There's something familiar and frustrating about stumbling out to your car on a frigid morning, coffee in hand, only to find your car's door handle frozen shut. As you prepare for the snow, know that there are many ways to avoid winter car troubles, and you need to have a neat trick or two up your sleeve for dealing with the blistering cold, especially when it comes to freezing car door handles. One of the internet's favourite cheap tricks for dealing with this problem is to use cooking spray. Some drivers figured out that applying cooking spray to their car door frames and rubber seals prevents them from absorbing water and freezing to the metal frame. It works, but before you hop on it, you should know the many factors that don't make cooking sprays the best solution for the job.

Cooking spray contains oils that get into places where you can't wash out, and this causes problems over time. The biggest one happens in the summer, when the oil may begin to degrade. When oil gets heated, it transforms into a polymer that becomes insoluble even in soapy water. Your car door seals might not reach frying temperatures, but they absolutely get hot when you park directly in the sun. When that happens, polymerization will leave a gummy residue on your car that you've probably only seen while scrubbing off baking sheets. Also, the cooking spray is going to leave an odd scent, like canola or fake butter, behind. Thankfully, there's a better option that is also cheap and eliminates these problems.

Why you should use silicone spray instead

Silicone sprays do a much better job than cooking spray for virtually the same price. There are many handy ways to use silicone spray for your car, and defrosting door handles is just one of them. You can use it to lubricate everything from seat belts to door latches and hydraulic pistons. Unlike traditional oils and cooking sprays, silicone spray offers several advantages. It's water resistant, resists oxidation, does not react to most substances, and maintains its lubricating properties under extreme temperatures. It's safe to use on rubber as well as plastic, and it won't cause damage to the paint job if applied correctly.

Applying silicone spray to prevent frozen door handles is simple and effective. Choose a dry day or a warm garage so there's no immediate moisture or ice to work around. You need to apply it to a dry rubber seal so you don't trap moisture under the film and defeat the purpose. So, clean the door seal and the surrounding frame and dry thoroughly. Depending on the product, apply the silicone spray using a clean microfiber cloth, or directly on the portion of the door edge that seals when you close the door. Wipe off any excess immediately, since you only need enough to repel moisture.

Silicone spray lasts longer and prevents wear and tear in the process. You can pick one up for yourself at any auto store, or you can order products such as Amazon's top-rated WD-40 Specialist Silicone Lubricant for about $7.