How to What Should Be in a Car Emergency Kit Posted: 14 Mar 2022 09:00 AM PDT Whether the forecast is sunny, rainy, snowy, or somewhere in between, a car emergency kit is a great way to be ready for just about anything. But what all should you pack in your vehicle before hitting the road? Not to worry–you've come to the right place. We've put together a checklist of all the must-have items that you need for your emergency kit, so you can have some peace of mind the next time you head out. [Edit]First-aid kit - Be prepared for minor medical emergencies. Your kit doesn't have to have all the trimmings, but it should have the bare essentials, like adhesive bandages, gauze, roller bandages, adhesive tape, a thermometer, a cold pack, antiseptic, rubbing alcohol, tweezers, and a needle. You can even go the extra mile by including:[1]
- Latex gloves
- Hard soap
- Safety pins
- Petroleum jelly
- A snake bite kit
[Edit]Cell phone charger - It's important to keep your phone juiced up so you can call for help. Depending on the make and model of your car, a USB cord or cigarette lighter-style charger might do the trick. If you don't want to rely on your car's fuel line, pack a portable charger instead.[2]
- Portable chargers are very affordable, with some costing less than $20. The price point really depends on the amount of juice you'd like your battery pack to store, though.
[Edit]Flashlight and batteries - A functioning flashlight is essential if you're stranded off-road at night. It can also help you search your car in the dark, so you don't have to drain your car's battery in the process. Make sure you have plenty of extra batteries stashed in your car as well, so you don't run out of light.[3]
[Edit]Bottled water - Water will be essential if you get stranded. Stick a small package or case of plastic water bottles in the back of your vehicle so the bottles won't crack or break if the temperature drops. Although packaged water lasts for a while, it's a good idea to replace your bottles every 6 months to keep the water as fresh as possible.[4]
[Edit]Spare tire equipment - Always keep a spare tire, jack, and tire iron in the back of your car. Check once every few months to make sure that your spare tired is filled up and in good condition. Make sure your jack and tire iron are stored nearby too, so you can change the tire if you need to.[5]
- A tire gauge is also handy so you can check your tire pressure.
- Stop by your local auto shop or car repair place if you need to replace or update your spare tire tools.
[Edit]Jumper cables - Jumper cables can get you out of a jam if your car battery dies. Keep these cables in your car at all times in case you need to phone a friend or flag down a good samaritan.[6] A portable jump starter is also a great option if you don't want to rely on another person to get your car up and running.[7]
[Edit]Gas can - Top off your car quickly if you're stranded on the side of the road without fuel. Pick up a gas can from your local gas station and fill it up. Seal the container so no gas can leak out, and keep it in the back of your car in case you run out of fuel.[8] Keep in mind that gasoline lasts about 6 months when stored in a securely-sealed gas can, so be sure to dispose of the gas if you haven't used it by then.[9]
- You can also pack an empty gas can and siphon if you'd rather not keep a full can of gas in your car.[10]
[Edit]Tow strap - You may need a tow strap if your car breaks down on the road. Check the label on the tow strap to ensure that it's the right size and durability for your car. Also, always double-check your car's user manual before using a tow strap so you don't damage your vehicle in the process.[11]
- You can buy tow straps online or at a hardware or auto supply shop for less than $25.
[Edit]Simple tool kit - A few basic tools can be very helpful to have on hand. From an uncooperative glove compartment box to a jammed car door, there's no telling when a basic toolbox may come in handy. Stash a multi-tip screwdriver and wrench set in your kit, along with a:[12]
- Knife
- Wire cutter
- Pair of pliers
[Edit]Rain poncho - Stay dry if you get caught in a bad rainstorm. The weather can change really quickly when you're on the road, and a rain poncho definitely comes in handy if you have to brave the elements. Stash one in your glove compartment so it's easily accessible if you need it.[13]
[Edit]Reflective vest - This ensures others will see you if you need to step out of the car. Maybe you're exiting the car to inspect your tires, or you're checking to see if emergency help has arrived. A reflective vest will reflect off oncoming headlights, which gives you an extra layer of safety on the road.[14]
- You can buy a reflective vest online for less than $20.
[Edit]Road flares - Road flares can be valuable if your car breaks down at night. If you get stranded on the side of the road, light the flares and set them about behind the boot of your car. This way, passing a helpful driver or roadside assistance vehicle won't park too close to your vehicle.[15]
- Reflective triangles can also help your vehicle stand out to passing drivers.
[Edit]Warm clothes and blankets - Extra layers are invaluable when you're stuck in freezing cold weather. Slip on a hat, coat, scarf, and mittens if you're stranded in a car for a long period of time, especially if the temperature starts to drop. You can even double up on layers, too–it's better to be too warm rather than too cold![16] A thick blanket is another great way to stay nice and toasty without draining your car's fuel in the process.[17]
- Consider packing multiple quilts and blankets if you live in an especially cold area.
[Edit]Shovel and ice scraper - You may need to clear ice, snow, or slush away from your vehicle if you live in a cold area. Ice scrapers typically have a scraping tool on 1 end and a snow brush on the other. Remove any tough patches of ice with the scraper part of your tool, and clear away mounds of snow with the brush. If you get stuck in a snowbank or other snowy terrain, use a foldable metal shovel to clear your way out.[18]
- It's actually against the law in some places to drive with snow and slush on your car, so it's really important to have this tool on hand.
- You can get an ice scraper and brush at a big-box retail or home improvement store for less than $20. You can get a foldable shovel online for around $25.
[Edit]Sand or non-clumping cat litter - Sand or cat litter can provide traction during winter weather. If you find yourself stuck on a really snowy or icy road, scatter a handful of sand or non-clay, non-clumping cat litter in front of your tires. The gritty texture of the litter or sand can help your vehicle get some traction on the ground, and may help you get back on the road more quickly.[19]
- Clay cat litter doesn't have the right texture to provide tire traction.
[Edit]Battery-powered radio - Use this to tune into important weather and safety updates. Keep the radio juiced up with fresh batteries, and keep an extra pack of the appropriate batteries stashed somewhere in your car. If you get caught in a patch of bad weather, you can tune into the radio for an up-to-date weather forecast.[20]
- Hand-cranked radios are a great alternative, and don't require any electricity or batteries to operate.
[Edit]Fire extinguisher - Keep a small fire extinguisher on hand for minor fires. A model should be enough and is easy to fit in the back of your car or in your truck.[21] In the event of a big car fire, focus on getting out of your vehicle and wait for emergency vehicles to arrive–don't try to put it out yourself.[22]
[Edit]Duct tape - Duct tape can help in a pinch for quick repairs. While it shouldn't be a long-term solution for any type of car repair, duct tape can provide a temporary solution when you're stuck in the middle of nowhere.[23]
[Edit]Non-perishable food - Canned food, granola bars, and energy bars are all fair game. Stock up on plenty of especially high-calorie snacks and food, so you don't get too hungry during a roadside emergency.[24] Here are some foods you could keep on hand:
- Dried fruits
- Nuts
- Dry cereal
- Extra pet food (if you travel with your pets often)
- Inspect your emergency kit and supplies once every 6 months to make sure everything is still in good condition and unexpired. Replace any expired items right away so your kit stays up-to-date.[25]
- Remember to top off your fuel tank before hitting the road in the winter. A full tank means more car heater time in an emergency; plus, a topped-off tank prevents your car's fuel lines from freezing over.[26]
- Some reputable organizations like AAA sell pre-made car emergency kits for anywhere from $50 to $80.[27]
- Winterize your car during the cold-weather season so your vehicle has a better chance of toughing out the snow and ice.[28]
[Edit]Warnings - Avoid storing extra medicine in your car, since some medications are temperature-sensitive.[29] Instead, bring a spare dose or 2 with you in a plastic bag before climbing into your car.
- Always stay in the car if you're stuck in a traffic jam—never get out and see what's happening. That's the best way to stay safe (and warm, if you're stuck in cold weather).
- Don't drive on the shoulder of the road, even if you're stuck in a traffic jam. Keep that part of the road clear so emergency vehicles can use it as needed.[30]
[Edit]References |
How to Part Your Hair for Your Face Shape Posted: 14 Mar 2022 01:00 AM PDT Changing your part is a great way to change up your look and accentuate your face. There are six basic face shapes: oval, oblong, square, heart, diamond, and round. Each of these shapes is best suited to a different style of part, and many face shapes look great with a few different kinds of parts. [Edit]Determining Your Face Shape - Look at length versus width. A deciding factor in finding your face shape is whether your face is longer than it is wide or wider than it is long.[1]
- Use a flexible measuring tape or string to measure. Measure the length from the top of your hairline to your chin, and measure width all the way across your face at the level of the bridge of your nose. Also measure the width of the top of your hairline and the width across your jaw.[2] Write down your measurements on a piece of paper to refer back to.
- You have an oval face if your face length is 1.5 times the width.
- You have a round face if your lengths and widths are almost the same.
- An oblong face shape has much more length than width.
- You have a square face if the width across your hairline is the same width as your jaw.
- Heart shaped faces have their greatest width at the cheekbones paired with a forehead and jawline of almost the same width.
- A diamond face is wider across the forehead and narrow at the chin with prominent cheekbones.
- Look at your jaw line. The shape of your jawline can also be a secondary indicator of the shape of your face.
- If you have a squared jawline, you probably have a square face.
- If you have a more soft, rounded jawline, you might have an oval, oblong, triangular or round face.
- If your jaw comes to a point, you might have a heart or diamond face shape.
- Take a short cut. You don't necessarily have to determine all of your measurements to find your face shape. If you want, use a simpler method to determine your face shape by eyeing it.
- After you get out of the shower, stand in front of the steamy bathroom mirror. Drawing the shape of your face in the steam of the mirror, or stand in front of a clear mirror, and draw your face in lipstick or eyeliner.[3] This will help you more clearly see the shape of your face.
- Look at other faces. Looking at celebrities can help you confirm your own face shape. Has anyone ever told you that you look like a celebrity? See what face shape that person has because yours might be similar.
- Celebrities with round faces: Reese Witherspoon, Cara Delevingne, Kate Upton, Kate Bosworth[4]
- Celebrities with diamond faces: Tyra Banks, Viola Davis, Rihanna, Shilpa Shetty
- Celebrities with heart faces: Julianne Moore, Lea Michele, Lucy Hale
- Celebrities with square faces: Olivia Wilde, Katie Holmes, Jennifer Garner, Rachel McAdams[5]
- Celebrities with oblong faces: Liv Tyler, Megan Fox, Gisele[6]
- Celebrities with oval faces: Beyoncé, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Munn[7]
- Determine your symmetry. Do you have a "good side" when you take photographs? This might be due to facial asymmetry.
- To find out how symmetrical your face is, take a blank white sheet of paper and cover one half of your face and then the other. Line the edge up with the middle of your nose. Does one half appear smaller?
- If so, as you are parting your hair, part it above the larger side of your face to create the illusion of symmetry.
[Edit]Knowing Which Part to Use for Your Face Shape - Part your hair in the middle for oblong, oval, round, or heart shaped faces.[8]
- To achieve the perfect middle part, hold a comb up in line with your nose. Keeping that line, mark the part on top of your head, and brush your hair to either side.
- Make sure the line is perfectly straight, as middle parts are very noticeable. You also want to keep your hair constantly clean.
- For a round face, a middle part gives the appearance of a longer face and makes features look symmetrical. This can be especially slimming if the hair is shorter around your face.[9]
- In oblong faces, a middle part adds the look of roundness.
- If you have an oval face you're lucky because oval faces look great with any type of part.
- If your face is asymmetrical, try a middle part that is just slightly off center. This will help you avoid accentuating the asymmetry of your face.
- Part your hair in a slight side part for square, diamond, or oval faces.
- You probably have a natural side part. Comb through your hair with your fingers, and see where it naturally falls. This should line up about with the outside of your eyebrow. Then, use a comb to make this part more defined and neat.
- Side-swept parts give square faces more softness. The part should be slight, as a deep side part will make the angles of the face stand out harshly.
- Part your hair in a deep side part for round, heart, diamond, or oval faces.
- Keeping your part on its natural side, comb your hair over farther than you naturally would. It might take time to train your hair to stay in a deeper part.
- If you have longer hair, try parting your hair deeply, and then pulling it back into a ponytail so the part stays in place.
- For heart shaped faces, the deep side part breaks up the sharp line of the chin and softens your cheekbones.
- A deep part on diamond faces accentuates bone structure and good features.
- Try a sweeping side part if you want to minimize a prominent forehead.[10]
- Part your hair in a zig-zag for any face shape. This part is more about style than complementing a certain face. It works well to give you a tousled-but-put-together vibe and add volume to your roots.[11]
- To get a zig-zag part, just find your normal part, and use a comb to alternate pulling sections of your hair from each side of your head over the part in opposite directions. You can create just a few sections or lots of smaller zig-zags.
- The zig-zag part is usually a centered part, but you can also create a zig-zag side part, if that suits your face shape better.
[Edit]Perfecting Your Part - Use product for volume. When you are parting your hair, you can benefit from using product to get some lift at the roots, and make your hair look great.[12]
- If you've just washed your hair, use a texturizing spray on damp hair before you blow dry.
- If you haven't washed your hair, work some dry shampoo into your roots.
- If you're trying to achieve a middle part, consider adding a shine serum or spray into your hair care routine.
- Train your new part. If you're changing your part from one that you've had for years, it make take a little bit of coaxing to get your hair to cooperate.
- To do this, wash your hair, and blow it dry.
- As you are blow drying, use a round brush to lift the top of your hair near your crown up and back as you dry. Keep lifting, and don't let it fall back into your former part. Once it's dry, you can use a comb to create your new look.
- Work with dry hair. When you are working on the look of your part, it's best to start with dry hair. If you part your hair while it's wet, you risk it looking limp and flat.
- If your part does start to look flat, use your fine-toothed comb to tease the hair around it slightly.
- Side parts especially look great if they're somewhat imperfect.
- Finished.
- If you like the shape of your face, feel free to play up your favorite features—don't feel like you have to minimize them to look more like someone else's standard of beauty![13]
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
How to Make Ginger Ale Posted: 13 Mar 2022 05:00 PM PDT Even though you can look at the shelves in any supermarket and find various brands of ginger ale, making your own creates an entirely different (and remarkably better) taste. You can make a 2-liter bottle of fresh ginger ale straight from the ginger as long as you have the right ingredients. [Edit]Old-Fashioned Method - Gather your ingredients. Here's what you'll need to make ginger ale using the old-fashioned method:
- 1 cup (225 g) sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) freshly grated ginger root
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.6 g) fresh granular baker's yeast
- Cold, pure water
- Add 1 cup of sugar to a bottle through a dry funnel. Leave the funnel in place until all the steps are complete and you are ready to cap the bottle.
- Measure out 1/4 teaspoon of fresh granular active baker's yeast. Use any brand that you might buy in the health food store.
- Add the yeast through the funnel into the bottle. Shake the bottle to disperse the yeast grains into the sugar granules.
- Grate the ginger root on a fine cutting grater to produce 2 tablespoons of grated root. Use the side of the grater with the finest teeth.
- Place the grated ginger in a measuring cup.
- Juice a whole lemon. Lemon is important to keep the pH level low and ward off unwanted microorganisms. If you don't like lemon, try grapefruit juice instead.
- Add the juice of a whole lemon to the grated ginger.
- Stir the lemon juice and grated ginger to form a slurry, then add it to the bottle. It may stick in the funnel. Don't worry, the next steps will wash it into the bottle.
- Rinse the container that held the lemon juice and grated ginger with fresh clean water. Add the rinsing water to the bottle.
- Cap and shake the bottle. This helps activate the yeast and gets the carbonation process going.
- Reopen and fill the bottle to the neck with fresh, cool, clean water. Leave about an inch of head space, then securely screw the cap down to seal. The head space is necessary to leave room for gasses that will be produced during fermentation. Invert the bottle repeatedly to thoroughly dissolve sugar.
- Check the bottom of the bottle because the sugar tends to stick in little pockets there. The ginger root will not dissolve, of course.
- Place the ginger ale in a warm location for 24 to 48 hours. The warmth is necessary for the yeast to be able to ferment the brew. But don't forget about it! Too long and the alcohol concentration starts to increase and the taste changes greatly.
- Test to see if carbonation is complete by squeezing the bottle forcefully with your thumb. If it dents in as in the picture, it is not ready; the fermentation produces carbon dioxide (like in sodas and seltzers) that will inflate the bottle and make it difficult to squeeze.
- Once the bottle feels hard to a forceful squeeze, usually after only 24-48 hours, place in the refrigerator. Refrigerate at least overnight to thoroughly chill before opening. Crack the lid off the cool ginger ale just a little to release the pressure slowly. You do not want a ginger ale fountain!
[Edit]On The Stove-Top - Gather your ingredients. Here's what you'll need to make ginger ale using the stove-top method:
- 1 1/2 ounces finely grated fresh ginger
- 3/4 c (6 ounces) sugar
- 7 1/2 cups (60 ounces) filtered water
- 1/8 teaspoon (.5 g) active dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Grab a large, 2-quart saucepan. Over medium-high heat, add the grated ginger, sugar, and 1/2 cup (4 oz) water together. Stir your concoction until the sugar has dissolved completely. This will take a few minutes, so be patient.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the pan from the heat. Place it to the side, cover and allow to steep for 1 hour. Resist the urge to mess with it -- right now your concoction needs uninterrupted time.
- Strain your syrup. The easiest way to do this will be to pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer set directly over the bowl. Press down on the bits to get all of the juice out of the mixture. Once you've got as much liquid out as possible, throw the bowl in an ice bath or set in the refrigerator until the concoction reaches room temperature -- 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C).
- Get your funnel ready. Place it on top of a clean, plastic 2-liter bottle and pour in the syrup. Then, add the yeast, lemon juice and remaining 7 cups of water (56 oz). Twist the cap on the bottle until it's securely on and gently shake to mix everything together. Leave it alone and at room temperature for 48 hours.
- But no longer! If you leave it out too long, the taste will start to become too bitter as the yeast ferments.
- Open 'er up. Pop open the top and check for the right amount of carbonation. If there seems to be enough, throw that baby in the fridge. If not, wait a little longer.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, opening the bottle at least once a day to let out excess carbonation. Otherwise pressure will build up and you risk it exploding.
[Edit]Non-Alcoholic Version - Gather your ingredients. Here's what you'll need to make non-alcoholic ginger ale:
- 1 cup (200 g) peeled, finely chopped ginger
- 2 cups (450 ml) water
- 1 cup (225 g) sugar
- 1 cup (225 ml) water
- 1/2 cup (115 ml) club soda (per glass)
- A few drops of lime juice
- Lime wedges (for garnish)
- Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the ginger, which should be peeled and finely chopped. Reduce heat to medium low and let the ginger sit in the simmering water for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Any longer than that and it might be too gingery.
- Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the ginger pieces. The water should be completely infused with the ginger taste, so you don't need them.
- In a separate saucepan, make the simple syrup. Dissolve 1 cup granulated sugar into 1 cup of boiling water. When it's not grainy anymore, it's ready. Set aside.
- Mix 1/2 cup of ginger water with 1/3 cup of the simple syrup and 1/2 cup of club soda. This is the amount needed for each glass. Add a few drops of fresh lime juice and a lime wedge to each drink. Serve chilled and enjoy!
- Make sure the fermenting vessels are cleaned before use. There are a wide variety of powdered sanitizers that can be used.
- Fermentation has been used by mankind for thousands of years for raising bread, fermenting wine and brewing beer. Carbon dioxide causes bread to rise and gives effervescent drinks their bubbles. This action of yeast on sugar is used to carbonate beverages, as in the addition of bubbles to champagne.
- You may, of course, adjust the quantities of sugar and/or extract to taste. Note that the lemon called for in step seven is optional but recommended to discourage unwanted bacteria. If you want a spicier drink, you can increase the amount of grated ginger.
- For an interesting variation, simmer a piece of well-bruised root ginger in water for an hour as an alternative method of extracting the flavor. This will give the water a golden/brownish tint. Start with about 20 g of ginger root per 2 litres of water and increase/decrease to taste.
- You can substitute artificial sweeteners for most of the sugar as long as you still use 2-3 tablespoons (28-42 grams) of real sugar; this is all that is actually required for the yeast to carbonate the beverage.
- Filter the ginger ale through a strainer if you find floating pieces of ginger objectionable. (If you don't, these will pour out into the first glass or two and, since most of the ginger sinks to the bottom, again in the last glass or so. Rinse the bottle out immediately after serving the last of the batch.
- To personalize your ginger ale, design your own label and attach it to the bottle as you place it with pride in the center of your dinner table.
[Edit]Warnings - When purchasing your yeast, do not buy "brewer's yeast," as this is typically inactive yeast left over from the brewing process. It is dead yeast, and will not work. For best results, buy yeast from a beer and wine maker's supply store.
- The first two recipes will produce alcohol in the finished product. The quantity of alcohol in the finished product over a 2- to 3-day fermentation period is going to be minuscule; however, if left out for several days (see further warnings), it will continue to ferment until all of the sugar is gone, and the alcohol content will be considerably higher. It will taste nothing like ginger ale. Note also that local laws pertaining to the production and consumption of alcoholic beverages may apply. (For example, some "dry" areas maintain zero tolerance for alcohol in beverages.)
- Do not leave the finished ginger ale in a warm place any longer than the time it takes for the bottle to feel hard. Leaving it at room temperature longer than two days, especially in the summer when the temperature is high, can generate enough pressure to explode the bottle! Once it is thoroughly chilled, there is little danger of it exploding .
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Old-Fashioned Method - Clean 2-liter plastic soft drink bottle with cap
- Funnel
- Grater (preferably with fine "cutting" teeth)
- Measuring cup
- Measuring utensils
[Edit]On the Stove-Top - Clean 2-liter plastic soft drink bottle with cap
- Funnel
- Grater (preferably with fine "cutting" teeth)
- Measuring cup
- Measuring utensils
- Strainer
- Saucepan
[Edit]Non-Alcoholic Version - Measuring cup
- Spoon
- Saucepan
- Strainer
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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