Why You Need Cat Litter On Your Winter Road Trip, Even If You Don't Have A Cat

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Winter travel can bring unexpected delays and setbacks if you're caught in extreme weather. Blizzards and icy roads can slow down any adventure, whether you're flying or on a road trip — and it's a smart idea to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Besides these packing hacks for your next road trip, there's one unexpected item you should keep in your car if you're driving this winter: cat litter.

Although you might not have any pets, it's worth putting cat litter in the trunk of your car this winter — you can use it if your car gets stuck in ice, snow, or mud. If you're spinning out, it's recommended you throw down cat litter around all four of your tires. The cat litter provides traction, and over time, can get your stuck vehicle moving. This is also an affordable winter travel hack — a 35-pound tub of cat litter retails at Walmart for under $20, so you won't break the bank.

Although cat litter is best used for a winter road trip to get a car unstuck, you can also use it as grit for additional traction on icy sidewalks. It won't melt the ice, but it might provide just enough traction and grip to make it safely to your destination on foot. If you have a rear-wheel-drive car, consider adding a pail of cat litter in the trunk to redistribute weight and increase traction. Les Schwab recommends centering the weight over the rear axle— while sandbags are commonly used, you can use cat litter in this scenario, too. 

Start Rescue advises using tights or a sock with cat litter inside to combat condensation on your windshield, as the litter will absorb the extra moisture — try placing it on your car's dashboard.

If you're getting your car ready for winter roads, other important items to throw in the trunk are jumper cables, an ice scraper and brush, flashlight, shovel, blanket or sleeping bag, and first-aid kit. Hopefully, you won't need to use them — but it's better to be safe than sorry when traveling in wintry weather. Be sure to check out these Dollar Tree finds that are also practical travel essentials and helpful DIY camping hacks for more multi-use items.