Why You Should Put A Bag Of Cat Litter In Your Car Before Your Next Off-Road Adventure

It's no secret that traveling in your car is one of the best ways to explore and see the United States — whether that is on a multi day road trip or an incredible off-roading journey. However, just like any other outdoor adventure, it is important to think about safety before setting out. For an off-roading trip, this will include packing a car emergency kit in case you experience an injury or breakdown (here's what Les Stroud recommends putting in your car survival kit). On top of this, you should also bring some kitty litter.

Although it sounds a little strange, a big bag of kitty litter is a handy tool to keep in your off-roading vehicle at all times because it just might be able to help you if you get stuck in the mud. This works because kitty litter is made to be absorbent and can create traction by soaking up some of the muddy water. It can also provide some much-needed traction that will allow your tires to find grip and move your car forward instead of simply spinning in place. This trick is also useful during winter off-roading adventures when your car gets stuck on ice or in slushy snow. While the kitty litter won't melt the ice like road salt would, it will help your tires get more traction in a pinch so that you can get unstuck.

So, if you are off-roading and your tires start spinning in the mud, what should you do? First, you should stop hitting the gas because the more your wheels spin, the deeper they dig into the mud and the more stuck your car will become. Next, go ahead and grab your bag of kitty litter and pour it all around your stuck tires. If you have pieces of cardboard, you can also set them in front of your front wheels so that when your car moves it goes forward and is able to pull the rest of your wheels up and out of the mud. If you don't have cardboard, that's okay, just make sure to pour some extra litter in front of your front wheels as well to provide some extra grip. You may have to have someone stand behind the car and rock it back and forth to get started.

If you don't want to buy kitty litter, then another option is a bag of sand which similarly can help to soak up some excess liquid and provide traction and grip in muddy conditions. For snowy conditions, you can use road salt. Even coffee grounds have an unexpected use in the winter.