Use your Rowenta steam iron to de-ice your locks

As cold as the winters have been lately, I'm sure some one has endured the freezing of the door locks of their vehicle or home. I know I have. I've heard of remedies that include pouring warm water or jiggling the key to get it open. There have been those who broke the key or cracked their windows by dashing water where it shouldn't have gone.

But, as long as you're not frozen locked out of your home, this tip may come in handy next time you face this dilemma.

You will most likely need an extension cord for this one. But the prep process is the same. heat your Rowenta to a setting that will steam and place the steam setting to its highest output. hold the steam iron away from the lock about four inches. push the steam but to maximize steam output.

Don't hold the iron to the lock in one place on the vehicle lock. You don't want heat to build up to the point that it could crack the window. Allow the area to warn up slowly. You will have to determine the best distance that will allow heat and steam to slowly thaw the lock.

Occasionally try to turn the lock until it opens. You can leave the key in the lock to warm it and have the heat flow through the key into the locking mechanism. I cannot stress the importance of not getting too close to the lock and risk using too much heat that the window cracks. It will happen.

If done correctly the odds of that are slim. But there is a definite chance of it happening if you get too close. Your distance will vary. So I wont tell you how far. Also, try sliding the key quickly in and out of the lock to generate enough heat to melt some of the ice from friction.