Quarantine Car Care: Best Safety And Maintenance Tips

One thing we are all sure of: cars are meant to be driven. But we are all living in strange times these days. With the pandemic still on our plate and efforts to curb the virus are causing lockdowns, isolation, and quarantine protocols, daily-driven cars have long been immobilized and stuck at home since the first quarter of the year.

With that being said, do we even still need to attend to our cars? Have it maintenance-checked? Or care for it despite the quarantine?

Well, the answer is a whopping YES! Just because you’re stuck at home and cars are sitting out for longer than usual doesn’t mean you can skip on car care. Proper vehicle upkeep during this time has gotten more important than it might seem. The longer your car sits out there unused, the more likely it is to develop unwanted issues. Now, you wouldn’t want to bring your car to the shop because of these issues, would you? So here are the best car safety and maintenance tips to help avoid such inconveniences during the quarantine season:

Fuel Up

It sounds kind of odd for a while, but it’s actually one of the key factors as to how you can keep your car up and running even during the quarantine period. Fill your fuel tank either halfway or full. Doing this will prevent moisture build-up that could cause rust and corrosion, later on leading to possible road accidents.

Check Your Tires

Tires are probably one of the most vulnerable parts of a vehicle, if not the most. A sudden change in temperate can cause your tires to shrink, flatten, or change pressure. Make sure you check your tires every so often and inflate them to the recommended pressure when needed. This will significantly help lessen the risk of--as previously mentioned--flattening your tires or cracking the sidewalls. If you can, try to also start the engine every day (or at least every other day) and move your car forwards and backward to help lessen risks of damages.

Or better yet, make sure that you purchase only premium and high-quality tires from the very beginning! This will not only help save you money from constant tire maintenance and replacement but also guarantees durability and can last you a long time.

Keep Your Battery Charged

Car batteries are often the most neglected parts of a vehicle under the hood. Not unless something goes wrong, of course. But that’s the thing. It would be best if you didn’t wait for something to happen before you check on your battery.

As your car sits idly in quarantine, it’s a good idea to check on it and keep it charged. Car batteries are known to get discharged after some time, and less driving means the battery is not getting its usual ratio of electrons. So to prevent this from happening, make sure your car battery is fully charged. You can also do a quick drive right down your street just to keep the engine running for a few minutes each day.

Do The Basics

Always remember to do the basics. Make sure your car is parked properly in a safe and protected area. If possible, throw in a car cover for added protection so the paint won’t chip off. Also, wash your car regularly and try to remove heavy stains to maintain its quality. Clean the insides too so you can get rid of any bad odors, prevent pests from coming and living inside the vehicle, and maintain overall freshness.

Sanitize and Disinfect

Above all else, keep in mind that your car interior is prone to dirt and virus, especially frequent touchpoints like the steering wheel, seat belts and buckles, handbrake, door handles and locks, window buttons, mirrors, radio, etc. Treat your car as an extension of your home. Sanitizing your home to keep yourself safe and away from the virus is just as important as sanitizing and disinfecting your vehicle each time you use it.

Spend a good amount of time sanitizing your steering wheel as this area receives more traffic and has about four times the amount of germs found on average toilet seats. Vigorously wash said frequent touchpoints with soap and water using a soft cloth, just so you can avoid ruining your car’s interior paint, shine, and design. Also, keep in mind that it is strongly discouraged that you use any type of bleach or hydrogen peroxide when cleaning your vehicle’s interior. We advise that you use only mild cleaning agents and those compatible with your car’s upholstery to prevent damage.