DIY simple car cleaning and maintenance for the homebound

For  obvious reasons, now is the best time to do basic auto cleaning and maintenance. Keep it sorted inside and out, and your vehicle will thank you for it.

Really, this is probably the first time in a long time that you’ve actually had a lot of time for yourself. But when you’re done with "me time," give some of that to your family, then your car.

Remember, this daily workhorse rarely gets any TLC — maybe a weekly wash and the regular oil change, but never this much downtime to afford it a solid cleanup job.

I’m not even talking about total detailing here, just a plain old wash, wax (if you have one at home), and a complete once over to see if there’s something that needs fixing.

Of course, we’ll start from the inside out.

Interior

Take out all of the junk and trash from the glove box, door pockets, center console, coin and gadget holders, and even the trunk. You won’t believe how much money you have just lying around in the cabin, how many ancient receipts there are scattered in there, and how many empty boxes, containers, bottles you’ve got stashed.

Now that it’s clutter-free, time to clean the cabin. We’ve detailed a process right here so you can be sure it’s Covid-19 free as well. If applicable, replace seat covers with a new set because there’s nothing like fresh sheets when you get back on the saddle.

Check the entire lighting system. See if any bulbs are out, front to back, including the signal and hazard lights. Turn on the map, dome, and reading (if applicable) lights to know if they’re working. 

Exterior

Lock the cabin because you’re done there; time to focus on the body. Wash it down. If you’ve got car wax at home (whether its spray-on, liquid, or even lather-on) do it because that’s the most intimate (yet non-sleazy) way to know you really get to know your vehicle’s body. Feel for dents and minor scratches while you’re doing it. Some dents and/or scratches may not be visible to the eye, especially with a coat of dust over it, so take a really close look while you’re wiping it dry with a chamois or when waxing. Take note of these scratches and dents so you can have them repaired when able.

Next up are the tires. If air pressure is okay, think if it's scheduled for rotation already. If they are, do it to even out tread wear and extend the lifespan of the tires. Check the pressure of the spare tire, too. If there are missing air caps, list them down for replacement.

Clean the wiper blades and try to find cracks while you’re at it. If there are, replace right away but if you don’t have one on standby, add it to the list as well.

Under the hood

Pop the hood and check the hoses and rubber pipes. Look for bulges, tears, cracks, or any signs of wear and tear sign. If you find one, put it on top of the list and have it replaced as soon as possible because if any of these pipes/tubes burst, the problem becomes exponentially bigger.

Open the reservoir of the brake, power steering, clutch, and even the radiator. Top up as needed based on the markings of the container with the right fluid before closing.

Are you a tool? Well you are if you don’t have a basic set in the trunk of your car. If you don’t know what to put in the tool box, here are the essentials:

• Tire wrench and jack
• A set of screwdrivers and pliers (at least a long-nose and a linesman)
• Jumper cables
• Flashlight

 

Having more than the above would advisable because you never know the type of trouble you’ll encounter on the road and while these "essential" tools may help, they won’t be enough to solve them all.

And there you have it, a DIY and personalized clean up, inspection, and maintenance job your vehicle surely deserves. If you nipped a problem in the bud, lucky you. But for your sake, please don’t wait for another community quarantine to do this because the next time, you might not be so lucky.

Make it a habit to always do this. Yes, it’s for the good of your car, but more than that, it’s for your peace of mind too.