Spring Car Maintenance Checklist

Are you ready for spring? Now, what about your car? We’ve got some useful spring-cleaning tips that anyone can use on their vehicles.

Keep Your Ride Going

Two people washing a car
Two people washing a car

Springtime is the clean time! It’s time to get things back into shape after a long winter. While most people concentrate only on their house, it is also important to clean up your vehicle.

Winter can be very hard on a vehicle because it is exposed not only to the elements but also to chemicals such as road salt that can cause problems for your vehicle if not removed.

Besides, there is nothing like a clean ride!

Let’s look at what you should do to keep your ride in tip-top shape. You’ll probably want to grab some cleaning supplies now.

Interior Car Care

The first thing you need to do is remove everything from inside your vehicle. When I say “everything”, I mean everything removable that wasn’t in your car when you first bought it. Things tend to accumulate inside a vehicle over the winter, and this is your chance to sort everything out.

Vacuum

Person vacuuming their car
Person vacuuming their car

After everything has been removed and sorted, you should go ahead and vacuum the seats. Be sure to get inside all the nooks and crannies! If you have cloth seats, you can use a steamer or some white vinegar to get out tough stains. For leather seats, you should use a cleaner that is specifically for leather material.

Remove the floor mats and clean them with soap and water. Allow them to dry while you vacuum the carpet. Pay extra attention underneath the seats where debris tends to accumulate. Also, be sure to vacuum out the cup holders and cubby areas. If you have a trunk, vacuum that out as well.

Wipe-Down

Wiping down car dashboard
Wiping down car dashboard

Once everything has been vacuumed, it is time to clean all the plastic surfaces. Using a cleaner that is safe for plastics and a microfiber cloth, wipe down all plastic surfaces. Make sure to get the seatbelts too! If you want to add some shine to your dash, now would be the time to apply it.

Next, use glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth on the windows from the inside. Wipe down all windows from the inside, including the rear window and side windows.

Door Hinges and Door Jambs

Passenger side door hinges
Passenger side door hinges

We’re not done yet! There are still some places that we want to hit before we start washing the exterior. Grab a cloth and some cleaner and clean the door jambs and hinges. This will remove salt or sand that has found its way into these obscure areas. Clean around all doors and hinges (including a trunk or rear hatch) to make sure you get it out of these areas.

We’re done with the interior, so you can go ahead and put your floor mats and other accessories back in the vehicle. Let’s go tackle the outside next!

Exterior Car Care

It is important to clean the exterior from top to bottom. The reason is that water flows down along with any dirt that it picks up. Clean it thoroughly with soap, water, and a brush or sponge.

Undercarriage

Car undercarriage
Car undercarriage

Be sure to soak the undercarriage of the vehicle as well. It obviously will not be seen, but you need to clean it anyway due to the amount of salt that it has been exposed to over the winter. Salt can cause the frame, exhaust system, and suspension components to corrode. This is very important! You don’t have to scrub it, but a good high-pressure wash will definitely do it some good.

It is also important to get inside the wheel wells. Clean them with a high-pressure wash as well.

You can now move on and clean the tires and wheels. A high-pressure wash should take care of these. If not, you can use a brush or sponge to remove some of the more stubborn dirt and grime.

Wax

Person waxing their car
Person waxing their car

Once your car is clean, it might be time to give it a coat of wax. Wax helps protect the paint and adds a shine to the car. There are many different types of wax including paste, liquid, and spray wax. Paste wax takes the longest to put on but also offers the best protection out of the three.

Things to Check

Before you wrap things up, there are some important things to check to make sure your car is ready to go. Even if you have had your car in storage over the winter, these things should not be overlooked. These are maintenance items that need to be checked regularly so now is a good time to get that done.

Windshield Wipers

Windshield wiper inspection
Windshield wiper inspection

Winter can be hard on wiper blades since they must deal with ice and snow. Now would be the best time to check and replace your wiper blades if necessary. Be sure to check out our picks for the best windshield wiper blades and grab a set for your car!

Tires and Wheels

Woman adding air to tires
Woman adding air to tires

Winter causes tires to lose pressure so you want to check your tires and refill them as necessary. While you’re down there, it is also a good idea to check for loose lug nuts. Tighten them up if necessary. If you haven’t had your tires rotated recently, you might want to make plans to do that soon as well. If you use winter tires, now is good time to swap them out for your warmer weather tires.

Headlights

Cleaning headlights
Cleaning headlights

Make sure the lenses of your headlights and signals are clear and bright. Lenses can become foggy over time and can look cloudy. This can diminish the performance of your headlights. If your lenses are foggy, consider getting some headlight defogger to clear them up.

Air Conditioner

Checking air temperature
Checking air temperature

The summer heat may still be a couple of months away, but now is a great time to make sure your A/C is blowing cold air. If it is not blowing cold air, then you may have a leak and will need to get it charged with freon before summer comes along.

Fluid Levels

Checking oil levels
Checking oil levels

Unless you drive an EV, you’ll need to check the oil. You’ll also want to check your windshield washer fluid, automatic transmission fluid, and coolant levels as well. Top these off if needed.

Time to Hit the Road!

Happy driver
Happy driver

That’s it! You’re good to go now!

It is very important to perform a Spring cleaning on your vehicles. It is not just for aesthetic purposes but a way to protect your vehicle from corrosion caused by road salt and grime. Putting in a little extra effort to clean it thoroughly will pay off as your car ages.

It also helps welcome the new season in all the right ways. After all, there is nothing quite like a clean ride!

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2022 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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D.L. Shepherd

D.L. Shepherd’s love of anything with an engine and everything that goes fast was kickstarted as a child who spent time at the local dragstrip and dirt track. At Bluefield University, D.L. explored creative writing with published pieces in the university's literary journal. He then worked as a Sales Rep. for Harley-Davidson and as an electronic technician. Now, he's using his expertise as an author. With an endless interest in learning about new cars and analyzing all of their specs, D.L. specializes in vehicle reviews of all kinds.

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