Don’t forget to include your car when Spring Cleaning

As you are planning  your spring cleaning, don’t forget to “spring clean your car.” Cars sometimes get neglected because we aren’t in them as often as our homes. There are some things you can do to make sure your car is ready for spring.  Winter can be harsh on your vehicle. You have all the salt and slush. You have washed your car since then, but it is more than just a simple car wash. You need to take the time to make some other adjustments as well. In the winter, you are less likely to get your car serviced. You don’t want to brave the cold to get an oil change, you put it off. While it is a pain, you don’t want to put it off any longer. When you don’t get your oil changed, it can clog your car’s arteries.

You should schedule a yearly physical for your car to make sure everything is still working correctly. Spring is a great time for this. You don’t want to find out your air conditioning doesn’t work in the summer. Summer is also busy with your kids out of school and road trips.

Take inventory on your car safety kit, replace anything old that expires, replenish and make sure you have plenty of supplies. Don’t forget to add a battery operated fan and lots of water.

You also need to make sure your car is clean on the inside. You may have old receipts, parking garage tickets, trash or half eaten snacks in your glove box or consul. Make sure you have plenty of trash bags, check your registration and insurance and make sure everything is up to date. It’s easy to forget when to purchase new tags.

Vacuum your car’s seats and rugs. If you have stains in the car, use baby wipes to remove them. For bigger stains use a carpet cleaning solution. That will help your car stay in better shape.

Make sure you have change in your car in a safe place for tolls and emergencies. You can still find payphones at some gas stations.

Check your charging cords for damage. They don’t seem to last a long time, and being pulled in the car may cause them to fray.

Go through your kids’ car activities bag, exchange out the books, replace or sharpen colored pencils, add new activities, it will make it a lot easier on long car rides. Remember not to include crayons, melted crayon is a messy monster.

You should replace your windshield wipers, top off all your fluids. Make sure your car has the coolant it needs.  Rotating your tires and checking your brakes are also important.  It’s better to be prepared.