Car Care: How to Maintain your Car at Home

1. Create a Car Check Routine

Get into the habit of checking your car’s vitals every other time you stop at the petrol station to fill up. This should include:
 

• Cleaning your windshield
  
  A dirty windshield can obscure your vision while driving and your car’s water spray will only do so much. Get into a cleaning routine by keeping a squeegee and windscreen cleaner in your car. Start by spraying the entire windshield with the cleaning product and then pull the squeegee from the centre out to the sides and remove any remaining streaks by pulling it down to the bottom. 

• Checking your tyre pressure 
  
  Keep   tyres  at the correct pressure to extend their lifespan and stay safe on the roads. Checking the pressure at every other petrol stop will allow you to catch any issues and add air if you need it.
  
  
  You should check your tyre’s pressure before driving more than a short distance so that they are “cold”. Check your owner’s manual to find the level your tyre pressure should be at and check it with the pressure gauge at your local petrol station. Fill tyres with air when needed. If you are unsure at all, contact a mechanic.
   

• Checking oil levels 
  
  Engine oil is essential to keep your car running smoothly. Oil lubricates the moving parts within your car’s engine to avoid damaging it.
  
  To check your oil levels park on level ground and open your car bonnet. Find the dipstick, pull it out and wipe it clean with some tissue. Then dip the dipstick back into the oil making sure that it goes all the way in. Remove the dipstick again and check how far along the dipstick you can see the oil. This correlates to how much oil is in your car and whether you need to top up or not.
  
  As well as engine oil your car may have reservoirs for brake fluid, engine coolant, windscreen fluid and power steering fluid. Check their levels regularly and keep them topped up to the correct level. 

2. Wash Your Car Regularly 

Our car’s paintwork is subject to sun, grease, grime, rain, tree sap and bird droppings. Each of these eat away at the paint and metal and can cause permanent damage to your car. Washing your car regularly can keep this damage to a minimum. You can wash your car at home or at your local gas station. 

How often should I wash my car?

This mostly depends on your local climate. If your car is subject to lots of pollution or sea salt in the air you may need to wash it more frequently up to two or three times a month. If these elements don’t affect you as much you can wash your car once a month. 

3. Clean the Inside of Your Car Regularly

Don’t allow the inside of your car to become a dumping area for coffee cups, water bottles and other pieces of rubbish. Collect any rubbish from your car every time you leave it and have use of a bin nearby.

To keep the inside of your car clean you should apply car polish to the surfaces and hoover the floor and floor mats. If you have fabric seats treat any stains before they cause permanent marks or if you have leather seats treat them with leather conditioner to avoid tears. 

Take pride in your car and avoid feeling embarrassed and declaring “please excuse the state of my car” when you have an unexpected passenger. 

For more tips on looking after your car read our articles on how to save fuel, how to keep your car safe from theft and ways to get your car winter-ready.

Car Insurance is another essential for taking care of your car. Ensure your car and its passengers are protected with a comprehensive insurance policy from AIG. Each of our comprehensive policies come with breakdown assist, windscreen cover, new car replacement and other benefits included as standard. Get an online car insurance quote today.