The government has issued advice to ‘stay home and stay safe’ to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). they advise you to only use your car for essential reasons so for millions of non-key workers up and down the country or people simply working from home or furloughed, their cars will be lying idle for long periods of time, sitting on a driveway unmoved and untouched. So as long as its safe and possible, it’s essential to care for your car so that you’re not left stranded when it’s safe to return to work or needed for essential travel.

Here is a handy guide to give your car some simple maintenance whilst it’s not in use (you should only carry these out where it is safe to do so and doesn’t require a special journey. If any of these cannot be done safely, wait until COVID-19 restrictions are lifted).

IS EVERYTHING SWITCHED OFF?

Be sure to check that everything is switched off on your vehicle. There would be nothing worse than being unable to start the car when you need it because a sidelight has been left on or a door hasn’t been closed properly, draining your car’s battery.

KEEP YOUR BATTERY CHARGED

Depending upon circumstances, there’s a few options to help keep your battery charged during COVID-19, so that your car starts when you need it:

• Disconnect your battery
  If you have the knowledge to do so, disconnecting your battery will prevent it from going flat whilst your car isn’t being used.
• Invest in a trickle charger 
  A trickle charger will slowly add charge to your battery, keeping it from depleting whilst it’s sat and not being used. These are often used by vehicle owners accustomed to having vehicles stored for a long period of time in a garage or undercover. A trickle charger requires a source of electricity close-by.

START YOUR CAR ONCE A WEEK

If you are unable to disconnect the battery or apply a trickle charger, we’d recommend starting your car once or twice weekly to keep the battery topped-up and ensure everything is still running smoothly. Simply start your car out of gear with the handbrake firmly on and leave it running for between 5-10 minutes. This won’t drastically alter the amount of battery charge in modern vehicles, but older cars will benefit from doing this. For health and safety, ensure you always stay with the vehicle and the vehicle needs to be outside with plenty of ventilation.

CHECK YOUR TYRES

Keeping your car in the same spot for more than a week can result in a flat spot on your tyres. To avoid this, move your vehicle back or forward slightly once weekly.

Whilst you are by your vehicle, take the time to inspect your tyres to make sure they are correctly inflated.

WASH YOUR CAR

Provided it is safe to do so we recommend giving your car a thorough clean. If your car has been left standing for a period of time dust will build up which can effect your paintwork, especially if you have your car on the roadside or in a drive quite close to a main road. A good shampoo wash will help remove the dust build-up and minimise its effects on your bodywork.

COVER UP

Keep your car in a garage or under a cover if possible. This protect the vehicles paintwork, especially if you normally park near a tree, or somewhere that often results in bird droppings on your car.