Spring Cleaning Your Car: Checklist for Vehicle Maintenance and Auto Insurance

Spring is a great time to thoroughly clean your vehicle, restoring its appearance after the harsh winter months. Your car spring cleaning checklist should also include various types of maintenance that can extend the life of your vehicle and prevent mechanical breakdowns — along with a comprehensive review of your auto insurance coverage needs and driving habits.

Below, we’ve outlined essential steps for spring cleaning a car — from ridding the interior air of allergens to tackling the hidden nooks crammed with debris and salt accumulation that could cause rust.

Key Takeaways As part of your spring cleaning, remove salt and grime that accumulated on the outside of your car during winter so you can prevent rust and other kinds of corrosion. Cleaning your seats and other parts of the interior of your vehicle can eliminate odor-causing bacteria and allergens, while cleaning your windows and mirrors can improve visibility while driving. Regular maintenance activities — like changing your cabin air filter, rotating your tires and getting your oil changed — can improve your car’s fuel economy, performance and overall driving experience. Review your car insurance policy at least once per year, and consider shopping around to see if you can find a better deal on the right coverage for your situation. Practicing safe driving habits can help you maintain a clean driving record and secure auto insurance savings.

What Are the Benefits of Cleaning Your Car in Spring?

Spring cleaning is beneficial because it may help preserve your vehicle’s appearance, structural integrity and resale value. Grime and debris can lead to rust or other types of corrosion if left untreated, so it’s important to clean your car in the spring to address any road salt stuck to the undercarriage or other parts of the car where you may have tracked salt, such as the brakes.

In addition, cleaning the interior of your car can eliminate allergens and bacteria, creating a healthier environment and improving the air quality inside the vehicle. Meanwhile, clean windshields, windows and mirrors enhance driver safety by improving visibility. Finally, clean cars generally operate more efficiently, leading to better fuel economy.^[1]

What Do You Need To Do To Clean Your Car This Spring?

The following sections go over the main steps you need to take as you spring clean your car after the winter months, from clearing out the clutter inside your car to making it shine bright both on the exterior and under the hood.

1. Brush and Vacuum the Interior

You can begin deep cleaning your car’s interior surfaces by using a brush to gently clear dust from vents, buttons and seat crevices and thoroughly vacuuming these areas to remove dirt. Also, be sure to discard all trash, such as empty containers, and organize personal items — like gum, sunglasses and other things you keep in your car — in designated storage areas.

If there are articles of loose clothing in your car, remember to bring them into your home and wash them. It’s also a good idea to put an air freshener in your car to add a pleasant aroma and enhance cleanliness. For carpets and floor mats affected by winter grime, use a stiff brush to loosen dirt before vacuuming to ensure a clean, fresh appearance.

2. Hand Wash the Exterior

To maintain your car’s paint job, gently hand wash the exterior with a rubber squeegee and apply car wax. You’ll generally want to use a specialized car wash solution instead of household dish soap, which may strip away your car’s wax coating. Additionally, consider manually drying your vehicle with a microfiber cloth after washing it to eliminate water spots and prevent mineral or dirt residue from remaining on your car and damaging its finish.^[2]

3. Check Your Windshield Wipers and Windows

Check your windshield wipers for grime, and clean them if necessary so they don’t leave smudges on your front windshield whenever you use them. Test your wipers after cleaning them to ensure they are still functioning properly, and replace them as needed to maintain effectiveness. Also, take the time to wipe down your windows with an ammonia-free glass cleaner and microfiber cloth so you can restore their shine without leaving behind any streaks.

Don’t forget to roll down your windows so you can clean the top edges of the windows as well.

4. Change Your Cabin Air Filter (If Needed)

If you are allergic to pollen, it’s crucial to regularly inspect and replace your car’s cabin air filter to mitigate the recirculation of pollen and other air contaminants that could aggravate your allergies. Auto manufacturers often recommend replacing your cabin air filter every 15,000 to 30,000 miles or — if you drive less frequently — every 18 to 36 months.^[3]

Keep in mind that you may need to replace your air filter even sooner if you notice an odor when you run your air conditioner or there is more dust in your car than usual. Meanwhile, spring is a good time to check your air conditioning system and make sure it’s fully functional before the weather heats up in summer, since you may not have used it during the cold weather in winter.

5. Deep Clean Your Seats

Deep cleaning with a wet vacuum can remove dirt and dust that accumulates in your car’s seats over time — pay attention to the shampoo you use, though, as fabric seats may need to be treated with a different solution than leather seats.^[4] Before applying a solution to all of your seats, consider spot testing in an inconspicuous location to confirm it won’t cause discoloration across your upholstery. You may also want to revitalize leather seats using leather conditioner.

6. Check and Rotate Your Tires

It’s a good idea to clean your car’s tires with products that are not acidic to keep the wheels from corroding. A stiff brush is a great tool for scrubbing away tough grime, while a toothbrush may be more beneficial for cleaning hard-to-reach areas. This approach ensures thorough cleanliness without chemical damage, keeping your tires in the best condition possible.

In addition, it’s wise to use a soapy sponge to remove dirt from your hubcaps. Afterward, take the time to verify that your tires are sufficiently inflated to avoid blowouts while driving. Recommended tire pressure usually falls between 28 and 36 pounds per square inch, but check your owner’s manual to figure out the specific PSI recommendation for your vehicle’s tires.^[5]

If you had previously installed snow tires due to the high rate of winter weather in your area, consider swapping the snow tires out for all-season variants in the spring. Even if you don’t have the time or money to change your tires to a more season-appropriate type, at least consider rotating your tires to ensure even wear and maintain consistent traction while driving.

7. Change Your Oil (If It’s Time)

Most cars need an oil change every 5,000 to 7,500 miles to ensure they’re still working properly — although older vehicles that use less advanced oil blends may instead need their oil changed every 3,000 miles.^[6] Requirements may ultimately vary by car make and model, so it’s best to check your owner’s manual to definitively determine how often your car needs an oil change.

Putting off getting your oil checked can lead to numerous negative consequences, including engine overheating, damage to engine components, dirt buildup and worsened fuel efficiency.^[6] As a result, it’s important to be proactive about getting your oil changed rather than waiting for your engine oil light to come on so you can prevent unnecessary strain on your engine.

You can manually check if it’s time to change your oil by inserting a dipstick into the oil tank and seeing if the oil level is too low. Also, motor oil is naturally a light color — so if it appears dark or sludge-like on the dipstick, it may be time to change the oil.^[7] Although electric vehicles don’t require oil changes, you will still need to conduct routine checks on the fluids your EV requires, such as coolant, brake fluid and windshield washer fluid.^[8]

8. Review Your Car Insurance

It’s recommended that you review your insurance policies at least once per year and whenever you experience a major life event.^[9] Assess whether your car insurance coverage is still adequate given any changes that have occurred since you bought the policy. For example, if you have installed aftermarket parts into your vehicle, you may want to look into modified car insurance because some policies provide limited coverage for those modifications.^[10]

Additionally, you need to make sure your policy’s deductibles and premiums aren’t so high that they place a significant strain on your finances, and you should explore your eligibility for new discounts, such as safe driving discounts. It’s also helpful to compare auto insurance quotes from various insurers to make sure you get the best possible deal while maintaining sufficient coverage.

If you plan to switch to a different insurance carrier, don’t cancel your current policy until after your new one begins — otherwise, you could experience a costly lapse in coverage.

9. Keep Your Driving Record Clean

During your car spring cleaning process, remember the importance of maintaining a clean driving record. Drivers who avoid getting into car accidents that necessitate insurance claims generally get to pay less for auto insurance. Some steps that can help you stay accident-free include taking a defensive driving course, staying away from rush hour traffic if possible and limiting your vehicle use altogether when appropriate.

Is Spring a Good Time To Shop for Car Insurance?

Springtime is as good a time as any to shop around for car insurance. Ultimately, insurance companies generally don’t take the time of year into account when setting your car insurance rates. Instead, they will pay attention to information like your location, the type of vehicle you drive, your driving record, your claims history and similar personal details.

If your current policy is coming up for renewal soon, take some time to compare quotes from different auto insurance companies to see if you can find the coverage you need at a lower price. When you shop through SmartFinancial, you only need to fill out one questionnaire, and you may be matched with high-quality insurance policies in as little as a few minutes. Click here to begin comparing car insurance quotes for free through SmartFinancial!