Car Storage Checklist: 5 Steps to Store Your Vehicle Right

Before anything else, wash the car. This step is the one most people skip because it feels optional — but it's foundational to everything that follows. If you cover a dirty car, you're trapping grit, brake dust, bird droppings, and other contaminants against the paint for months. When you pull the cover off in spring, that debris can scratch the clear coat.

What to cover in your wash-down:

• Exterior wash and dry: Hand wash if possible, then dry thoroughly — water spots that sit for months can etch into the finish
• Wheel wells and undercarriage: Mud and road salt trapped in these areas accelerate rust during storage
• Interior wipe-down: Remove food, crumbs, and debris from the cabin — these attract rodents, which you're about to protect against in step 2
• Windows: Clean glass reduces moisture accumulation and interior fogging during long storage

Rodent damage is the most underestimated storage risk — and one of the most expensive. Mice and rats look for warm, sheltered nesting spots, and a parked vehicle with an insulated engine bay is exactly that. Once inside, they chew wiring harnesses, nest in air filters, and shred upholstery. Repair bills for serious infestations can run $500–$3,000 or more.

Scent-based repellent pouches are the most practical solution for stored vehicles. Place them in the three areas rodents are most likely to enter:

• Engine bay: 1–2 pouches near the air intake and in the corners where rodents enter from underneath
• Cabin: 1–2 pouches under the front or rear seats
• Trunk or cargo area: 1–2 pouches to block rear entry

The 10-pack of Rodent Repellent Pouches included in the Storage Kit gives you more than enough coverage for one vehicle, with pouches left over for a second vehicle or future seasons.

A parked car still draws power. Every modern vehicle has some degree of parasitic drain from alarm systems, clocks, computers, and always-on electronics. Over weeks and months of storage, this slow draw kills the battery — leaving you with a dead car when you come back in spring.

Two approaches handle this reliably:

• Battery tender: Keeps the battery at full charge via a continuous trickle of electricity. Requires a power outlet near the vehicle.
• Quick-release battery terminal disconnect: Physically cuts the connection between the battery and the vehicle's electrical system. No power required. Works anywhere — storage units, barns, garages without outlets.

The Quick Release Battery Terminals in the Storage Kit replace your standard terminal bolts with lever-actuated disconnects. Install them once, then flip the lever to disconnect. Reconnect in 5 seconds when you're ready to drive — no tools, no hassle.

Even inside a garage or storage unit, dust and fine debris settle on paint during storage. A lightweight car cover creates a physical barrier that keeps the surface clean all season. When you pull it off in spring, the paint underneath looks exactly how it did the day you stored it.

For indoor use, prioritize breathability over weather resistance. A heavy, waterproof outdoor cover traps moisture underneath when used inside — not what you want for months of storage. Loose-fitting is also better than a tight-fit cover for easy on and off.

The Lightweight Indoor Car Cover comes in four sizes:

• Small: Mazda Miata, Subaru BRZ, Honda Civic, and similar compact cars
• Medium: Ford Mustang, Dodge Charger, BMW M3, and similar pony cars and sport sedans
• Large: Trucks, SUVs, and full-size classics
• X-Large: Full-size pickup trucks

Once the car is stored, the work is mostly done — but a periodic walk-around during the storage period is worth doing. You don't need to start it or move it. You're looking for anything that's changed since you stored it.

What to check during your visit:

• Signs of rodent activity: Droppings, chewed material, or disturbed pouches are signs your deterrents may need refreshing
• Moisture or leaks: Any pooling of water near the vehicle suggests a storage environment issue worth addressing
• Tire pressure: Cold temperatures cause pressure to drop — check that tires are still reasonably inflated
• Cover condition: Make sure the cover is sitting properly and hasn't shifted or been disturbed

Once a month is a reasonable cadence for most storage situations. If you stored the vehicle with the quick-release terminal disconnected, you don't need to start it for storage periods under six months — just look, don't touch.

What the Proper Garage Co. Storage Kit Covers

Steps 2, 3, and 4 of this checklist — rodent protection, battery disconnect, and paint cover — are all handled by the Proper Garage Co. Vehicle Storage Kit for $37.97. It includes:

• 10-pack Rodent Repellent Pouches (for Step 2)
• Quick Release Battery Terminals — levers only or full kit (for Step 3)
• Lightweight Indoor Car Cover in your choice of size S/M/L/XL (for Step 4)

Steps 1 and 5 — cleaning the car and checking on it during storage — you handle yourself. But the equipment-dependent steps, the ones that actually require you to source products, are done in one purchase.

Storing more than one vehicle? Grab 2 kits for 10% off or 3 kits for 15% off.

Who This Checklist Is For

This five-step process applies across different storage situations — but the urgency of each step depends on your setup. Here's how it maps to the most common scenarios.

Three Problems. One Box.

Steps 2, 3, and 4 of this checklist — the ones that require you to actually source products — are all handled by the Storage Kit in a single $37.97 purchase. Here's what each component does, with real customer voice on why it works.

Frequently Asked Questions