Whether the lockdown continues until the end of May, or whether Illinois is open for business, to a further extent, before that, you now have time to wash the salt of another winter away. Carwashes are still, generally, open for business, at least in locations where you get your gasoline. You can maintain social distancing while driving/riding through the carwash.

That salt is corrosive to the finish, undercarriage and parts of your car. Washing it away is a good thing, especially when you have the rest of spring, all of summer, and part of next fall before you should have to worry about municipalities, townships, counties or the state putting more salt on the road.

However, since you may have some extra time on your hands, maybe you’d like to wash the car yourself in the driveway. You can do so while maintaining appropriate distance from other people. In the meantime, you have a reason to be outdoors on some of the nicer days we’re expecting this week.

According to the weather report, while we may have thunderstorms on Tuesday, Thursday through next Sunday, we’re expected to have partly sunny conditions. Temperatures during that period are expected to range from a low of 57-degrees on Thursday to a high of 71-degrees on Saturday.

Spring is blooming: why not take advantage of it

Getting out of the house is, well a breath of fresh air. And it’s overdue. With the coronavirus, our escape from cabin fever has been delayed. We’re due. You’re due. You might even discover it's a good family activity.

While washing the exterior of your car, you can also clean the interior. If you don’t have them, the products you’ll need to do a complete job of cleaning your car, inside and out, are available at places, such as Walmart. They recommend you wear a facemask while in Walmart. And, keep in mind to avoid putting your hands near your face until you’ve had a chance to wash them after shopping.

Cleaning off the residue of winter is a good thing to do for your car, and getting outside to do it is a good thing for you. But don’t forget that your car probably requires some timely maintenance, too.

It’s also time for post-winter auto maintenance

There are a number of maintenance considerations for you to take into account, including:

• Is your car due for an oil change? 
• Have you had the steering and suspension checked? 
• How about the alignment?
• Is the coolant ready to keep the engine cool for the summer?
• Is the air conditioning ready to keep you cool over the course of the summer?
• How’s your car running in general?

If any of these factors are on your car’s to-do list, the lockdown is an excellent time to take care of them. With some auto repair shops, such as Performance Unlimited, they’ll even send out a technician to pickup your car, bring it in for the work, and return it, all with the safety and courtesy of a sanitary approach.