Your Garage Supply Checklist
What is a kitchen? The answer that springs to mind is probably “the room where you make food.” But no kitchen is complete if food is all it contains. You also need a wide array of tools to clean, measure, chop, peel, mix, cook, serve, and pack what you want to eat. Otherwise, you have no choice but to eat everything raw, which doesn’t always taste very good.
The same is true for your garage. Its primary purpose is to store your car, of course, and all the products required to keep it in good condition. But it takes some basic supplies to use those products properly. Consider every step in putting a cleaning or detailing product to work, and you won’t find yourself short of crucial tools at the last minute. Here are just a few that every car owner needs on hand:
Microfiber towels
There’s no end to what you can do with a set of scratch-resistant, reusable towels, from removing excess cleaner and polish to buffing out scratches. Our 303 Ultra Plush Microfiber Towels come in packs of three and can be washed and dried with your laundry.
Brushes
The main purpose of your brushes is to loosen and remove dirt and debris. For the best results, it’s important to match the cleaning task to the right type of bristle and grip. You’ll want a variety of brushes to suit specific parts of your car, from tires to leather to fabric convertible tops.
Sponges, wash mitts, and wax applicators
When the sun is out and it’s a perfect day for a wash and wax, a bucket of soapy water is only the beginning. Our TriNova Car Wash Bundle comes with all the cleaning products you’ll need for your paint, tires, and interior plastic, plus the accessories that will allow you to get the job done right.
Steel wool
For cleaning tasks that take a little extra elbow grease, like removing rust from chrome and other metal, a piece of steel wool can help you get the work done fast. If you find yourself missing steel wool when you need it the most, you can substitute a ball of aluminum foil dipped in water or vinegar.
Sanding and touch-up tools
Sanding is a key step in removing deep scratches from your paint and cracks from your leather. For smaller marks, you can sand by hand and touch it up with a paint pen. For larger marks, you may need a rotary buffer. Always remember to sand across the marks you want to remove, not up and down.
Handheld vacuum
This is the quickest way to remove dust and crumbs from your carpets and floor mats. For dusting in small crevices where a vacuum might be too powerful, keep some Q-tips, toothbrushes, or small paintbrushes in your garage.
Jack and jack stands
For tire changes, brake pad changes, and anything that will require you to lift your car off the ground, never try it without placing a pair of jack stands under safe spots like the frame or suspension mounting point. Knowing where to use your jack and jack stands is even more important for your car’s safety and your own than having them ready to go.
Toolbox
You probably already have a basic tool kit in your garage for household work. For your car, add a multi-bit screwdriver, a wrench set, a socket set, a funnel, a piston tool, and a pair of safety glasses. This will ensure that you’re equipped for maintenance tasks of all shapes and sizes.