Gearing Up for Summer Road Trips –  WaterSavers® Giveaway!

carwash disclosure 2waterSaversLogo_2014_4c_hz-01

Winters can be tough on your vehicle – especially the brutal one we just put behind us.  Now that warmer weather is finally here it’s the perfect time to get your car ready for summer driving.    We always plan a few road trips each summer and really look forward to them.  Last year our  road trip included a drive to the Upper Peninsula and northern Minnesota.  

Road Trip 2013

The year before that we headed to Montreal and Quebec City and had a fabulous time.

Quebec City

 

We haven’t picked our destination but we’re thinking of heading west this time.   

 I have some tips to share on behalf of WaterSavers®, a consumer awareness campaign from the nonprofit International Carwash Association® (ICA) to help you gear up for your upcoming road trips and to take car of damage done by this year’ tough winter.  WaterSavers has also been kind enough to also offer a fun giveaway – more on that later.

 

 

Here are four eco-friendly car tips to get you back on the road and to have a safe and fun journey:

 

1.       Wash your car at a professional car wash. Winter months can be especially hard on your vehicle and washing your car is an easy first step to making your car feel new again. Using a professional car wash is a great way to protect the environment. According to the International Carwash Association, WaterSavers professional car washes use an average of 40 gallons of water or less per car while recycling and filtering their water to prevent harmful chemicals from going into our rivers and streams. Professional car washes also remove salt from the undercarriage of your vehicle, which is a must after a long winter.  By comparison, the average home washing machine uses 41 gallons per cycle, and a garden hose uses 63 gallons of water in just five minutes. You can learn more, and find a WaterSavers wash at Washwithwatersavers.com.

 

2.       Give the inside a deep clean. Winter’s elements are hard on the outside of your car, but many people forget the abuse the vehicle’s interior takes as well. Think of how many times you’ve crawled into your vehicle with dirty, snowy feet and you can begin to understand why cleaning the inside is necessary. Apply some baking soda and a rubber sponge to your floor mats for an environmentally friendly and efficient clean. Then, wipe down interior surfaces with a microfiber cloth and vacuum the fabric and floor to remove dirt, sand, salt and dust.

 

3.       Don’t forget the maintenance check. Winter is finally over, but that doesn’t mean your vehicle can skip an overall maintenance check, especially if you want to save energy. Make sure to have your oil changed and give your vehicle an once-over. Check the fluid levels as well. The more efficiently your vehicle runs, the more gas you’ll save. 

 

4.       How’s your tire pressure and alignment? Low tire pressure will cause your vehicle to overexert itself and waste gas so make sure your tires are up to the task. Your tires list their recommended pressure on the side. If you can’t find it, you can find the recommended tire pressure in your owner’s manual. It is also a good idea to have a certified technician conduct an alignment test since it could have been thrown off by driving over pot holes during the winter months.

 

You can connect with WaterSavers in the following ways:

 

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/ICA.WaterSavers

Twitter:       https://twitter.com/Water_Savers

 

Now for the Giveaway! 

 

One lucky Detroit Mommies reader will win a WaterSavers  Prize Pack that includes the following items::

 back passenger's seat in car

Gap Stick

A versatile auto accessory to help access the hard-to-reach areas of a vehicle. Designed with a strong magnetic hook, the gap stick can pick up a key ring, jewelry or anything else that has slipped between the seat and the center console.

Phone Caddy

  • A plastic phone holder that clips to air vents in any vehicle to keep your phone in view for GPS usage and close to charging outlets.

Auto Trash Bag

  • A sleekly designed bag with a bottom zippered compartment for extra garage bags or hand wipes.

$50 Visa Gift Card

 

 Enter the contest by using the Rafflecopter form below.  
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Detroit Mommies Expert Contributor
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Sarah Hirsch
Sarah Hirsch
9 years ago

mackinac island

tamlyn
tamlyn
9 years ago

Salmon River , Idaho!!

Debnmike moretti
Debnmike moretti
9 years ago

We are planning a road trip to Oregon. So excited!!

Leidy
Leidy
9 years ago

We are going to San Antonio, Austin and Houston this summer

Stephanie
Stephanie
9 years ago

i might go to new york city

amy pugmire
amy pugmire
9 years ago

we are heading up to seattle washington this summer

Barbara Montag
Barbara Montag
9 years ago

Hopefully the road trip will lead us to Denver CO.
thank you

Kelly D
Kelly D
9 years ago

My road trip will lead me to Mystic, CT

Ashley Tucker
Ashley Tucker
9 years ago

My road trip is taking me to St. Pete beach Florida

Kristen
Kristen
9 years ago

We’re thinking about taking a trip to Seattle.

Teresa
Teresa
9 years ago

We will road trip to Ashville, NC

Chris Jett
Chris Jett
9 years ago

I’m headed to Nashville, Tn.

Ellie W
Ellie W
9 years ago

We may travel from Dallas to Memphis to visit family.

Tabathia B
Tabathia B
9 years ago

At the end of the month to Wilmington, NC

Betsy Barnes
Betsy Barnes
9 years ago

We live very close to the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina and my hubby has a Harley with a sidecar. This summer, we plan on a number of road trips along the beautiful parkway. We head out early, stop for lunch and lots of photo breaks, always a fun time 🙂

Jessica To
Jessica To
9 years ago

We are hoping to head to a water park and an amusement park.

Beth W
Beth W
9 years ago

Our road trip is taking us to Oklahoma this year.

Denise L
Denise L
9 years ago

Right now the only road trip we have planned is to visit my in laws for their 50th wedding anniversary in Arthur, Il. Hoping to work in another fun trip this summer.

Janet W.
Janet W.
9 years ago

My road trip is going to lead us to Destin, FL this summer!

courtney b
courtney b
9 years ago

we will go to south carolina this summer !:) very exciting, cant wait

Elena
Elena
9 years ago

we are going to Yosemite National Park

Elle
Elle
9 years ago

I plan on going to visit family for Father’s Day for a big family get together and the home where it’s happening is quite a while away so road trip for us.

Thomas Murphy
Thomas Murphy
9 years ago

I am taking a road trip to Maine this summer.

steven weber
steven weber
9 years ago

Going to Indiana to see Dave Matthews Band for 2 days.

Karen Glatt
Karen Glatt
9 years ago

My road trip is going to be from Washington State to California to visit my sister!!

Lisa Brown
Lisa Brown
9 years ago

our road trip will be to oregon

Laura
Laura
9 years ago

We’re hoping to head down to the gulf several times this summer! It’s about a 3 hour drive for us. so frequent trips shouldn’t be too much of a hassle!

Amanda Sakovitz
Amanda Sakovitz
9 years ago

ill be going to CT.

Mary Happymommy
Mary Happymommy
9 years ago

We’re going to Myrtle Beach.

Laura Meils
Laura Meils
9 years ago

A trip up north michigan

Noreen
9 years ago

A road trip to Portland

Blessie Nelson
Blessie Nelson
9 years ago

Its going to span a few states and the smoky mountains!

Nicole DZ
Nicole DZ
9 years ago

My road trip is taking me to Fort Worth Texas this summer to see my sister, niece, nephew, & brothers.

HS
HS
9 years ago

We are going to Rhode Island for vacation.

anna pry
anna pry
9 years ago

our road trip will be to tennessee this summer