Keeping your car clean is an important parts of vehicle maintenance in general, and lockdown provides a good opportunity to do some detailed cleaning, inside and out.
If you’re not planning on driving it for a while afterwards, however, then it’s a good idea to invest in a good quality, breathable cover for the vehicle. Always make sure that the vehicle is both clean and dry before covering it, however, as leaving any sort of cover on a wet car would only trap the moisture in, and this does a lot more harm than good.
Storing a car away for months on end is very different to leaving it in your driveway for a week or two. If you’re not planning on using the car for a very long while, always make sure to leave it parked somewhere safe. A private garage is the best option, even at the best of times. If this isn’t an option, always opt for a parking spot that is sheltered from the elements, shaded from the sun and preferably well-lit.
If you have no other option than street parking, then a decent cover, as mentioned above, is pretty much a necessity. If you’re parked under a tree, for instance, this will protect your paintwork from tree sap and the local bird population, as well as adverse weather conditions.
If you’re parked on level ground, leave the car in gear, or Park if it’s an automatic (this helps prevent any movement) instead of using the handbrake (as this could stretch the handbrake cable or cause it to stick), and place chocks behind the wheels to further prevent any possible rolling. If you’re parked on a very public road or on a slope, however, then it goes without saying that you should not use this method.
A few other things to keep in mind, regarding long-term storage:
Place some plastic wrap under the wiper blades, to prevent the rubber from sticking to the windshield. Top up your fuel tank. This may sound counterintuitive, but a full tank leaves less room for condensation, which leads to rust forming. And lastly, top up other fluids, such as coolant, brake fluid or window wash, to reduce the chances of an unnecessary breakdown, and ensure that your vehicle is ready to drive once normality finally returns.