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What are your best storage tips?

**THIS IS NOW AN EDITED LIST TO INCLUDE OTHERS SUGGESTIONS**

-Wash and wax car.
-Clean the interior, particularly of any bits of food.
-Cover with a breathable cover.
-Fresh oil change to remove any contaminants.
-Test antifreeze.
-Fill tank with non-ethanol fuel with fuel stabilizer. (I think Sta-bil or VP)
-Mouse traps and rodent repellent.
-Keep battery charged.
-Drive car before parking to ensure exhaust is dry.
-Fog engine for extra protection.
-Put a vapour tight cover on gas tank filler tube. *Leave a note reminding you to remove it in the spring!
-Over-inflate bias ply tires to prevent flat spotting. You can also roll your car a bit periodically to prevent this.
-Place a can over the tail pipe to keep mice from nesting in exhaust system.
-Mothballs to protect interior.
-Avoid starting car unless it can be completely warmed up.

If you have some storage tips leave a comment!

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I'd use a good amount of mousetraps around the car. Interested to hear others' suggestions on this.

I would trickle charge the battery indoors.

I think the tires would be fine from 6 months unless they are already old, but you can also just roll the car by hand like a foot halfway thru storage.

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A guy I know uses these for his holiday trailer, says he never has issues.

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Here in the great white north I have been putting cars away for the winter for over 40 years. I agree to take a load off the tires if they are bias belt, it is not so much as it hurts them to sit, but they seem to get flat spots that need to be 'exercised' out come spring otherwise. Radials do not do this likely due to the softer sidewall.
I leave the battery in the car, I fully charge the battery once a month on a regular charger. (I do not start them as has been pointed out before there is so much condensation created at start-up in cold weather that they would need to be driven until completely warm before turning off again and with the road salt/brine used up here that would be catastrophic.)
I have never had an issue with fuel going bad over 6 months, just too well blended anymore I guess. I know some of my peers simply shut-off the fuel supply in the fall when they are storing and run the engine until it stalls out emptying the carb and preventing varnish, again, I do not and have had no issues.
I agree with the fresh oil, any contaminants caused by blow by etc. are good to get out before the long sit. Change it hot to get the best result and then run it again until warm to thoroughly dilute any that may have stuck to the engine walls so they are well diluted. This will also address the exhaust system being well dried out too so no moisture sits in it over the winter months.
I have had no issues with vermin since I sealed the garage so I cannot help with that. I know one car I bought had dryer sheets and moth balls throughout to try and keep them at bay and the mice just used them for bedding, so I know that does not work.
I also like to apply a good coat of wax to seal the paint and bright work from dust and to keep any chance of chaffing of the car cover from happening.
Oh, make sure the snow shovel and Christmas lights are not between you and the car being stored (ask me how I know this!)
Bob J.

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Your list is pretty much complete. What about coolant antifreeze? And bird droppings should also be removed. A vehicle wash is recommended anyway. Dirt can act like emery under a tarp.

Bob J,

The mice used the dryer sheets for bedding!?!? I won't be trying that then, I'm not setting up a mouse hotel!

Thanks for the feedback!

Guscha,

Good call on adding an antifreeze check to the list. Thanks!

In addition to the above I would put a piece of steel wool in the tailpipe. This will prevent the rodents from building a nest in the muffler. I had mice build a nest in the muffler and it took me a while to figure out why the car wouldn't start in the spring.

Good idea. I'd dip the steel wool in oil prior to stuffing it in to prevent rust.

Rather than steel wool, I just slip a can over the end of the tailpipe and secure it with a wrap of duct tape. I no longer put the car up on jackstands but I do overinflate the bias ply tires for winter storage. Not had any tire flat-spotting since the days of Rayon cord. I do fog the engine internals with some motor oil, do an oil change, and put a vapor tight seal over the gas tank filler for my storage which is usually from late November until early April. Moth balls for the wool interior of course. Trickle charger on for a few hours once a month or so. I've been pretty much following this regime since the 1970s.