PlanetSafe Lubricants December Maintenance

Winter exposes the weak points in your gear. Cold metal contracts, moisture sneaks in, and anything that was already “kinda sticky” becomes fully frozen by January. The good news: a 20-minute lubrication run-through in early December prevents most of the failures people blame on the weather.

Here’s the short list worth hitting before temperatures drop for good:

• Hinges, latches, and locks
Cold makes metal shrink and cheap oils thicken. That’s why doors start groaning and garage hardware gets stiff. A clean synthetic lubricant keeps movement smooth even when temps hit freezing. (This is where PlanetSafe really separates from WD-40—ours stays slick in the cold without drying out.)

• Bearings and wheels on outdoor equipment
Deck wheels, snow-blower augers, trailer parts, anything that spins under load. Dry bearings don’t just get loud in winter—they fail. A few drops now extends the life of the entire machine.

• ATVs/UTVs before you run them in the cold
Cold weather magnifies resistance. If your suspension, joints, and moving parts were already borderline, they’ll become sluggish fast. A quick lube job now gives you a smoother ride and less wear when you take it out in snow or mud.

• Garage doors—top to bottom
This is the #1 cold-weather complaint we hear: “My garage door sounds like it’s dying.” It’s almost always dry rollers and rails. A proper lubricant quiets everything immediately and reduces strain on the motor.

• Tools you won’t touch again until spring
Metal sitting for months with moisture in the air? That’s how corrosion starts. Coat contact points now and you’ll pick up tools in April that still feel new.

Bottom line

Winter doesn’t actually “break” most equipment—lack of preventive lubrication does. Handle it once in early December and everything you rely on just works. If PSL had a tagline for winter, it’s this: Pay attention now, or deal with the noise later.