While most of us will be following government orders and staying home to stem the spread of the Coronavirus, it is possible some of us may have to travel for emergencies or because our jobs force us to. Apart from keeping our cars ever ready to not fail if such a situation does arise, it is also important to know how to clean and disinfect the car to stop you and your loved ones from getting infected by this highly communicable disease.
Exterior cleaning
Apart from the usual full-body wash here are some of the most touched surfaces on the outside of a car which should be regularly cleaned:
- Door handles
- Window frame (often used to help open doors better)
- Boot opening button
- Boot lid base (often used to close the boot lid)
It is not recommended that you use any products meant for cleaning surfaces in your home, like table tops or the floor - these will damage the paint of the car. Instead use a solution made up of car shampoo and water, dip a microfibre cloth in and wipe the above mentioned areas - wipe dry with a clean microfibre cloth afterwards.
Interior cleaning
A car’s interior can be a hotbed of germs if not maintained properly, at this particular moment of time it is even more important to regularly clean it. The following are the touchpoints which need to be disinfected more than usual -
- Door handles
- Door pulls
- Window switches
- Seatbelts
- Key-slot/power button
- Steering wheel
- Steering column mounted control stalks
- Gear-lever
- Touchscreen
- A/C controls
- Cupholders
- Headrest
Apart from the standard vacuum cleaning and cleaning that you normally do, also give extra attention to the spots mentioned above. While isopropyl alcohol and household disinfectant products with 70 per cent alcohol content can be used to disinfect the interior, these can cause some surfaces to discolour in the long run.
Instead, car specific interior cleaners can be used for the non-porous materials like plastics and trim, while leather specific products should be used to clean leather upholstery. A wet vacuum can be a great addition to your tool list, especially if you have fabric upholstery.
Wash your hands
The best way to avoid getting infected though is to wash and disinfect your hands regularly. Keep a bottle of hand sanitiser on your person (not in the car, extreme heat can destroy their effectiveness) and use it every time you touch any of the surfaces mentioned above. Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds whenever as regularly as possible.
Stay safe.
