(Image source from: pictures.dealer.com)

Car interiors are those germ filled places that people most often forget to clean. With the coronavirus pandemic all over, car cleaning should become a norm now.

The things we expect to least happen, happen the most, right? We never expected that a pandemic like this would ever come at least during out stint in this world.

However, now that we are almost acclimatized with the coronavirus and are carrying hand sanitizers everywhere, how long it has been that you have sanitized your car?

We, car interiors are those places where germs like to sit for long and we humans often tend to forget that our car interiors too need cleaning.

In this article, we will give you the best tips and methods to disinfect your car easily and make it virus-free.

How sick can your car get from coronavirus?

Any vehicle if not properly cleaned is sure to become an abode for viruses and germs. What should you do?

Experts suggest using hand sanitizers and disinfecting wipes to wipe down the highly touched areas.

A good routine would be clean the interior first with gloves on and then sanitize you hands before you get on to drive.

Make sure to sanitize your hands on hourly basis.

Surfaces like lock buttons, door handles, steering, seat belts, mirrors and music player buttons are the most touched surfaces inside a car. Concentrate more on them.

TIP: We do not recommend storing a large bottle of sanitizer in your car. The heat built up in the car can cause the alcohol in the sanitizer to burn resulting in the expansion of sanitizer bottle. Instead carry a pocket friendly bottle of sanitizer.

What’s the best way to clean your car to wipe out coronavirus?

Alcohol is the best cleaner and is also used by manufacturers of automotive interiors. All it takes is a quick wipe and all the germs and viruses are gone.

You can also go for soap water if you are allergic to alcohol.

Your steering wheel contains 4 times the amount of germs found on an average toilet seat. So, spend some extra time in cleaning the steering.

Also wipe the arm rests, display screens, cup holders and air conditioner vents. You’ll be surprised at the amount of dirt your wiping cloth will pick up in these areas.  

What should you NOT use to clean the interiors?

Though bleach and hydrogen peroxide are proven to kill coronavirus, they will cause a huge damage to vinyl or plastic surfaces used in the car.

Say a big NO to ammonia-based car cleaners. The ammonia breaks down the vinyl leaving the surfaces sticky when exposed to sunlight.

Also, a glass cleaner should not be used to clean display screens.

Here’s some new tech that can help waging a war against the virus:

1. HEPA Filtration

                      (Image source from: carsunivers.com)

It is a filter that removes 99.99% of the germs in the air. It can be placed in the cup holder slot in your car. Assuming you don’t have your car windows down, it would turn over the cabin air about twice in an hour.

2. UV Light

                      (Image source from: ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com)

Hospitals use a form of UV light called UV-C to sterilize the rooms. While some car manufacturers are factory mounting it on the ceiling, you can even buy these lights and get them fitted.

Hope you find the tips and tricks helpful in cleaning and sanitizing your car interiors. Stay home and stay safe.

By Gayatri Yellayi