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With public transport mostly shut and large parts of the country in lockdown, you need to rely on your own car if you need to get the groceries or see the doctor. So how do you keep your car clean from the Coronavirus?
- Protect your Face: Studies have shown that the Coronavirus can survive on hard surfaces for days, especially if your car is in a covered parking spot and not exposed to direct sunlight. So make sure you are wearing a mask and avoid touching your mouth or eyes as soon as you get into your car.
- Door Handles are Key: Before you get into the car, make sure you clean all the door handles thoroughly with disinfectant wipes.
- Throw Out the Trash: Before you give your car a thorough wipe-down, you need to make sure that it isn’t harbouring any trash. So get rid of old wrappers, bottles, cans and any other junk. Make sure seat pockets and cup holders for any little pieces of waste that may be lying about.
- One Towel per Car: Make sure you have a separate towel for your car and stick to one individual towel for each vehicle you own. A microfiber cloth is ideal for car cleaning applications, but if you don’t have one handy, a normal towel or soft cloth will do the job as well.
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- Disinfect the Cleaning Towel: Whatever the type of cloth you opt for make sure you disinfect it, both before and after the car cleanup operation.
Image by Willfried Wende from Pixabay
- Right Product for Right Surface: Surfaces such as touchscreens and infotainment systems can’t be exposed to too much liquid, rubber surfaces will deteriorate if you use an alcohol-based cleaner, and if you have leather seats, they too will need to be cleaned without too much water application. So use the appropriate cleaning product based on the surface you are cleaning. If you have normal fabric seats, they can take pretty much anything so give them a proper scrub. If you aren’t sure what to use, stick to a solution of mild disinfecting hand-wash soap diluted with water.
- Spray the Towel, Not the Surface: Err on the side of caution and spray or dab the towel with the disinfectant or cleaning solution and then apply the towel to the surface you want to clean rather than pouring the cleaner straight to the surface.
Image by Dariusz Sankowski from Pixabay
- Focus on the Touch-points: There are certain parts of the car that you tend to touch most often, make sure to give them a thorough cleaning. Here’s a list of parts to focus on –
- Steering Wheel
- Touchscreen/Infotainment
- Gear lever/Drive mode selector
- Seat belts and belt receptacles
- Emergency brake lever/button
- Paddle shifters
- Window buttons/levers, central locking button and mirror adjusters
- Door handles and individual lock buttons
Image by Renate Köppel from Pixabay
9. Keep that Sanitizer Handy: Once your car is clean on the inside, make sure you keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in your glove compartment. Use it as soon as you get into your car and just before you leave it. Don’t be greedy, share it with your passengers too.
Image by Martin Slavoljubovski from Pixabay
10. Wash Your Hands When Done: When you get home from cleaning your car, or even after driving it, make sure you don’t touch your face or anything else until you have thoroughly washed your hands. Make sure you do a thorough job and wash up for at least 20 seconds.
If your city is in lockdown, stay at home and follow all the rules laid down by the government. Self-isolation and social distancing are important in the battle against the Coronavirus. Avoid going out as much as possible, and stay safe. Having said that, make sure you fire up your car and keep the engine running on idle for five to ten minutes every four or five days. That way, when the lockdown lifts and you are finally allowed to move about again, you won’t continue to be stuck because your battery is dead.
