Keep your car prepared for post-lockdown

While you are constantly washing hands and sanitizing frequently-touched surfaces to fight the pandemic, don’t forget to take care of your car. You might not be using it right now, but it’s important to sanitize it too.

Disinfecting a car goes far beyond the steering wheel. There are many surfaces in your car that get touched on an average trip. The door handles inside and out, control knobs and buttons, the touch screen, even your directional and wiper control stalks are used almost every time you drive your car.

List of common car touchpoints

• Key/remote
• Door handle(s)
• Liftgate or trunk release handle
• Engine start button
• Seat adjustment controls (and seat memory buttons)
• Rearview mirror
• Side mirror controls
• Whole steering wheel, buttons and tilt/telescope adjustment
• Turn signal and wiper stalks
• Seat belt buckle
• Shifter
• Touchscreen
• All dashboard controls
• Any centre console controls
• Overhead controls
• Grab handles
• Armrests, centre console latch
• Glove box, vents, etc.

Before you get all geared up to sanitize your beloved car, it’s good to know a thing or two about how to do it properly. For example, the interior of most cars is made up of a number of different materials, so it’s important to use the right products and techniques to disinfect your car.

Things to remember while sanitizing your car

• Don’t use bleach or hydrogen peroxide in your car. They can easily damage the upholstery
• Never use anything that has ammonia in it to clean the touch screen in your car. Because it will strip off anti-glare and anti-fingerprint coatings
• If you’re low on cleaning supplies, soap and water are also a safe solution for most surfaces. But don’t forget to be gentle
• Wipe down leather gently with a microfiber cloth (it’s always better than using cotton cloth); rubbing too vigorously could start to remove the colour from the dye in the leather
• Avoid using too much water, because it might create a musty smell in the cushions
• In addition to coronavirus concerns, it’s always a good idea to drive with clean hands to keep the surfaces in your car from collecting dirt over time
• If your area is surrounded by rodents like rats or squirrels, get an ultrasonic rodent repeller installed in your car’s engine area. Because, rats can be the bearer of several germs and can harm your car by biting wires

Once you’re finished cleaning, don’t forget to wash your hands properly. Hope this helps. Stay safe. Happy cleaning!