The Coronavirus outbreak has literally brought the world to a halt. It has spread at a rapid pace across the globe and while we have been in lockdown mode to support the government and healthcare officials in curbing the problem and reducing the rate of spread, we also need to do our part in boosting our hygiene in order to further lower chances of infection. Having said that, our cars are our personal space and are less susceptible to being a primary location of infection, but it would be wise to periodically give them the disinfectant treatment in order to keep it virus free. On that note, we have put together a list of tips for you to disinfect your vehicle without having to take it to any professional service.
Step 01: Protect yourself first
Even before you get down to cleaning out your vehicle, remember that you need to protect yourself first. It is important that you wear the right protective gear for the task. Put on a pair of high quality rubber gloves and since there will be a lot of dirt particles in the air as you dust surfaces, it would be a good idea to wear a face mask as well. Wear long sleeves, jeans and shoes as well as you want to limit your body’s contact with any particles and potentially the virus as well. Apply a generous amount of alcohol-based sanitizer to your hands before putting on the gloves so that you have an extra layer of protection.
Step 02: Start with dusting
Find a nice secluded spot to clean your car and keep other family members away. If you do have any family member helping you out, remember they should follow step 01 as well. Now that you are getting started, follow what you would normally do, such as pulling out the floor mats, dusting them and putting them aside. Then get down to vacuuming the carpet, seats and roof liner. Make sure you take your time doing this and reach into the corners. Once you are done, remember to dispose of the vacuumed dirt effectively. Either put it in a plastic bag and then dispose it in your trash or if possible you can look at getting rid of it in a community garbage dump. Do not leave it lying around where someone might inadvertently come in contact with it.
Step 03: Disinfect the mats!
In a large tub of water add regular detergent or a liquid soap of your choice to it and mix well. Take all the carpets/floor mats and soak them in this tub. If you have any other fabric that is removable in your car, then put them to soak as well. Let them be in the tub for a minimum of 30 minutes before getting them out and leaving them in the sun to dry. Soap is an effective measure to kill the coronavirus on surfaces, and a 30-minute soak ensures that there is no chance that the virus can survive on those surfaces.
Step 04: Scrub non-removable surfaces and seats
For the items that you can’t remove from your car, you can prepare a scrub mix to address this part of the cleaning. In a small pan make a soap-based mix to be used as the solution to scrub at your seats and other non-removable fabrics such as those found on door panels. Dip a brush or sponge in the mix and scrub away! This solution will work as a disinfectant as well as give you the opportunity to detail your car without getting everything too wet!
Step 05: Get down to the details
With your car vacuumed and scrubbed, it is time to get down to the details. Use an alcohol-based disinfectant for this stage in the cleaning process. Use this disinfectant to rub down on all the commonly touched parts such as the door handles, dashboard, steering wheel, gear lever, centre console, power window buttons/ window rollers, rear view mirror and seat sliders. Don’t miss out on the fuel tank release and the bonnet release either as these are also commonly used. Once you are done with the interiors, don’t forget to address the boot of your vehicle as this is one place that sees the most amount of foreign objects in the form of shopping and grocery bags. Use the disinfectant generously for the one thing that the coronavirus cannot survive is alcohol based sanitizers!
Step 06: Wash the body well
Your vehicle’s exterior is the most susceptible place for the virus to exist. After all, it is exposed to the elements and to other people’s touch. Having said that, there is no need to panic. A nice soap wash will keep your vehicle disinfected and you can apply an alcohol-based sanitizer to the door handles. With India heating up, the sun will do its part on keeping your car’s exterior nice and hot and this too helps curb the spread of the virus.
Step 07: Clean up
Now that your car is done, it is very important that you dispose of the gloves, waste cloths, papers and other disposable material effectively. All your clothes and car wash cloths should go straight into the wash and you yourself should also take a nice long shower. After all that effort, you do not want to leave your potentially contaminated clothes lying around, so play safe and proactively get everything cleaned.
Step 08: Stay protected
The best defence against COVID-19 is to restrict your movements. Avoid going out if you don’t have to and as much as you might enjoy driving around, remember that the best seat you have right now is your couch! Having said that, if you do need to venture out, remember to carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with you to wipe down on your door handles every time you have to use them, you never know who touched your car while it was parked and this can help save you a lot of trouble!