We’re living in a whole new world these days, and as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to impact our communities all across the nation, it’s important to do as much as we can to keep ourselves and our environments safe and clean. Even though many of us are driving less and staying home more these days, our vehicles are still an essential part of our lives, and therefore should also be an important part of our COVID prevention plans. If you’re not sure how to keep your vehicle as safe as possible, our collision repair experts have a few tips to consider. In fact, when we return a car from auto body repair, we thoroughly sanitize it following many of these same protocols and more.
Sanitize Your Interior
Sanitizing the interior of your vehicle might seem like a daunting task, but it’s an excellent place to start. If you’re unsure of which cleaning agents to use, based on the interior fabric of your vehicle, do a little research. For most of the cars, isopropyl alcohol is a safe disinfectant to use. If you have a leather interior, warm soap and water should do the trick, and for all surfaces on your vehicle we recommend using a microfiber cloth. It does a phenomenal job at trapping dust, dirt, and other microbial agents without the fear of scratching anything in your vehicle. We also suggest wearing gloves the first time you perform this interior sanitizing.
Don’t Overdo it With Water
If you have a cloth interior, your cleaning protocols will look a little different. On top of sanitizing your interior with the proper cleaning agents, you want to make sure you don’t use too much water. With a cloth interior, you run the risk of the water seeping through to the cushion beneath. This can not only promote mold growth, but in the event of a super-soak, can also potentially damage some of the electrical components within the seat as well.
Prioritize Cleaning
When you’re sanitizing your vehicle’s interior, we recommend starting with and focusing the bulk of your attention on those high touch areas such as the steering wheel, the gear shifter, the knobs and dials, the air conditioning vents, door handles, etc. Wherever people most come into contact with your vehicle, these should be priority number one. Then, work your way through the rest of the fixtures and components of your vehicle’s interior until you’ve cleaned it all.
Know Your Risk
How often you repeat the interior sanitizing process will depend on a few factors for you, individually. First, how many people are in your vehicle? Ideally, the answer is no one you aren’t already quarantining with, but for families with shared cars, it may very well be more than just yourself. If you aren’t sick, and you don’t believe you’ve had anyone sick in your vehicle, this doesn’t exactly need to become a weekly priority or anything. However, the more you’re out there, running essential errands or driving back and forth to your essential job, the more people you’re coming into contact with, and the more likely it is that you may come into contact with the virus as well. Understanding you and your family’s risk factors will help you determine how frequently you feel comfortable performing this preventative measure.
Follow Personal Protocols
Once you’ve sanitized the interior of your vehicle, the best way to keep it clean is to follow all the personal protocols suggested by your local and state governments. Wash your hands before driving anywhere, and rewash them when you return home. Wear your mask in public and only leave your home for essential errands and appointments. We know things feel a little strange right now, and you might be going a little stir crazy, but the health of our communities outweighs the inconvenience. Wherever possible, we urge everyone to continue doing their part to stop the spread of the coronavirus. In the meantime, keep your vehicle clean and stay safe!
