Sanitizing Your Car Is Essential These Days So Here's How to Do It Properly

Cleaning your car thoroughly on a regular basis should be a habit for everyone, even more so during a health crisis. It is extremely important for your health and that of your loved ones to sanitize your car as frequently as possible.

On the exterior, focus on the areas that are frequently used, like door and trunk handles. However, the focus of your efforts should be the interior.

Prioritize interior door handles, armrests, the steering wheel, shifter knob, infotainment display, seat belts, and all areas that you or your passengers frequently use.

Before you grab the strongest disinfectant on the shelf and erratically start cleaning the car, keep in mind that certain products and methods can damage the vehicle’s interior.

Use a soft microfiber cloth for all surfaces because they are extremely efficient at trapping dirt and dust without scratching the surfaces. All cleaning should be done in a circular motion without applying unnecessary pressure.

Alcohol-based car care products can be ineffective. You can use disinfectant wipes or isopropyl alcohol that is 70% or higher, but try to avoid using it on high gloss trims or leather surfaces.

Leather is especially sensitive to household disinfectants or alcohol, so the good old water/soap recipe is your safest bet. Washing your hands with soap has been the safest method to keep the virus away, so why wouldn’t it work for our cars?

Do not scrub hard because you will quickly ruin the material. Do it gently, in a circular motion, while avoiding excess water, and your leather surfaces will be clean and sanitized in no time.

The next order of business should be to clean the ventilation system properly. You can use a spray like those used to clean computer keyboards but make sure to wear a facemask to protect against loose particles in the air.

Next, you should change the vehicle’s cabin filter. It is used to filter out the dust and other harmful particles from the air that enters the cockpit.

There are several types available, but the best choice in these circumstances are HEPA filters like Mahle’s CareMetix or Mann Filter’s Frecious Plus. They are more expensive than regular paper filters but do a much better job filtering out harmful particles.

The floor mats also need proper cleaning, and to make things easier, get a set of plastic or rubber mats. They are a lot easier to clean, cheaper than OE mats, and you won’t have to worry about damaging them using alcohol or stronger disinfectants.

Finally, if you work as a delivery or ridesharing driver, it is essential for your wellbeing to sanitize the vehicle a lot more frequently. Always keep a set of disinfectant wipes inside your car and use it to clean your hands as well as all the surfaces that are being touched by you and your passengers as often as possible.