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The whole world is affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, and everyone must take the necessary precautions to prevent infection and spread of disease. You are required to wash your hands, use hand sanitizer and self-distance yourself, but what about your car?
Cars can easily be home to viruses, therefore it is imperative that your car is disinfected and virus-free! This is extremely important to rental fleet owners and drivers, as many people ride around in their vehicles.
It is important to note that the car’s interior surfaces are less durable than household surfaces i.e. the kitchen top. Therefore, you have to be careful with what cleaning products you use in your car.
Keep reading for some top tips on how to disinfect your car against the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
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What to use?
According to the CDC solutions of 70% alcohol are effective against the coronavirus. That means using isopropyl alcohol to clean interior surfaces would be your best bet. Almost any hard surface can be cleaned with isopropyl, however, note that some surfaces may be damaged.
If you feel alcohol solutions could damage certain parts of your car opt for soap and water. Soap is highly effective against viruses, and it does not have to be antibacterial soap, just any soap or detergent would do.
There are also specialized cleaning products for vehicle interiors, these have been approved by the WHO and therefore you can use these to disinfect your vehicle.
You can use brushes and cloths to scrub the surfaces, as friction plays a role in destroying the virus structure.
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How to disinfect the interior and exterior components of the car?
You can use isopropyl alcohol or disinfecting wipes as most components of the cabin are electronic. Make sure to clean the steering wheel, infotainment screen, shifter knob, turn signal, any buttons, as well as your car keys.
You will have to think about what products to use depending on the material on your seats, if your seats are covered in leather it is best to refrain from using alcohol-based products as it could cause discolorations. You can opt for a leather cleaner instead as it has disinfectant properties. It is important to note that when scrubbing do not scrub too hard as it can damage the leather.
If you have fabric-covered seats opt for soaps or shampoos, but do not wet the surface too much as water can seep through leading to a musty smell and can cause mold. Apply the cleaning solution and scrub lightly, if you get too many suds it will be next to impossible to get rid of and it will keep seeping through to the cushion. Lightly scrub to prevent this from happening, you do not need to scrub vigorously to destroy the virus.
Be sure to clean the backs of the seats as well, also make it a point to clean out the carpets. Also, remember to clean and disinfect the trunk of the car.
When it comes to the exterior, your main concern would be the door handle. Do not forget to clean all car door handles including the bonnet handle.
IMPORTANT: Wash your hands immediately after you finish cleaning the car, follow the WHO guidelines when washing your hands. Discard of any trash i.e. used tissues found in the car responsibly, put them into covered trash bins, not open ones.
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Daily disinfection
- Keep a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol content, and disinfectant wipes handy in your car.
- Do not touch your face while driving
- Cough/sneeze into your elbow and not palms
- Wear a mask
- Clean your steering wheel and control buttons and infotainment screens regularly if you need to drive. If possible do not go out, self-distancing is important at this time for your safety and others.
These tips should help you keep your car a safe and virus free environment for you and your family.
If you are a rental business owner these tips will help keep your fleet virus free and customer’s safe. It will be a bonus to educate your customers and employees on how to disinfect the vehicle and stay safe themselves through your booking sites or apps.
Disinfect, be safe from Navotar Car Rental Software.
