Keeping Your Car Interior Clean and Reducing The Spread of COVID-19

To avoid the spread of COVID-19 we need to clean the surfaces we regularly touch – and practising good hygiene applies inside our cars as well as in our homes.

Research has shown that a car’s interior makes an ideal breeding ground for germs, but many motorists fail to carry out frequent cleaning, making do with a quick wipe round every few months.

To reduce the chance of coronavirus transmission – and make the inside of the car a healthier, nicer place to be – it’s worth taking the time to give it a proper clean.

Cleaning during the coronavirus crisis

Supplies of sanitizer and cleaning products are running low, so if you can’t get hold of any disinfectant, soap and water will do. Disposable gloves are in short supply, too, but you can get by without them. Just make sure you wash your hands thoroughly once you’ve finished cleaning, and don’t touch your face.

Mats and carpets

The best place to start is with your carpets, to make sure you don’t spread germs and dust on surfaces you’ve already cleaned. Driver and front passenger footwell mats pick up a lot of grime, so remove them and give them a shake. Get the vacuum out and give them a good going over. You can shift any stubborn stains with carpet shampoo.

Many of the more sophisticated car vacuums come with purpose-designed attachments, such as crevice tools and dusting brushes. If you don’t have a car vacuum cleaner, a standard household one might suffice, although it may not have the tools and flexibility to reach into awkward grooves.

Sanitizing your steering wheel

Your steering wheel is a hot spot for viruses and bacteria, as your hands barely leave it when you’re driving.

Similarly, controls such as gear levers, indicators and windscreen wipers, are also regularly touched during an average journey so will accumulate germs.

To keep sticks and levers clean, use an anti-bacterial cleaner. Don’t put cleaning agents directly onto surfaces, though – use a cloth or towel.  Twiddly bits near switches can be hard to reach, so use a soft brush, such as a makeup brush or soft paintbrush, to dislodge any dirt.

Dirt-free dashboards

To freshen up your dashboard, use a clean microfibre cloth, dipped in warm, soapy water. Once its dry, polish with another microfibre cloth.

Take extra care when cleaning your car’s LCD touchscreen. Treat it like you would your glasses, computer screen or smartphone and again, use a soft microfibre cloth to avoid scratches.

If the screen is very smudged, spray some scratch-free cleaning solution on to your cloth first. Never use ordinary household window cleaners as they are not designed for the job and will cause damage.

Remember doors and windows

Don’t overlook car doors and windows. Handles and other controls such as door locks, see a lot of use so make sure they get a good going over with a disinfectant wipe or cloth.

Government advice

Most of us are currently driving alone, or with people we live with, while keeping in-car contact with others outside our household at a minimum.  This makes our car a relatively safe space, but if you’re concerned that someone with coronavirus, or showing symptoms of the illness, has been in your vehicle, then you’ll need to carry out a thorough clean.

When doing this, you should wear disposable gloves and an apron, while following the government’s advice on cleaning in non-healthcare settings.