Recent coronavirus outbreak has forced people to practice social distancing and maintain personal hygiene. While most of us are taking care of the regulations and the guidelines issues by the authorities, it’s very important to keep your vehicle clean and disinfected. Though the central government has issued a nationwide lockdown barring traveling from one place to another, we still ought to keep our vehicles sanitized because they are our own personal space and you don’t want to become a carrier of the virus sitting in your car, lest you go out to get the rations. Here are a few tips on how to keep your vehicles sanitized:
Disinfect the interiors and thoroughly clean the surfaces
The first step is to get the interiors clean of all the dirt and grime because viruses and bacteria have a tendency to latch on to dirty surfaces. One can use the regular car vacuum cleaner to get rid of all the dust and grime that has been there for a long time. After getting rid of the dirt, clean the frequently touched surfaces by grabbing a micro fibre cloth which makes the cleaning process tad bit easier.
Frequently touched surfaces include door handles, steering wheel, gear shifter, hand brake, sun visors, grab handles, seat adjustment levers, seatbelt buckles, dashboard, touchscreens and all the buttons and knobs throughout the cabin. There are multiple disinfecting agents you can opt for. Alcohol has been a very widely acclaimed disinfectant, the reason why it’s used as the main ingredient in the sanitizers that we use. You can also use sanitizers available at pharmacies.
Also Read: Global Air Pollution Reduces Drastically Amidst The Coronavirus Lockdown
Use a micro fibre cloth to wipe off the above mentioned surfaces and do it frequently. It is advisable to repeat the procedure every now and then. Take extra care of the electronics though because you don’t want to mess them up by soaking them in alcohol.
Disinfect the HVAC unit
The HVAC unit acts as a portal for the outdoor bacteria and viruses to enter the cabin as it circulates air and can carry a number of infections. Now that the summers are here, it would be a good idea to get the HVAC unit thoroughly serviced. We know that the whole county is going through a lockdown and you might need the good old ‘Do it yourself’ way but we got you covered in that regard as well.
You can easily clean the air filter at home and get rid of the contaminants. If you spend some time on the internet, you can easily find cleansing sprays for the air-con vents. These two steps of cleaning the HVAC unit should do for now.
Clean the seats
It should be done on a regular basis nevertheless because no one likes the upholstery to be all dirty and messed up. Now it has become all the more important to clean the seats because they are touched very frequently. You have to choose cleaning method and cleansing agents according to the materials used.
Leather has a tendency to lose the texture and colour under hard scrubbing so if you’re going to clean the leather upholstery of your car, we would suggest to take it slow. Gently rub the surface after mildly damping the cloth in either soap water or alcohol. Fabric upholstery should be cleaned the same way.
Disinfect the exteriors
You can’t leave the exteriors unattended because there are frequently touched surfaces there too including door handles, door frame and the handle of the luggage compartment. Here too, you can use alcohol based cleaning agents available in the market. We know that you can’t step out as of now but in regular cases, one can opt for steam wash from the professionals as it thoroughly cleanses the exteriors of the car.
Personal hygiene
We saved the most important bit for the last. You need to maintain a certain degree of personal hygiene if want to stay safe from not only coronavirus but from any other infectious entity as well. Carry a sanitizer with you all the time and also stock up your car with designated health kits including hand sanitiser, wet wipes and a mask. You can also use medicated hand wipes to wipe off the interiors of your car. When it comes to keeping your motorcycle sanitized, the same process can be repeated. Firstly, give it a thorough wash and then use alcohol based cleaning agents to wipe off the frequently touched surfaces. Most importantly, wear a mask and gloves while you are at it, do not touch your face or any other part of the body during the process, and once done, lather up your body with an antibacterial soap and wash it off under a shower. Soak the clothes you wore separately for some time before you throw them in the machine for a wash.
Last but not the least, practice social distancing. It is a tough time that all of us are going through and we shouldn’t make it worse. Stay inside and step outside only if you really, really HAVE to. Cut down human interaction so as to break the cycle and prevent the virus from spreading further.