Aside from frequent handwashing with soap and water, sanitising and disinfecting surfaces that are frequently touched is also a way to protect yourself against viral infections. Sanitisation and disinfection should not only be done at home but also in your vehicle. Therefore, we will share how to sanitise and disinfect your car as a guide.
Take safety precautions before sanitising and disinfecting your vehicle
Before sanitising and disinfecting your vehicle, you must take safety precautions to protect yourself and the sensitive parts of your vehicle interior. Follow the safety precautions below:
1. Wear disposable hand gloves and a face mask
Please wear disposable hand gloves and a face mask throughout the sanitisation and disinfection process. This is to protect you from the risk of infection.
2. Open vehicle doors and windows
Keep the doors and windows of your vehicle open at all times to prevent you from inhaling excessive cleaning product chemicals and suffocation.
3. Read the label of and test the cleaning products
Before buying and using any cleaning product, be sure to read the product label to ensure that the ingredients are safe to use on your vehicle’s interior or exterior surfaces.
In addition, we recommend testing the cleaning product on any hidden parts of your vehicle to ensure there is no risk of damage such as colour bleaching.
4. Use alcohol-based liquid disinfectants
We recommend using disinfectant liquids that contain more than 70% alcohol for greater effectiveness.
5. Use a microfiber cloth
To protect the surface of your car, you are encouraged to use a microfiber cloth as it is softer and does not scratch the soft surface or windscreen of your vehicle. Besides, a microfiber cloth is also effective in trapping dust and dirt.
Identify the surfaces to sanitise and disinfect
After taking the safety measures, you need to identify the vehicle surfaces for sanitisation and disinfection.
Among the surfaces you can focus on for sanitisation and disinfection are:
1. Exterior and interior door handles
2. Gear knob or parking brake
3. Centre console
4. Rearview mirror
5. Steering wheel
6. Vehicle control buttons and switch components, including the engine start button, window switch, signal and wiper, cabin lights and air-conditioning control buttons
7. Armrest
8. Dashboard
9. Car key
10. Car floor mats
Select suitable products to sanitise and disinfect
You should not use just any product to sanitise and disinfect your vehicle.
Suitable products that you can use are as follows:
1. Soap and water
Soap and water are safe to use on the car’s interior, especially on the fabric and leather parts. This can prevent your vehicle interior from being damaged.
2. Wet wipes
We recommend using disinfectant wipes that contain between 45-95% alcohol for more effectiveness. For your information, baby wipes are not suitable as they are only antiseptic or antibacterial.
3. Multi-purpose cleaner
Use cleaners that contain benzalkonium chlorides or benzyl ammonium chlorides. The chemicals are able to kill germs more effectively and are suitable for use on the interior surface of your car.
4. Car interior leather conditioner
Besides soap and water, you can also use leather conditioners to clean the interior surface of your vehicle. Compared to bleaching products, leather conditioners are more recommended because they can prevent damage to the leather surface of your vehicle interior.
5. Disinfectant spray
Disinfectant sprays or deodorant aerosol sprays containing triethylene glycol are suitable for use as they are effective in killing harmful bacteria and viruses in the air. Besides, deodorant aerosol sprays are usually suitable for various surface types.
Please read the usage instructions and wash the surfaces that you want to disinfect using soap and water for more effectiveness.
You are also advised to spray on the air-conditioning funnel while the air-conditioning is on and then leave your vehicle.
Make cleanliness and safety a priority
Other than taking care of your vehicle exterior, please ensure the cleanliness of your vehicle interior. Follow the sanitisation and disinfection process shared above as a guide. You may not be able to see the bacteria and viruses with your naked eyes, but keeping your car clean and safe is vital to keep it free from harmful viruses.
Aside from keeping your vehicle clean for your and your passengers’ safety, you also need to get sufficient car insurance coverage. If your insurance has or is about to expire, renew your car insurance immediately.
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