Here’s How to Disinfect Your Car Before Hitting the Road

As the lockdown gradually lifts and cities across the country see relaxations on movement, it won’t be long before you are back, behind the wheel. But in this excitement, you must take every necessary precaution to ensure safety for you and your family.

Regular washing will clean your car but will not make it germ-free. To kill germs and other harmful microbes, you will need to disinfect your car. But, how should you do that, and which parts should be sanitised? Read on.

Target Areas for Disinfection

First up, let’s understand the areas that you will need to disinfect in your car. The short answer is any surface or equipment that you touch needs to be thoroughly cleaned. As a ready reckoner, here’s a list of all the touch-points that need to be sanitised. Think of every step you take when you approach your car; this way, you can locate all the critical areas.

To get you started, these are some areas that you should sanitise:

• Key/Key FOB
• Exterior and Interior Door Handles
• Lock and Unlock Buttons and Interior Door Release
• Seat-belt, Seat-belt Buckle and the Release Button
• Push-to-Start Button, or Ignition Area
• Rear-view Mirror, and Automatic Side Mirror Buttons
• HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) Buttons
• Radio Buttons and Knobs or Infotainment Touchscreen
• Gear Selector
• Parking Brake Lever
• Steering Wheel and Wheel Mounted Buttons
• Signal and Wiper Stalk
• Headlights Knob
• Centre Console and Cup Holders
• Window buttons, rotary selector
• Glove box handle
• Tailgate/Hatch Release and Power Close Button
• Fuel cap

How to Disinfect Your Car

First, you will need a liquid that is both effective and safe for sanitising your car’s interiors. Start by vacuuming the interiors to remove dirt. You can also use a wet vacuum with shampoo for better results. Next, spray the liquid onto a micro-fibre cloth and wipe the cabin parts. Do not spray it directly on the surface as it may damage the material. Also, remember to wash and clean frequently touched exterior car parts, such as door handles and mirrors. Here are some other things you should keep in mind.

• Avoid mixing household detergents with sanitiser as their properties differ.
• Avoid using bleach, chlorine, ammonia, and other products that may damage your car’s cabin and paint quality.
• Any alcohol solution with more than 70% alcohol is highly effective against the coronavirus and can be used on all hard surface areas in the cabin.

Tips to Clean Upholstery

When cleaning upholstery, the choice for a disinfectant depends on whether your seats are covered in leather, fabric or leatherette material. For instance, leatherette upholstery can be sanitised with isopropyl alcohol. But this can be disastrous if used on pure leather as it might damage the protective layer and discolour the surface.

To clean leather, use a sanitiser, and start with the rear portion of the steering. Wait for a while to check if there are any side effects of the solution. If there are no stains or discolouration on the leather, you can continue disinfecting other concealed leather parts with the same liquid. However, remember not to spray it on the surface directly; instead, spray it on a micro-fibre cloth and then wipe gently. A micro-fibre cloth is useful for cleaning the dirt without leaving scratch marks on the surface.

Disinfect, But Cautiously

Remember that every surface in your car might require you to use a different disinfecting solution. For instance, hard surfaces like knobs and plastic buttons can be sanitised with a bleach-free solution. But for display screens, like touchscreen infotainment unit in your Ford car, use a milder solution, an electronic-specific non-toxic solution.

Once you have finished disinfecting your car, make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap. In fact, this step-up in personal hygiene is a habit that should be continued even after the Covid-19 pandemic is over.

If you need any other assistance for the service and maintenance of your Ford car, the Dial-A-Ford initiative can offer the convenience and safety you seek. All you have to do is dial 1800-419-3000 and schedule a servicing. A Ford technician will come to your home and pick up your car. Once serviced, the car will be dropped at your doorstep, and you can make an online payment, thus minimising any contact. It’s that easy!

So, take the time to clean and sanitise your car to get it ready for the post-lockdown world.