Once the lockdown is lifted, we'll slowly try getting back to normal life. This includes getting back onto our rides, for work, essentials runs, a leisure drive, etc.
Kotak expects a YOY spike in car sales.
Source (Kotak: Consumers would prefer car ownership over public transport due to virus fears) Whether car sales see a spike or not, existing car owners will actively try avoiding public transport.
Also, many of us will be getting our cars serviced/repaired. We don't know how mechanics will handle our car, and for no fault of their own, neither of us would know whether they are an asymptomatic carrier. The last thing anyone wants is an asymptomatic carrier to spend some considerable amount of time or worst case scenario, sneeze in their car!
Then there will be the non Maruti/Hyundai brands whose cars could wait for more than a couple of days for spares. During this time, one won't know if their car is being used as a lounge. For example, here's MOD Sheel sharing his friend's Endeavour's condition while waiting for parts.
Source (Ford Endeavour : Official Review)
Keeping all this in view, and the virus's ability to survive on different surfaces for extended periods, it's essential to keep one's car clean and disinfected, for the safety of oneself and their family.
First, let's take a look at how dirty the average car could be.
Here's some information from a survey reported on
CarRentals.com Quote:
Roughly half the drivers surveyed neglect cleaning their car on a regular basis. But just how dirty does that make the average car? We pulled the numbers for the average amount of bacteria per square centimeter, or colony-forming units (CFU), to see which commonly touched surfaces of an average vehicle harbor the most bacteria, then compared them to public surfaces many of us touch on a daily basis.
The average steering wheel, which was was found to have 629 CFU per square centimeter, was far dirtier than some of the most frequently touched spaces, including: - Six times dirtier than an average cell phone screen at 100 CFU
- Four times dirtier than a public toilet seat at 172 CFU
- Two times dirtier than public elevator buttons at 313 CFU
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Assume the gear lever to be as dirty as the steering wheel in the Indian context, since we have a way higher number of MTs on road than America.
So how do we go about keeping our car interiors virus and bacteria free?
First, one needs to know the difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing.
Here's what the
CDC says
Quote:
Know the difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing Cleaning removes germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces or objects. Cleaning works by using soap (or detergent) and water to physically remove germs from surfaces. This process does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection. Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces or objects. Disinfecting works by using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection. Sanitizing lowers the number of germs on surfaces or objects to a safe level, as judged by public health standards or requirements. This process works by either cleaning or disinfecting surfaces or objects to lower the risk of spreading infection.
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How to clean the interiors?
Here's some info from an article from
Marketwatch Quote:
What’s the best way to clean your vehicle to reduce the existence of coronavirus?
Alcohol works best in your automobile or SUV’s cabin. It is the cleaner most used by manufacturers of most automotive interiors today. All it takes is a quick wipe to clean most germs and fingerprints. Soap and water will work, too.
We suggest spending extra time on the steering wheel. The steering wheel has four times the amount of germs found on an average toilet seat, thanks to all the cracks and crevices on the rim and spokes, according to Expedia Travel Group’s website, CarRentals.com. For this reason, we suggest using disinfecting wipes to clean all the surfaces on the steering wheel. These include the redundant controls for radio, voice control, cruise control, navigation, and paddle shift levers. And don’t forget about the gear selector lever or the turn indicator stalks.
Also clean the door and center console armrests, display screens, cupholders, cubbyholes, air conditioner vents and even the door “grab handles.” You touch them more than you realize and are rife with bacteria and could carry coronavirus. You will very likely be surprised by the amount of dirt your wipes will pick up. What not to use
We would advise against using any type of bleach or hydrogen peroxide on the vehicle’s interior. Both chemicals will put an end to the coronavirus germs, but they will also cause damage to the vinyl and plastics used in most modern vehicles today.
Under no circumstances should you use any ammonia-based cleaning products. These can be found in “blue glass cleaners.” (You know which we are talking about.) The ammonia breaks down the vinyl on the dashboard, making it sticky when subjected to heat and light. Additionally, to avoid damage to anti-glare coatings, the glass cleaner should not be used on touch display screens.
Finally, if you find yourself without any alcohol or other cleaners, a good scrubbing with soap and water will fill the bill. The coronavirus resides in a protective pocket that acts as a facilitator to infect other cells, but is broken down by soap. Heavy-duty cleaning will weaken the coronavirus. It just may take a little bit longer to effectively clean it properly. Don’t scrub too hard, though, as you might find you are removing some of the surface coatings or dyes.
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Do note, many Indian news and even auto news sites are advising to use hydrogen peroxide & ammonia based products to disinfect car interiors. While they get the job done, they'll end up damaging car plastics and vinyls.
Here's a video on how you could go about cleaning and disinfecting your car:
Now some of the stuff mentioned in the above video are not available in India. So here's a rather simple procedure one could follow.
- Dilute Dettol handwash soap in a spray bottle and get to work on the 'hotspot' areas, with a soft bristle brush. The steering, gear knob, door handles, cup holder, seatbelts, AC vents, grab handles, window switches & doorpads. A bottle with a stream & spray nozzle would be helpful. Wipe down post cleaning.
- Do not directly spray onto the touchscreen and buttons. Rather spray onto a cloth and then agitate and wipe down the console.
- For fabric seats, spray on a certain area, scrub with soft scrub pad and blot the area with a microfiber towel.
- For pure leather seats, steering wheels, door pads spray, scrub very gently and wipe down with a MF cloth. As per Volvo, a solution of soap and water is enough for cleaning leather. IPA or Sanitizer can discolor leather by damaging the coating on top of it.
The above cleaning method is quick and fairly reliable. You can even carry it out in case you have to rent out a Zoomcar or Revv.
Disinfecting
Once done cleaning, you can move on to disinfecting. Do not use any disinfectant available from the store shelf. As mentioned above, you cannot use disinfectants containing ammonia or bleach. The most commonly available disinfectant, and recently made even more famous by POTUS, is Lizol. You can use it to disinfect all non-porous surfaces.
Here are some
FAQs from India's Lizol site.
Don’t go on a jet-spraying spree! Fill up a spray bottle with lizol. Spray it on to an out of direct sight plastic/vinyl surface and gently scrub with a cloth, and let it stay for 4 minutes. Then wipe it down with another mildly damp cloth. See how the material reacts and move on to the rest of the car. For safety, see to it you do this when all the surfaces of your car interiors are cool. Preferably in the morning/evening or under shade.
Do not use disinfectant on leather, or any other non-porous surface. As mentioned above, proper cleaning with soap and water would be enough for pure leather surfaces.
Lastly, use a water based dresser for the vinyls and plastics to maintain the sheen.