We usually check the car tire pressure, check the fluid level and inspect the lights. However, are we so demanding when it comes to washing it? Dust, sand, leaves, crumbs… The interior of the car can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria if we do not maintain regular hygiene. In addition, overexposure to heat and humidity also favors the multiplication of fungi and bacteria because it often has to endure minor neglect.
So much so that, according to this studycar steering wheels can have up to four times more germs than a public toilet seat and six times more than a mobile phone. They are followed by the cup holders, seat belts, the interior door handle, the gear lever and the radio volume button. Among the bacteria detected are Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus aureus.
Additionally, the study found that the trunk also harbors significantly higher levels of bacteria, and is likely to be found Escherichia coli in all the trunks and in the driver’s seat, a fecal bacteria that should alert us if we keep the fruit and vegetables in the trunk after making the purchase. It may also be present Bacillus cereuswhich is introduced with dirt from shoes or pet paws.
Research also reveals that there is a correlation between the age and years of a car and the levels of bacteria likely to be found in it: the older and older it is, the dirtier it is (in most cases).
And, many times, a car can become an extension of the home due to the amount of time that some people have to spend in it to travel to different places. If we enjoy coming home to a clean environment, how can we do the same with the car?
How to keep the car interior cleaner
The results of studies such as the one mentioned reveal the need to clean the interior of cars more frequently, since they are likely to harbor pathogenic bacteria, although it is unlikely that a person with a healthy immune system cannot eliminate these microbes.
This does not mean, however, that we should not stop worrying about cleanliness. And, although it may seem overwhelming, cleaning the car can become quick if we know how to do it. There are some starting points that will help us start doing this regularly.
The first and most obvious is to empty the car of any objects in the different compartments, seat pockets or door spaces. From here, and with the car free of obstacles, we can start the process:
Vacuum the interior regularly
We must keep in mind that seats and carpets are areas where waste can accumulate more easily, which leads us to the need to wash these surfaces periodically, with a good vacuum cleaner that helps limit the risk of allergies and improve general interior hygiene.
During this process it is important not to forget to remove the carpets to reach the corners where the greatest amount of dirt accumulates. With this simple gesture we not only remove dirt, but also the dust accumulated throughout the car: surfaces, upholstery, mats or seat gaps.
When vacuuming, we often forget about the trunk, which can also contain food leftovers from shopping, various waste and, above all, dust.
Wash upholstery, leather and other plastics
Once this first step has been taken, we can move on to removing the dirt from the upholstery. To do this, we must know that there are different interior cleaners that are formulated for specific materials and surfaces, such as upholstery foam products, which we can apply directly to the stain or on a sponge.
Although some options such as household bleach with water, as well as hydrogen peroxide or ammonia-based cleaners are a good way to disinfect our home, it is not a good way to disinfect the car, since they can damage the materials, which are not as durable as the ones we can find at home.
A homemade solution with less than 70% alcohol can help us with the interior of the car, for which we will need almost a third of 96°C alcohol mixed with one part of distilled tap water. If we don’t want to waste time preparing this solution, we can also use isopropyl alcohol to avoid damaging any surface of the vehicle.
Car leather care, for example, requires completely different products than those used for textiles. In the latter case, a brush can be useful for difficult stains, such as mud. If they do not disappear, we can use a damp sponge with a little special cleaner for car fabrics.
Also cleaning the dashboards and plastic parts is an important part of cleaning the car. Periodic cleaning of this part of the car, in addition to helping us preserve its appearance, allows us to prevent the accumulation of dust and dirt. We must also keep in mind that these are some of the parts that suffer the most from the harmful effects of UV rays, which cause discoloration and cracking of the plastic parts near the windows if we do not protect them with special preparations.
Clean windows and mirrors
They are an important and essential part of our visibility while driving, therefore, we should not neglect cleaning them from the inside with a soft microfiber cloth and a window cleaning product. In the case of the rear windshield, it is always better to rub horizontally in the direction of the defrosting filaments to avoid damaging them.
Eliminate bad odors
Bad odors are another aspect that we must avoid: tobacco, animals, humidity, food, among others, which can end up becoming embedded in the car. These bad odors can persist after cleaning and are a sign that bacteria have made the interior of our car their habitat. To eliminate them, it is important to clean the air conditioning ducts with specific products, which may be the same ones we use at home.
Ventilation after cleaning
Once we have resolved the cleaning issue, and to finish the process, we can ventilate and keep the windows and trunk open to renew the air.
#important #interior #car #clean #tricks #achieve
