COVID-19 Automotive Guide to Cleaning

The coronavirus has really changed our lives on a global basis. In a place where we are still unsure how to control the virus and all the ways it can be transmitted, there are many concerns about automobiles. The coronavirus can be transmitted through surface contact, so the high-turnover businesses that use automobiles (such as Uber and Lyft), rental car companies, and even car dealers find themselves in a bit of a tough spot.

The risk of COVID-19 has increased to the extent to which any shared vehicles must be cleaned and disinfected regularly. Learn everything you need to know about disinfecting your car and how to keep yourself, your customers, friends, and family safe and healthy and how to help stop the spread of coronavirus.

Use a cloth for interior surfaces

Microfiber cloth is ideal for cleaning interior surfaces like leather upholstery, plastic dashboards, metal seatbelts, and other surfaces you may find in your automobile. The engineering of microfiber is perfectly suited to removing surface dirt, instead of smashing it into corners. Microfiber is designed to scoop out dirt and trap it.

Paper materials, such as napkins, paper towels, toilet paper… etc make dirt and grime (and along with those - germs) much tougher to clean. Instead of removing dust and germs, paper products pack the dirt tightly into crevices and fabrics.

Clean before disinfecting

According to CDC guidelines on reopening, before disinfecting, it is crucial to clean the interior surfaces of the car with soap and water. This does not apply, however, for how to clean leather or microsuede fabric. Use standard dish soap and a brush to thoroughly scrub all plastic and metal interior surfaces before whipping away any excess with a clean damp cloth. 

The scrubbing of surfaces is an important part of cleaning car surfaces of coronavirus, which latches onto surfaces. Scrubbing surfaces clean with soap and water acts to destroy these buggers and keep them from sticking to the surface you are trying to disinfect.

Avoid liquid cleaners

You probably have the common virus-killing cleaners around the house or garage. Resist the urge to use these. Using chemicals such as bleach, hydrogen peroxide, vinegar, or ammonia on your car’s leather or fabric upholstery will produce results you will not be happy with. And, using these products on LCD screens and touchscreens, in newer vehicles, breaks down the protective outer layer of the screen. 

Cleaning leather seats and upholstery

The first step here is to vacuum the area to suck up dust and dirt that can prevent you from properly cleaning the affected area.

Leather requires special care and attention if you want it to retain its integrity and appeal. And, scrubbing leather often removes the dye coloring applied during the manufacturing or leather repair process. so that is. no-no… For leather seats and upholstery, use a warm water and soap mixture – making sure not to soak the leather. Using a clean cloth, soak up any extra soap and water solution to keep it from pooling. Once the leather is clean of dust and surface contaminants, lightly spray down the surface with an all-natural liquid disinfectant/sanitizer. You can learn more general leather care tips in the article “How to care for your leather furniture”.

Lastly, use a commercial-grade leather conditioner to prevent the leather from drying out and cracking.

Final Thoughts

Now, more than ever, Americans and people worldwide are uber-conscious about their health and cleanliness. How many surfaces do you touch before putting your hands on the steering wheel? If you want to protect yourself and your passengers from the risk of getting infected with COVID-19, you have to know how to clean leather, metal, plastic, and fabric. Period.

This virus can live on surfaces for up to three days, so door handles, seat belts, gear shifters, dash controls, sunshades, your steering wheel, etc. are all surfaces that can remain infectious for up to three days. And much of what you car encounters is “front line” type of encounters that you can not control - things like automotive shops, the grocery store, gas station, or anywhere you happen to land.

Everything and anything your fingers touch is a possible surface for transmission. So, learning how to clean leather, plastic, and other surfaces in your car’s interior is essential to stopping the spread of coronavirus through surface contact in vehicles. 

If you want to learn more about professional cleaning services for COVID-19 reopening and to learn how to clean leather and other vehicle surfaces to help stop the spread of COVID-19.contact a CGI Specialist today.

Color Glo Specialist Can Help

Color Glo International is the industry leader in restoring furniture, boats, RV's, aircraft, commercial equipment & more. Color Glo specialists can repair or clean anything from rips, tears, burns, frayed stitching, beverage & food stains, lipstick, ink stains, and everything in between. Give a Color Glo certified technician a call. We are mobile and offer onsite service so there is little inconvenience to you, our customer!  

Our repairs and cleaning are environmentally safe and children/pet friendly.  We use water-based products so you don’t have the dingy chemical feeling after we’ve completed our service.  We even have general cleaning kits to provide you for the next time you find yourself needing a spot removal product that really works!