Expert: Wipe, vacuum, steam to help keep vehicles Coronavirus (Covid-19) free

MANILA: We’re barely a week into the “enhanced community quarantine” and while some of you are relishing the downtime and catching up on Netflix series, car nuts are probably cooking up ways to disinfect their car interior of this pesky coronavirus after they go on a grocery run or other essential errands.

Before you go all mad scientist and peel off the color and/or patina from the dashboard or download, and worse, spread “fake news” spouting the best way to clean the cabin, I went ahead and asked one of the country’s foremost experts on the topic, Jason T. Lei Yee of Aegis Detailing, a US-trained master detailer.

You see, when you go on the internet, some experts will swear by soap while others go for alcohol. There’s a few that recommend disinfectant wipes (ones from car-care brands and even beauty products) but all are in unison in saying no to bleach.

With so many conflicting tips going around, I quickly quizzed Jason about soap. He simply said, “No… soap will work on our, skin but it will just spread it (the virus) around when used in the car interior.” He detailed three meticulous steps in order to get the cabin as close to pro-grade clean using a DIY process.

What you’ll need:

Rubbing alcohol (70% isopropyl alcohol)

• Plain tap water
• Spray bottle
• Two microfiber towels
• Respirator or a face mask
• Gloves
• Vacuum cleaner
• Women’s stockings (I’ll explain later)
• Clothes steamer

STEP 1

Fill a spray bottle halfway with 70% isopropyl alcohol and the other half with water. Why not just spray pure 70% isopropyl alcohol? It’s too strong a substance. If you do that, it will dry out and whiten cabin appointments, which will cause them to crack and blister before too long.  You’ll need the mixture to be mild enough so that you don’t damage the interior.

 

Wear the respirator or a face mask just to be safe. Get the first microfiber towel and start wiping down the entire cockpit, rearview mirror, and the door panels. Some areas are more important than others so you have to pay close attention to what you’re doing.

Concentrate on these parts most especially:

• Interior door pull handle
• Seat belt and buckle
• Start button (if applicable)
• Rearview mirror
• Aircon vents
• Gear shifter
• Turn signal stalk and stalk for the windshield wiper
• Center stack knobs, buttons, and screen
• Handbrake release

The steering wheel is a special mention because this may be one of the dirtiest parts of the cabin. A study showed that, on occasion, it has more germs than a toilet seat.

STEP 2

Get the vacuum cleaner and stockings. Wrap the stockings on top of the filter as an added layer because, remember, that machine sucks dirt but it spits the air back out. Since the virus could be airborne, the stockings help create a trap to keep it there instead of in the air.

Do the seats first before you hit the carpet, so you don’t bring the dirt on the floor up to the fabric or leather seats.

STEP 3

Wrap the second microfiber towel on the head of the portable clothes steamer. Turn it on and begin steaming all surfaces. You can do two passes on the fabric upholstery but make it quick on leather surfaces and the headliner because prolonged exposure to heat will damage these.

After steaming, take the microfiber towel and spray on some more of that alcohol-water combo you made and wipe down the entire cabin again.

Done and disinfected

“Mind you that this will not completely disinfect but help lessen contamination,” cautioned Yee. This is understandable since you’re only using 70% isopropyl alcohol mixed with water. If you want hospital-grade cleaning and disinfection, contact Jason at 0917-7079526 or check out www.aegisdetailingph.com to secure an advanced appointment as their shops, one at 1232 United Nations Ave., Paco, Manila and the other at Manila Doctors Village Drive, Las Piñas, are closed due to the quarantine.

What about the aircon?

While there’s no evidence that the virus can spread through air-conditioning systems, it’s better to be safe than sorry. This part is better serviced by professionals because of the installation’s complexity. They’ll use chemical disinfectants and some equipment as well. While you’re bringing it there though, the Australian Government’s Department of Health recommends that you set it to fresh air or turn off recirculation so you don’t keep inhaling the dirty air inside.

Stay safe and healthy

Whether you DIY or get a pro to do it, what’s important is you’re proactive because that’s the only way to make sure you don’t catch, and don’t spread, the dreaded virus.

Also read: 10 maintenance tips to extend the life of your car