If you’re one of the people who still has to go outside or travel despite the ongoing community quarantine, you’ll be glad to know that there are ways you can protect yourself and your vehicle from being potential virus carriers. Of course, your car won’t get sick or break down if it ever comes in contact with the virus. But if you leave it unsanitized and not properly cleaned, your vehicle could be a travelling carrier of Covid-19. For the cabin, its best to use isopropyl alcohol that’s at least 70% solution. Putting the alcohol in a spray bottle and spritzing every plastic or hard surface of your car, or simply taking a rag doused with alcohol and wiping away will do the trick. It is suggested that you spend a lot of time on areas that receive the most human interaction such as the steering wheel, seat belts, door handles, and the gear shift lever. You can also use a mixture of liquid soap and water to ensure that all surfaces are scrubbed clean. For the upholstery, do not use alcohol or any alcohol based product. Soap and water might work, but it can still remove some of the natural oils in the leather. There are leather cleaners you can buy in hardware stores that does the trick, but since everything is closed nowadays, wiping the leather off with baby wipes can be helpful. Wiping off the surface with vinegar and moisturizing with olive oil is also a good trick. Deep crevices such as the cup holders, glove box, coin trays, ash trays, etc. can be wiped down with disinfectant wipes, or a rag soaked in alcohol. Remember to never use any bleach or hydrogen peroxide when cleaning your vehicle as it can cause permanent damage to the material of your car. You should also stay away from any ammonia-based cleaning products, commonly found in “blue glass cleaners”. If you have it at your home, Bactakleen will also work wonders for your car. As the world's first 2 in 1 deodorizer treatment system, Bactakleen's Ultra Mist machine fumigates the whole cabin, easily exterminating germs and bacteria from hard to reach places such as the footwell of your car. Air purifier systems are also a great help, as it ensures that only clean air is being circulated inside the vehicle. Gear heads can also invest on plug-and-play air purifiers in the market like the Blaupunkt AP 1.0 Air Purifier to rid your car of bacteria and other impurities such as allergens, smoke, benzene, formaldehyde, H1N1 and other hazardous particles.  Aside from that, ensure that your car's air-conditioning is clean and germ-free would also do wonders. For your car's exterior, a thorough wash with soap and water will do the trick. Just make sure you cover and rinse all surfaces. Most importantly, wash yourself. Your hands are extremely susceptible to dirt, germs, and Covid-19. Even after you’ve scrubbed your vehicle from hood to trunk, if you have dirty hands, you will just be spreading germs on clean surfaces. Although no amount of scrubbing and wiping will guarantee your immunization to the virus, simply remembering to wash everything you touch, wash your hands, and cleaning your car can be a great way to minimize the risk of infection. Stay safe out there, folks!

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