I hear you're not supposed to use Clorox wipes on the soft-leather steering wheel when you wipe down the touched surfaces after a brief visits to the "real world" (groceries, Costco, curbside dinner pickup which isn't always curbside). We have a dwindling cylinder of Wet Ones which are supposed to be better.

What's the best and safest way to wipe down a car (steering wheel, shifter buttons, door handles inside and out, touch pad) for Covid-019 mitigation in the car?

 

Just wash your hands and don't touch your face after getting in and out of the car.. To truly disinfect for COVID, it's recommended to use alcohol but that will damage/dry out the pleather and/or vinyl.

 

Any wipe down is better than none. I've used Lysol wipes on my wheels, no ill effect. I've also used chemical guys interior spray. Dunno if it will kill virus but I don't drive everyday so I have to assume the virus dies out 24-72 hours.

 

I've heard from experts that getting a virus in sufficient quantities to cause infection from hard surfaces is difficult. Especially when following guidance for proper hand washing. And, as stated earlier, the bugs don't live more than a day or two, at most.

Also, one of the reasons hand washing is so effective is the fatty binding in viruses breaks down easily with common soap. So, any cleaning products safe for leather would likely be effective in breaking down the virus too.

Disclaimer: Just a guy on the internet.

 

Thanks all of you. Hand washing before and after using the car without necessarily wiping down the car sounds best. Plus the CDC guidelines issued today says It’s extremely difficult to pass on the virus from contaminated surfaces. It’s the airborne virus that’ll getcha.

I have a few virus-denier Facebook “Friends”. I tell them I believe them because the 3rd - 5th cousin I found on Ancestry.com is married to a man who’s drinking buddy knows someone who, once he repeats a couple of community college courses, will be applyIng for Pre-Med, and he says there is no danger from the virus, It’s all a big hoax. There you have it, a trusted and considered medical opinion.

 

Clorox wipes or anything that has bleach in it technically takes 5 mins wet on the surface to actually chemically disinfect a surface, on a hot day with your car in the sun, the solution on the surface will dry out before it actually performs optimally (bleach also leaves behind a nasty white residue if not cleaned off after application). Alcohol takes one minute to have a desirable effect, which is why they recommend going with a 70% dilution; too high and it evaporates too quickly without doing anything, too low and it will sit there and wont be at proper concentration to do too much. One caveat of using alcohol is that it pulls moisture out of the leather or surface causing leather to become hard and brittle or plastic to start to fade and get brittle as well (with constant repeated usage).
I live in NYC and I'm a first responder, I probably come home everyday after work with some exposure on me but the most I do is maybe a bi weekly physical decontamination of my interior surfaces (a diluted all purpose cleaner to rid to dirt/body oils first), followed by a chemical decontamination (70% alcohol is my preferred method), then finally and most importantly* a conditioner/dressing to restore the moisture I've stripped off and to protect the surface till the next time I clean. I've been detailing my own cars for years prior to this so I have a lot of the materials required already but if I were to start from scratch, I would probably get everything online. Quick tip, stay away from ArmorAll, that stuff strips moisture from the plastics then applies the cheapest looking glossy film on the car to make it look "nice", when it wears off eventually owners will see the dullness that the wipes actually caused themselves and become reliant on the wipes to maintain that cheap looking gloss finish without realizing the wipes themselves are creating this never ending cycle constantly degrading the material underneath. ArmorAll creates glare which is the last thing you want when driving, it also makes the surface slippery which is dangerous when applied to a steering wheel/floor mats/or pedals. Anyway, grab an all purpose cleaner such as dilute down to lowest concentration and spray onto a microfiber cloth and wipe down surface. If area is really soiled then spray onto surface and agitate with a leather brush or detail brush first before wiping off with microfiber. Then lightly mist area with alcohol and wipe down with microfiber. Finally follow up with conditioner (for leather) or dressing (for plastics). Leather I prefer and for plastics and trim I love Follow instructions on the bottles respectively.
It's a lot more work than a simple wipe down or using those "combo" products that claim to clean and condition in one step but I personally believe in the jack of all trades, master of none idea. If I want to do something I do it the right way otherwise I'm just pushing dirt around.

 

Please do not use something strong like clorox wipes and lysol wipes on your interior. Wash your hands with soap every time you get out of your car. CDC just came out and said it doesn't spread easily on surfaces.

https://abc7.com/coronavirus-covid19...pread/6202133/

 

Here is how you fix this problem, keep a small portable bottle of hand sanitizer (like the size of some AirPods) in your pocket, in the door or center console, they sell them everywhere, for sure at bath and body works. Now whenever you get in your car clean your hands right away, touch only the bottle and nothing in the car until you clean your hands, now you are good! Also the sun will kill the virus, but you will need the windows open so UV light can make it in the car. That’s what we do and then you don’t need to wipe the car constantly with strong chemicals

 

its all BS, the virus will die in few days. Just wipe out steering wheel, thats good enough. Its mostly spread through air.

 

I'm not one to fear monger but at the height of everything, in NYC I was doing CPR every few hours because people were dropping like flies. Normally its once every few days. So no, its not just BS.

 

Mostly spread through air ≠ exclusively spread through air. The virus can be spread through contact with surfaces. Cuz we touch our faces with our hands. All the time. Unless we work really hard not to.

The COVID-19 virus doesn't last very long on porous, absorbent surfaces such as cardboard because they draw away water and collapse the envelope of the virus. ( It's like a bubble full of water and virus guts ). It lasts longer on non-absorbent surfaces, like vinyl.

Soapy water is effective at destroying the virus, and it will not harm vinyl upholstery.

Hand sanitizer is fine for the hands when you can't wash with soap and water. But let it dry on your hands before you grab the steering wheel, or it WILL start to degrade the vinyl. ( Technically, alcohols remove waxy compounds that keep the vinyl pliable ).

Baby wipes or standard car interior wipes contain soap ( or detergent ) and water. Or you can make up a spray bottle.

But don't take my word for it. Some professional car geeks asked around and came up with the same answers:

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/03/12/...eaning-how-to/

OTOH, given a choice between maintaining my health ( and my family's ) and that of my car interior, the Naugas might have to take one for the team. These are difficult times.

 

I wipe my seats, seat belts, seat belt guides and latches and door handles with 70% IPA. I use 70% IPA as sanitizer as well. Just put some hyper dressing on after.

 

Wrap your entire vehicle in toilet paper and wear a hazmat suit when driving alone.

Here's a question... why do people wear masks when driving ALONE or walking/biking ALONE? Pure insanity. The ability to critically challenge anything has disappeared.

 

I don't think it has disappeared, it has always been there, it is just more apparent now.
For an intelligent species, there sure a lot of stupid people. (Maybe I am one of these, as I sure do some stupid things)

 

If they want to wear a mask, or hazmat suit while driving alone, I don't really care. I'm not harmed in any way. Sure, it's unnecessary, but I don't want people telling me I can't have extra protection. Maybe they're in transit to or from a situation where the need it and just left it on. I think this falls solidly under harmless personal choice.

 

India Pale Ale? Try explaining that odor to a cop.

 

The order only lasts about 2 minutes.


Been doing this for 6 years.

 

I'd go with a stout. Less skunky and it will burnish to a nice brown patina.