There is nothing worse than sitting in a vehicle for hours on end that feels grimy, dirty, and full of germs. Regular disinfecting is not only good for feeling cleaner, but it also helps fight against dirt and disease that can cause you to get sick while you’re on long hauls.
Feeling overwhelmed thinking about disinfecting your entire truck? Don’t despair, this process doesn’t have to be hard or take all day. Follow the steps below and you’ll become an expert at disinfecting in no time.
Disinfecting Your Truck Properly
Before we get to the actual process, we need to discuss what cleaners to use—or more importantly, what not to use.
In short, you want to avoid things like:
- Bleach
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Ammonia
- Any other harsh cleaners
This is because it can damage the upholstery or make it unsafe to drive your vehicle until it is fully aired out.
Alcohol based cleaners are, on average, the safest disinfectant to use inside of vehicles. A 2:1 mix of rubbing alcohol and water is a good disinfectant and should not harm any of the interior surfaces of your truck.
If you’re concerned about using a product on your vehicle’s interior, you can test it out by disinfecting a small portion of the surface to see how it’s affected before cleaning the entire thing.
Additionally, it’s important to check labels for any warnings or directions and wear gloves while using a cleaning product to ensure that it’s handled safely and in the appropriate amount. Gloves will also protect your hands from the germs you are trying to disinfect in the first place!
Clean the Major Touch Points First
To get the best result from the disinfecting process, consider which parts of the vehicle are touched the most often. This is likely going to be the place where germs are spread the most rapidly.
You can use this list to get an idea of where to start and what to clean first:
- Steering wheel
- Dashboard controls
- Console
- Door handles
- Liftgate handles
- Armrests
- Glove box
- Shift knob
- Seatbelt and buckle
Once these are disinfected, feel free to move onto any other big touch-points you can think of in your vehicle. However, those are the most likely places for germs to congregate on, so they are the most important areas you need to hit.
Are Disinfecting Wipes Better Than Spray for Vehicles?
Since wipes add a convenience factor, it can be tempting to think that they are a better option for disinfecting than spray.
However, a disinfectant spray is better than a wipe for cars. Despite the convenience of a wipe, an alcohol based spray cleaner will do a much more thorough disinfection.
Thankfully, using a spray is just as simple. By spraying the solution on a microfiber cloth, you can reach all the necessary places without being too rough on your interior.
How Often Should You Disinfect Your Truck?
Ideally, disinfecting your truck should not be a one-time-a-year thing. It’s important to make routine cleaning a habit and try to disinfect the most touched devices at least once a week to fight off the spread of germs and bacteria and also to have a pleasant environment to drive in.
Cleaning Your Truck VS Disinfecting: Know the Difference
Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they do not always mean the same thing. It’s important to understand the difference before you get started.
Cleaning Only Physically Removes Germs
According to the CDC, the act of cleaning physically removes dirt, germs, and impurities from surfaces by using soap and water. While this helps lower the risk of germs spreading, germs are not necessarily killed in the process.
Disinfecting Kills the Germs Entirely
The act of disinfecting kills germs. Typically, products with chemicals are used to accomplish this.
Some common disinfectants include chemicals such as:
- Alcohol
- Chlorine
- Bleach
- Ammonia
- Hydrogen Peroxide
It’s important to keep in mind that not all of these chemicals are ideal for use on a vehicle’s interior. To avoid causing any damage to your truck, you want to make sure you’re using the correct materials.
Keep Materials on Hand for Routine Cleaning
Once you’ve disinfected your truck, you now want to make it easier on yourself for future cleaning. Keep cleaning materials in your truck so you don’t even have to think about it!
In addition to a microfiber cloth and alcohol solution for disinfecting, here are some other materials you may find helpful to have on hand:
- Trash bags
- Wipes
- A portable vacuum
Another great, but more expensive, cleaning tool is a wet vacuum. Models like Bissell’s famous “little green” are compact enough to take on the go and will clean nearly any smell or stain from the upholstered areas in your truck.
Try to Clean as You Go
If you do a little bit every day you never have to do a lot. Cleaning and disinfecting as you go allows what can seem like a monumental task to turn into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Once you get the ball rolling, it won’t be difficult or time-consuming to keep your truck spick and span.
Conclusion
Because of the natural stressors in this industry, like the insane amount of overtime, our immune systems are likely never at their best when on the road. If you’re going to take time out of your day to disinfect your truck, you want to do it the right way. It’s an easy task to overlook or push off, but nothing matches the feeling of riding in a pristine vehicle.