Corvid 19 and your car

[RWD]

With all the buzz around the Corona Virus thought this will be an interesting topic. Let's remember the amount of germs our steering wheel and gearshift potentially have. Sure we may clean the car once a week and use dashboard cleaners and leather treatments but are those really getting rid of germs? Anything you guys use in particular? I'm conscious about not ruining the leather so don't think putting soap and water is the answer.

[AVANTE]

Laugfs car center was displaying an ad saying they are open for 'getting rid of germs from your precious car'. Wonder what they plan to use in order to so. 

[ajm]

I have used alcohol sanitizer spray for a long time for personal hygiene, also in car. No complaints

 

[varotone]

I ordered a couple of uv lights to use it for disinfection. Sadly, I'm yet to receive it. Plan was to keep the uv lights lit up after getting home. Now I'm just using hand rub on the steering wheel and gear knob.

[AVANTE]

  On 3/17/2020 at 2:19 PM, varotone said:

I ordered a couple of uv lights to use it for disinfection. Sadly, I'm yet to receive it. Plan was to keep the uv lights lit up after getting home. Now I'm just using hand rub on the steering wheel and gear knob.

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Those are super effective! My neighbor has a UV setup in his 3000 liter fish tank and it just got rid of excess bacteria and made the water clear overnight. 

[JakobTheGreat]

As i just got my steering wheel back from refurbishment here, i got it clean and germ free hopefully

Edited March 26, 2020 by JakobTheGreat
Removed external link

[vag2]

Does UV light kill viruses or only bacteria and fungi? AFAIK viruses are harder to kill with conventional cleaning solutions

[Devinda_Z]

  On 3/17/2020 at 12:08 PM, ajm said:

I have used alcohol sanitizer spray for a long time for personal hygiene, also in car. No complaints

 

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@ajmsometimes I've found sanitizer can stain some fabrics leaving those waterings in some cases

[Devinda_Z]

@AVANTE there is also the car nano disinfectant anti bacterial fogger which is effectively a machine that pumps vapour in to the car which is said to kill bacteria.

I know a bloke who uses these machines on his fleet and there's apparently a car detailer who also uses a similar device

[vag2]

Most regular cleaning liquids like Dettol do not kill viruses like HPV, HIV, Corona etc. Only the alcoholic sprays do, after about 30secs exposure ( source Google)

[AVANTE]

  On 3/17/2020 at 6:00 PM, Devinda_Z said:

@AVANTE there is also the car nano disinfectant anti bacterial fogger which is effectively a machine that pumps vapour in to the car which is said to kill bacteria.

I know a bloke who uses these machines on his fleet and there's apparently a car detailer who also uses a similar device

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Any side effects on us when this machine is in use Dev? 

[Devinda_Z]

  On 3/17/2020 at 10:10 PM, AVANTE said:

Any side effects on us when this machine is in use Dev? 

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Not that I know of @AVANTE

The put the machine in the car and run it for a while - you see the whole car fog up. 

Then it's run with the AC etc. as well

Finally when it clears out and there is no visible residue is when you get back in

I know it works on odour. The disinfecting efficacy I don't quite know how to check ?

[varotone]

  On 3/17/2020 at 5:17 PM, vag2 said:

Does UV light kill viruses or only bacteria and fungi? AFAIK viruses are harder to kill with conventional cleaning solutions

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UV light kills viruses. I saw reports of china using UV light to disinfect busses and trains during this COVID-19 outbreak. Drawbacks are risk of sunburn, skin cancer on direct exposure and difficulty in calculating the required power and time to properly disinfect.

This is OT, but some important information that came out yesterday.

 

[AVANTE]

  On 3/18/2020 at 2:50 AM, varotone said:

UV light kills viruses. I saw reports of china using UV light to disinfect busses and trains during this COVID-19 outbreak. Drawbacks are risk of sunburn, skin cancer on direct exposure and difficulty in calculating the required power and time to properly disinfect.This is OT, but some important information that came out yesterday.

 

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How is this OT? This is relevant. So it's safe to guess the thing can live on a cars dashboard for about 2-3 days? 

[varotone]

  On 3/18/2020 at 3:05 AM, AVANTE said:

So it's safe to guess the thing can live on a cars dashboard for about 2-3 days? 

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Yes it seems. It's scary to understand that the virus can survive in the air for 3 hours!

[iRage]

  On 3/17/2020 at 12:08 PM, ajm said:

I have used alcohol sanitizer spray for a long time for personal hygiene, also in car. No complaints

 

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The issue is, depending on the amount of alcohol in the liquid you are using, it can leave and even discolor the materials over time. So it is not a good long term solution. 

Since control and prevention seems to be the best measure...how vulnerable are the cars ? At the end of the day....the people who can carry the viruses on to the car are you and your family members...so avoid (or minimize) strangers getting in to your car ?

Since it can be airborne..that leaves the virus can get in through the air whilst parked or driving around...so...uhh...minimize travel (which you should do anyway...) ?

Has anyone tried does air sanitizing sprays ? 

[AVANTE]

  On 3/18/2020 at 3:27 AM, iRage said:

driving around...so...uhh...minimize travel (which you should do anyway...) ?

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Italians/people living in italy: What is this baloney macaroni you are-a mumbling? I do not seem to understand-a. 

 

[Quiet]

I used to use those air sanitizing spray that is supposed to clean the AC system as well. I got the one sold by wurth and used twice are they effective?

[Devinda_Z]

  On 3/18/2020 at 7:19 AM, Quiet said:

I used to use those air sanitizing spray that is supposed to clean the AC system as well. I got the one sold by wurth and used twice are they effective?

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I've used the Liqui Moly product (Klima Fresh I think it's called) but I don't think it gets viruses - just bacteria but not sure