According to the National Institutes of Health, the coronavirus can be stable on cardboard for up to 24 hours and on plastic and steel for up to three days. Other studies show that it could remain on surfaces for as long as 9 days.
Here at GPO Tuning, a BMW service center in Nashville, we understand our client’s concerns on how they can keep their cars clean and germ-free to reduce the risk of being exposed to the coronavirus. Here are some tips on how to properly disinfect your car’s interior and exterior surfaces.
Sanitizing your car’s interiors
BMW service centers in Nashville will tell you that the dashboard and the steering wheel tends to collect a lot of bacteria. Other high-touch surfaces to look out for include grab handles on doors, window buttons, key fob, seat belts, gear shifter, glove compartment, touch screens, air conditioning vents, radio, windshield wiper, and light controls, cup holders, and car seats.
The easiest way to clean your car’s interiors would be to use soap and water. Just dampen the surfaces you’d like to clean, then gently rub them down with a microfiber cloth for 20-30 seconds. Clean hard-to-reach surfaces with a soapy toothbrush or paintbrush.
Using EPA-registered disinfectants is another option. Be sure to read the label to verify if it’s safe to use on the surface you’re trying to disinfect. Your trusted BMW service center in Nashville will advise you not to use any type of bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or ammonia-based cleaning products. While effective in killing bacteria, these will damage vinyl and plastics as well as anti-glare coatings. Always keep a stash of disinfectant wipes handy so you can always wipe down surfaces as needed.
Spot test a leather cleaner on a hidden area to make sure it’s safe to use on your car seats. You can also mix two parts vinegar to one part water if you want to make your own cleaning solution.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends disinfecting high-touch surfaces on cars daily. If you share your car with someone else, disinfect everytime drivers and passengers switch. It’s always better to err on the side of caution.
Also, do remember to wash your hands thoroughly and often. You can put germs right back onto a freshly cleaned surface if your hands are dirty.
Disinfecting your car’s exteriors
While germs are less likely to live on the exterior of your car, make it a point to disinfect surfaces like door handles, gas cap, and the trunk’s hood.
Sanitation at GPO Tuning
At GPO Tuning, we are taking extra precautions to keep you, your families, and our families safe. Those precautions include: Ramping up our interior disinfecting procedures so your car will be returned with the interior disinfected. We’re also working from a schedule so clients will not be in the waiting room at the same time and we ask that you adhere to that schedule. Steps being taken to keep everyone safe include:
- Disinfecting the lobby and drop off box, envelopes, and door slots after every use
- Disinfecting all car interiors before any work commences, or at pick up
- Disinfecting all car interiors upon job completion
- Having a zero-touch option for dropping off and picking up vehicles
If you have any questions on car sanitation as well as on maintenance and repair during this time, please get in touch with us today.
GPO Tuning offers expert BMW service for drivers in the Nashville area. To see our capabilities for yourself, visit us at 1227 Lebanon Pike.
