See how you can "kill" the corona in your car!

Many materials can "kill" the virus, but some of them, if used indoors, can cause irreparable damage.

Hand washing and cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces are two of the best ways to protect against the spread of corona, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As coronavirus spreads, most citizens have certainly learned some hand washing techniques and which household cleaners can destroy the coronavirus.

But what about the interior of your car?

If you or someone else in your car has symptoms of the disease, you need to thoroughly clean the frequently touched surfaces, including the steering wheel, door handles, gear lever, any switches, buttons or touch screen, armrests. door, handles and seat adjustment levers, Jennifer Stockburger, director of the Auto Test Center business, told Consumer Report.

If someone owns or drives a taxi that transports many passengers or drives a rented vehicle, they should clean the surfaces that customers touch on at regular intervals. However, the interior of the car is less resistant to the ... survival of the corona from a kitchen counter or sink. In fact, many of the household cleaners that kill the corona on hard surfaces at home can also clean a car without damaging its interior.

Alcohol solutions containing at least 70% alcohol are effective against coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For the most part, almost any interior surface of a vehicle can be cleaned with alcohol, says Jeff Stout, CEO of Yanfeng Automotive Interiors.

Yanfeng is the largest supplier of domestic car parts in the world and works with almost every major automotive industry, so there is definitely a component of this industry in your car. The company therefore recommends the use of isopropyl alcohol to clean parts inside cars.

"We'll use it to clean the smudges or any last minute detail before we send the product," says Stout.

All of the company's products - from plastic cladding to painted chrome to imitation leather - have been tested to ensure that they are not damaged when exposed to pure isopropyl alcohol. Stout also points out that it's still possible to scrub the outer surface of the wallpaper with a soft cloth soaked in alcohol to clean it.

However, experts point out that one should not use bleach or hydrogen peroxide to clean the inside of a vehicle as it can kill the corona on the one hand and on the other hand it is very likely to damage the car's upholstery.

Ammonia-based cleaners should also not be used on car touch screens as they may damage their anti-slip and anti-fingerprints.

Intense washing with soap and water can also destroy a corona.

"Friction from cleaning also contributes to disaster. You want to do the best you can, so soap and water can remove the risk, "said Stephen Thomas, head of infectious diseases and director of global health at Upstate Medical University.

Soap and water are also safe for most car interiors - special fabrics and older leather that may have started to break. Just be careful not to rub too hard, says Larry Kosilla, president of AMMO NYC.

Most car skins and leather imitations have urethane coatings for protection, which are safe for cleaning with alcohol. But most skins are dyed, and cleaning too hard can remove the dye.

Kosilla says he has heard from car owners who believe that their light-skinned skin gets dirtier as they rub it, which is not the case as the only thing they have achieved is to remove all the paint!

"Take care of your leather upholstery after cleaning it," says John Ibbotson, head of car services at the Consumer Report. "You need to use a good skin cleanser, then a good skin conditioner," he says.

If your car has fabric upholstery, Kosilla warns not to clean it with too much water or too much soap. "The goal is not to create too much foam as they will penetrate deep into the seat and in the end it may end up creating a mold! Mild use is the best, "says Kosilla.

Both Stout and Kosilla recommend cleaning all surfaces with a microfiber cloth. This is because they are made of fabric consisting of tiny small loops that capture and wipe away dust particles and do not scratch sensitive or shiny plastic surfaces. By comparison, dirt and dust on your car can stick to even the cleanest paper towels, such as sandpaper dust, says Kosilla.

Once you've finished cleaning, don't forget to wash your hands before and after driving. It is a good habit to limit the spread of the corona as the surfaces you touch often on the car will be kept clean.

"Number one is to clean your hands. You can clean your steering wheel, but if you have dirty hands, the dirt is put back on it again, "says Kosilla.

Hand washing is still one of the best ways to defend yourself against coronavirus, says Thomas.

"It's known that the coronavirus can survive on the surface for a few hours, but right now we believe that respiratory infections are still the main route from person to person," Thomas said.