Unhygienic Places in Your Car

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Amidst the global epidemic of the COVID-19 coronavirus, Malaysia has implemented a restricted movement order. This will bar citizens from travelling overseas and foreigners from entering the country.

These measures are in a bid to contain the overwhelming increase in the number of confirmed cases in the country.

Considering the severity of this situation, hygiene is now more important than ever. Thus, everyone should play a part and maintain personal hygiene and be responsible for our own actions.

Here at motorist, we will look at some of the dirtiest places in your car and discuss how you can keep yourself safe in this time of uncertainty.

1) Trunk

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The trunk, or boot, however you wish to call it, is probably the dirtiest place in your vehicle.

Everything from bags, boxes and other miscellaneous items have been in contact with your trunk. It is no wonder that there are so many germs lurking there.

An example of a potential breeding spot in your trunk, would be the wet stains caused by frozen groceries or soiled items.

The heat and humidity from your trunk, along with these wet stains, gives germs the perfect breeding ground.

2) Floor Mats

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The floor mats are also one of the dirtiest places in your car.

This is based on the simple fact that these mats come into the most frequent contact with the sole of your shoes.

Imagine the tiny pieces of gunk stuck to your shoe, and ultimately finding residence on your floor mats. Yikes..

Moreover, if you or your passengers are guilty of consuming food in the car, crumbs or pieces of food can easily fall onto the mats. These food items can easily attract pests like cockroaches or rodents, that breed germs easily.

Lastly, these mats are also perfect places to find stray hair or fur, which can also cause you to sneeze and spread unwanted germs as well!

3) Seat Belts

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Another frequent place of contact in your car would be your seat belts.

Regardless whether you are guilty of not wearing your seat belt whilst driving or not, seat belts are great breeding grounds for germs.

The contact between seat belts and your hands breeds germs and can be made worse if your hands are frequently wet. This is because moisture accelerates the growth of bacteria.

Therefore, make sure that your hands are dry when you touch your seat belts!

4) Gaps in between your seats

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Sometimes, the smallest of details matter. The small and hidden gaps in-between the seat of your car is no exception.

Just like your floor mats, crumbs and strands of hair can fall easily into gaps in between the seats, causing the accumulation of bacteria.

Nestled away in the darkness, these gaps are also potential homes to small insects.The situation can be worsened when these small insects breed and produce offspring.

Hence, a comprehensive disinfection through these gaps is advisable.

5) Drink Holders

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In this article, moisture is constantly mentioned as a source of bacteria growth.

Many drivers use drink holders to store their ice-cold drinks. The process of condensation leaves drops of water on the outer surface, which often leaves water stains in the holders.

Moreover, these ice-cold drinks may sometimes cause a huge mess through spillage. It can be made worse if these drinks are sweet and flavored, which attracts unwanted cockroaches and rodents.

6) Air conditional vents

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Air conditioning has become an essential tool in every vehicle. This is particularly important for Malaysians, considering the climate here.

However, did you know that germs can be inconspicuously grown in these vents?

This is made worse if the humidity inside the car is high. This causes water vapor to be formed in the vents, which again can lead to bacteria growth.

Imagine turning on the air-con and inhaling these germs from the vents. How gross would that be?

7) Steering Wheel

The driver controls most of the car’s activities through the steering wheel, which makes it the most frequent point of contact.

Therefore, it can be assumed that the steering wheel contains a lot of germs!

Adding on to that, imagine the times where you unconsciously sneezed and cough into the steering wheel without disinfecting it. Yikes!

Did the points discussed disgust or scare you? Now that we understand the germs in our vehicle, we can now combat it and maintain better hygiene in this uncertain time.

Keeping Your Car Clean

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Use Wet Wipes to Clean the Car Interior

While this isn’t a deep-cleaning tool, perhaps you could consider investing a few wet wipes to clean parts of your vehicle such as your steering wheel or drink holders.

If you cannot get a hold of these wipes due to the shortages this season, you can always be innovative and use unconventional methods such as using a wet cloth or alcohol swipes.

Shake Out the Floor Mats

Ever seen how car wash employees shake out the floor mats? Try doing what they do and give your mat a good dusting.

This helps to get rid of those unwanted crumbs or hair strands in your vehicle and provide you a great workout for your arms!

Just remember to dust your floor mats outside your car with the doors shut, so that germs don’t re-enter your car!

Vacuum your mat

Shaking the mats would be insufficient and if you require an extra layer of protection, it is advisable to vacuum your mat instead.

Vacuuming diligently during this crisis will help to get rid of any stubborn debris from your mats and ensure a cleaner interior for your car.

Baking Soda

This is an unconventional and unorthodox suggestion, and while this might seem silly, baking soda helps to absorb odors and stains from your car seats!

By sprinkling some baking soda in your car, you can also kill some germs breeding from moisture in your car.
 

We hope that this article has provided you with insight on car cleanliness. With the coronavirus travelling around, it is vital that we continue to look after ourselves and the things we touch.

What other parts of your car do you think hide lots of germs? Do you have other methods of cleaning your car’s interior? Share them with us in the comments!

If you'd like to keep a reminder of these places, here's an infographic we created for you to save and share with your friends!

Read more: Ask Yourself These 6 Questions to Better Preserve Your Car’s Value