31 Areas You Shouldn't Forget When Cleaning Your Car

When Luzon entered into Enhanced Community Quarantine last month, we gave tips on which products you can use to clean your interior. For a quick refresher, you can check it out here. Moving forward though, which particular areas should be cleaned?

With most people going out of their houses to replenish their essentials (including myself), it’s about time we reiterate that commonly touched points should be cleaned and disinfected such as the door handles (both exterior and interior), window controls, steering wheel and horn, gear shifter, and even the rear view mirror—especially for households that share cars.

Surprisingly, seatbelts are commonly missed. Everyone has to wear one when they get into the car, so there could be two to three touch points on there. Also, the belt sits across you, so if you were to cough or sneeze there’s a very good chance germs can get on the seatbelt or the steering wheel.

Again, it’s best to use products made specifically to clean cars without damaging leather or interior materials, but if they aren’t available, bleach-free antibacterial wipes or even a clean cloth damped with soap and water are the next best thing. And remember, don’t just give each area a quick wipe; make sure it’s wiped twice in a forwards and backwards motion to make sure it’s cleaned completely.

Oh, and don’t forget to give your hands a good wash after.

Anyway, here’s our car cleaning checklist:

1. Exterior door handles
2. Frame of door and roof
3. Interior door release
4. Window switches
5. Interior door handles
6. Door pocket
7. Seatbelts
8. Seatbelt clips
9. Seat adjust buttons
10. Steering wheel
11. Horn
12. Control stalks
13. Driver air vents
14. Dashboard
15. Power button or key cylinder
16. Gear shift
17. Multimedia screen
18. Central air vents
19. A/C controls
20. Glovebox
21. Central storage compartment / armrest 
22. Cupholders
23. Rearview mirror
24. Interior lights
25. Grab handle
26. Key
27. Head rests
28. Fuel cap (especially when you’ve just refueled)
29. Tire valve caps
30. Trunk / hatch lid
31. Trunk / hatch open/close button