Boogers, Bugs, and Bacteria In Your Car.

All opinions are mine and mine alone.

Reasons Your Car is Dirtier Than You Thought

Sometimes it is obvious that the interior of your car is in need of a clean. But often it can still pose a health hazard even when it looks perfectly clean. Many cars are so dirty that they could risk the health of the passengers, which could include your kids. Here are some of the dangers to be aware of, and what you can do to keep your car clean.

Is Your Car Really That Dangerous?

According to media reports, cars can contain high levels of dangerous germs and bacteria like Bacillus cereus and E coli. These can be present all over the car, including on the steering wheel, seats, and mats. This is especially bad where food and drink are consumed, and when children travel in the car regularly.

So what can you do about it?

Introduce Some Rules

The best way to keep your car clean in the first place is to avoid eating and drinking in the car. Food feeds bacteria, and spillages are often forgotten about and can become a breeding ground for germs. If you or the other passengers have to drink, keep it to water. Spilt water is far less problematic than spilt milkshake, after all.

And if you or your passengers do eat on the move, make sure you get everyone to clean up after themselves. You could also provide a trash bag for the journey so that everything ends up in one place.

And if there is one thing that you should definitely be strict about, it is to ban smoking inside the car. Smoking is a form of indoor pollutant that can harm other passengers, and it can be particularly dangerous for kids.

Deep Clean the Car Regularly

Get into the habit of cleaning your car on a regular basis. You might find it easier to clean the interior at the same time as you clean the outside of the car, and you could do this once a week. Even if your weekly clean only involves a quick vacuum around inside, make sure you spend some time giving it a deep clean once a month or so.

This can involve washing the seats and floor area, removing the mats and scrubbing them down outside, and using an antibacterial spray on all the surfaces. You may want to use a toothbrush to get right into the cracks and seams to remove all of the dirt that has accumulated.

After cleaning it out, leave your car doors or windows open so it can ventilate properly. This will also help it to stay smelling fresh, making it a more pleasant place to be.

Wash the Seat Covers

Seat covers are known to get particularly dirty, so make sure you keep them clean by washing them regularly, and this will help to keep your car free of germs. Vacuum over the covers at least once a week, but make sure you apply some more heavy-duty cleaning to them to get rid of germs.

This is much easier to do if you have removable seat covers like those from ShearComfort.com, which you can take off and give a good clean before replacing it again.

Make Your Car a Safer Place to Be

Your biggest concern when your family is in the car is that you drive safely on the road. However, don’t forget about the other risk presented by cars in the form of germs and bacteria. So keep your car clean and in great condition using these tips, and make sure you and all the passengers stay safe on every journey.

Rhys Davies has many years of experience working as a cleaner, and has recently started his own valet car service. Shocked at how dirty, and hazardous, some cars are, especially with kids around, he is taking it on himself to promote the need for clean cars!