How to Properly Disinfect your Vehicle

Jan 30

Written By David Alexander Sinclair

Main Types of Disinfectants

We have found the most effective chemicals for cleaning the interior of your vehicle are:

Isopropyl alcohol
Phenol
Quat like this Zep product.

Breakdown of these Disinfectants

Of these three, isopropyl alcohol is the safest to use and is not nearly as toxic and phenol and quat and for that we recommend it far and above the other two. Also phenolol can sometimes damage plastics which is plentiful for the interior of vehicles. It can be used for mold and mildew disinfection like in the product Sporacidin. We use this for carpets and we’ve had success with using it on doors, but double check what plastic the manufacturer of your vehicle used before using phenolol because it can damage it and always do a spot. Quat is also a powerful disinfectant, but we don’t recommend it because it is unnecessary for the purpose of disinfecting the typical car and is more expensive.

More on Isopropyl Alcohol

Isopropyl alcohol is a versatile disinfectant. It is commonly used for wiping down surfaces in the car, such as steering wheels, door handles, and gear shifts. It is effective against a wide range of microorganisms. It is often what manufacturers will use when getting rid of smudges and grease before shipping cars out. It is great for cleaning glass (when mixed 1:1 with 91% ISO alcohol).

Ozone as a Disinfectant

The other type of disinfection technique which is toxic as well so don’t breath it in, is ozone. This is technically not a chemical you can buy, it’s a gas, but you can buy an ozone generator online that makes the gas. This is used often in restoration projects for flood/mold removal or for removing smoke odor. This study found it is even effective against COVID:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7595067/

Summary

We identified effective chemicals for disinfecting vehicle interiors, emphasizing isopropyl alcohol as the safest option due to its lower toxicity compared to phenolol and quat. Phenol, while potent for mold and mildew, may damage plastics, and quat is discouraged due to potential health risks. Isopropyl alcohol is praised for its versatility, commonly used by manufacturers to clean surfaces in cars, especially glass. We mentioned ozone as a disinfectant, highlighting its use in restoration projects but cautioning against inhalation. Additionally, a referenced study suggests ozone's efficacy against COVID-19. Overall, the emphasis is on isopropyl alcohol for effective and safe disinfection of vehicle interiors.