Steering wheels need disinfecting...just like the toilet

15 November 2010

Neglecting to clean our steering wheels is resulting in twice as many germs as the average loo

Next time you head off in your car you may be gripping onto a steering wheel thats harbouring twice as many germs as a toilet seat.

Research indicates that  steering wheels carry more than twice as many germs as the average lavatory.

Studies discovered that steering wheels on average could harbour 41,600 germs, a toilet seat on the other hand averaged 17,400.

dirty steering wheel

Apparently motorists are forgetting to use their cleaning supplies with only one in ten of us cleaning our car on a "regular" basis

Even if you are making a point of cleaning the car, that doesn't necessarily mean the bug count is being reduced.  The correct cleaner needs to be used and if we are wanting to kill germs whilst cleaning then we must make sure our cleaning supplies cupboard is holding a good bactericidal cleaning product.

Tesco, who commissioned the survey, said women dont clean their cars as often as men, while the Scotish clean their care most regular.

The steering wheel is naturally a high hand contact area, especially if the car is being driven by more than one person.  Another factor could be those of us who are snacking behind the wheel, a residue of food debris is left behing and this becomes a bio nutrient for the germs to thrive on.

The Cleaning Shop says, the surfaces need to be cleaned and sanitised on a regular basis with suitable cleaning supplies in order to reduce the number of germs in this hotspot.  Spray & Wipe cleaner and disinfectant or Violet cleaner and disinfectant are both suitable cleaning products in this respect.

We recommend you simply spray your chosen cleaner onto the surfaces to be cleaned and disinfected, maybe allow a little contact time for the cleaning product to work, ensuring a better cleaning result. Wipe away with a cleaning cloth or wiper.  If the surface you are cleaning is really grimey then use your cleaning supplies again to repeat the process.

Regular use of  bactericidal cleaners will reduce the number of germs in your vehicle and maintain your vehicle to a much more pleasing standard of cleanliness for all that travel with you.

Here are a few  handy tips to keep your car clean and fresh;

  • Keep your cleaning supplies and cleaning cloth in your car,  having them handy might help if you have a few minutes waiting in the car for whatever reason and are able to do a quick wipe around.  Regular quick cleans are easier to do than a whole deep clean

 

  • Clean out all your clutter its harbouring germs and covering up dirt

 

  • Remove any sweet wrappers, empty drinks containers, parking tickets on a daily basis.  Not only will you feel better when you are in your car but you are more likely to see what needs cleaning

 

  • Clean up any food or drink spills as they happen with your cleaning supplies, leaving  them will leave you with a sticky mess that dust, hair and dirt will attach to aswell as becoming a hot spot for germs to thrive in

 

  • Clean your windows each week, you are driving in such close proximity to them that they will naturally become a contact point and a germy area, use your window cleaning supplies to clean and shine them

 

  • Hoover the upholstery regular to remove dust and debris and if necessary make up a solution of cleaning supplies to remove any stains or dirty marks.  Ensure that you hoover the carpets and remember those awkward bits down the sides of the seats where often food debris gets dropped and forgotten about

 

  • Periodically its a great idea to use a carpet shampoo machine to clean the interior of your car, make up a solution of carpet cleaning supplies add a little sanitiser and deodoriser to freshen and remove any stale odours

 

  • Use a solution of your cleaning product to clean all the hard surfaces in the cabin, pay particular attention to the hand contact areas such as the steering wheel, gear stick, cd/radio, climate control, electric windows, indicators, door handles, etc

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