Coronavirus Cleaning For Your Classic Car

The coronavirus pandemic has us all thinking about our safety, as well as the safety of loved ones. We all know the basic rules: avoid groups of people, wash your hands and if you are experiencing any of the common symptoms, self-isolation is important. But for those of us who need to leave the house for work or just want to take our muscle car for a cruise around the neighborhood, are there ways to make our vehicles a little safer? There are, and the products that can help sanitize the interior of your car are probably already in your home.

As it does on your hands, plain old soap has been shown to be an excellent defender against the coronavirus on surfaces. When considering what types of soap to use, you are generally safe with any of the household soaps such as liquid hand soap, dish soaps and other detergent based products. Hand sanitizers or other alcohol-based cleaning products can kill the virus, but they may not be friendly to the vintage surfaces that reside inside your classic car. They can dry out materials like leather and some plastics causing damage over time.

 

Most cleaning supplies designed for vehicles, like interior wipes, may contain enough detergent to fight the COVID-19 virus so those could be a safe bet too. Some people recommend bleach for certain specific surfaces, such as keys or gas caps, but it can damage most other surfaces, particular those found on the inside and outside of classic cars so you may be better off going the soap route. Because of this, you should also avoid any cleaning wipes that contain bleach.

While cleaning your vintage car prioritize the surfaces you touch most frequently like the steering wheel, gear shifter, turn signals, rear view mirror and door handles. And don’t forget the gas cap/door. After those you can move on to other surfaces including the seats.

 

As a rule, avoiding strong chemicals or solvents is the best route as those could do long term damage to your interior surfaces. Try any cleaning solution on in inconspicuous place first to be sure it doesn’t discolor the area you are cleaning. And lastly, remember to wipe off any moisture after cleaning any surface. Don’t let any chemicals (including soap residue) linger on a surface to keep your collector car looking its best for years to come.

NOTE: We are not medical experts, or experts in the spread of COVID-19. The advice above should not be taken as medical advice. If you’re experiencing symptoms or have further questions, consult your medical provider. For more information on preventing the spread of COVID-19, visit https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/index.html or coronavirus.gov.

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