Cleanliness has always been important, but the current coronavirus pandemic has made it essential - whether concerning yourself or your home.

Your car too can be a breeding ground for germs - including, potentially, COVID-19.

 

According to Toyota, there are 40 areas of your car that require particular focus.

 

Many different parts of the car are touched by the driver and passengers on every trip, according to the Japanese car giant. From opening the door, to changing gears, to adjusting temperature controls - the list is long.

 

Toyota’s professional car detailer, Ben Murphy, is an expert in cleaning cars. He cleans around 30 a week, and sometimes as many as 46 in a busy period. So he understands how germs can be spread around so easily - and where to target your cleaning efforts.

 

Here is the full list of areas to focus on when cleaning your car, according to Toyota's Ben Murphy.

  1. Exterior door handles
  2. The frame of door and roof
  3. Interior door release
  4. Window switches
  5. Interior door handle
  6. Door pocket
  7. Seatbelts
  8. Seatbelt clips
  9. Seat adjust buttons
  10. Steering wheel
  11. Horn button
  12. Control stalks
  13. Driver air vents
  14. Dashboard
  15. Power button
  16. Gear shift
  17. Multimedia screen
  18. Central air vents
  19. Heating controls
  20. Glovebox
  21. Logbook
  22. Central storage compartment
  23. Cupholders
  24. Rear-view mirror
  25. Interior lights
  26. Grab handle
  27. Key
  28. Headrests
  29. Seat pockets
  30. Rear central tab
  31. Fuel cap
  32. Wheel valves
  33. Boot lid
  34. Parcel shelf
  35. Boot floor tab
  36. Boot close button
  37. Bonnet lid
  38. Washer cap
  39. Dipstick
  40. Oil cap

 

Murphy says he has to think carefully about what people have touched in the vehicles of the Toyota press fleet, which he is responsible for cleaning. Along with obvious areas such as the horn and the gear stick, there are more surprising parts - such as the rear-view mirror: Murphy says, "most people adjust the rear-view mirror when they get in the car."

 

Murphy goes on: "The interior of the driver’s door is a common touchpoint, especially on our press fleet cars which are driven by many different people. Think about all the people who get in the car and use the controls to put the window down a bit."

 

Seat belts

And since everyone must use one by law, seatbelts are another part that can harbour germs. Often seatbelts have to be adjusted, which means more touching, and, as a driver, if you were to cough or sneeze, any germs would likely land on the seatbelt or the steering wheel.

 

Ben also says that one should pay attention to the bonnet, dust caps and headrests.

 

Rear side windows can also get dirty, especially if children often travel in the car - because they tend to touch the glass.