Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Autotrader. However, all thoughts and opinions expressed are mine. 

These are strange times we are living in, but a positive attitude is all that’s needed to keep up with the uncertainty. For me, personally, I look forward to spring cleaning and that includes our cars! In fact, I feel it is even more imperative to make sure that we are sanitizing our cars really well especially these days, as we head out for any essential travel/work purposes.

My go-to resource has always been Autotrader! It has the best tips and advice for car owners along with tips on how to keep your car properly sanitized during COVID-19.  So along with the helpful resources available, I’ll be sharing my top 5 tips that have been helpful for me in keeping my car germ-free!

Helpful tips to keep your car germ-free!

Tip #1: Use Gentle Disinfectants

keep your car germ-free during the pandemic!

While we obviously want to give our cars a thorough clean from the inside, it is important to make sure that the cleaning products do not cause any damage to the interior of the car.  And like this tip shared by Autotrader, I have been using a cleaning solution that’s at least 70% alcohol to disinfect any COVID-19 residue. I also personally feel it’s best to stay away from bleach as it may destroy the fabric/leather interiors. And definitely do not overlook the touchscreen displays along with the other high-touch areas.

Tip #2: Vacuum Car Interior

keeping your car germ-free!

While I do not necessarily vacuum after every essential trip, I do make sure to vacuum every week, especially since I do have little kids who drop way too many crumbs and such. So it’s just a great practice to keep the car clean and not have any trash build up.

Tip #3: Don’t Forget The Carseats

clean the carseats!

Don’t forget to clean the car seats, if you have children. We may not be venturing outside a lot these days for obvious reasons, but that does not mean that we ignore the car seats for those occasional drives that we’ve been taking with the kids. So I have been wiping them with a cleaning solution and just letting the fabric air dry. And of course, it does not hurt to go the extra mile and maybe throw the car seat covers in the washing machine!

Tip #4: Keep Disinfecting Wipes On Hand

Heading to the grocery trip means not having access to soap/water for the duration we are out, which is why I always keep a packet of disinfecting wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer on-the-go. So useful for just wiping down the high touch areas when running errands.

Tip #5: And Most Importantly, Relax!

I know it’s easier said than done, but let’s try to take everything in stride as we adjust to the new normal in our lives. Let’s focus on the small changes that we can make on an everyday basis. We do not have to do a thorough car clean-up after every trip, as long as we are following the proper protocols of hand-washing and sanitizing as recommended by WHO and CDC. And at the same time, feel free to utilize the plethora of helpful resources available through Autotrader to make sure that we are keeping our cars germ-free! So let’s #DriveForward.

I hope you found these tips helpful! 🙂

Stay Safe.