Disinfecting Shared Vehicles During COVID-19

I hope you and your fellow responders are staying safe and staying well. These are trying times, and we are doing our best to provide information, answer your questions, and respond to your emails. While the office is empty, we are all working from home and staying caught up.

League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust (LMCIT) Loss Control consultant Julie Jelen just posted some helpful information on our public works blog, The Pipeline. The topic is disinfecting shared vehicles during COVID-19.

Most of our responders and crews share vehicles, and disinfecting vehicles is part of the new normal. The blog has a link to a 3-minute video the St. Paul Police Department posted on their procedures for disinfecting their cars.

Here's Julie's post:

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We are all aware that washing hands and disinfecting high-touch surfaces are the two best ways to defend against the spread of the coronavirus. What if you’re sharing city vehicles? How do you know you’re properly destroying the virus to protect yourself and your co-workers?

The key is to not damage those surfaces while disinfecting. According to the CDC, alcohol solutions that contain at least 70 percent alcohol are effective against the coronavirus. Most every surface in a vehicle can be safely cleaned with isopropyl alcohol and a microfiber cloth. Most EPA-registered household cleaners — such as Lysol Disinfecting Wipes — are also effective.

While wearing your personal protective equipment, clean these frequently touched surfaces:

• steering wheel                                            
• door handles
• arm rests
• shift lever
• buttons or touch screens
• seat adjusters
• wiper and turn signals stalks
• air vents
• seat belt buckles
• grab handles
• door arm rests
• cup holders

Good old soap and water are safe for cleaning the fabric and leather interior. For those vehicles that transport passengers, CaviCide1 is an approved spray that kills the virus within one minute. The St. Paul Police Department has a short YouTube video using this product.

What not to use:

• Do NOT use bleach or hydrogen peroxide inside the car surfaces. They will kill coronaviruses but will likely damage the car’s upholstery, vinyl, and plastics.
• Do NOT use ammonia-based cleaners (blue glass cleaners). They can damage the car touch screen anti-glare and anti-fingerprint coatings. It also breaks down the vinyl on the dash and makes it sticky over time.
• NOTE: Bleach, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and many household cleaners are adept at killing germs, which is the goal. Just be aware it may potentially fade or damage a vehicle’s interior. Always follow the label instructions on the bottle and safety data sheets on proper PPE when applying these chemicals.

Additional 2.5-minute video on disinfecting your vehicle:

COVID-19 Car Tips: How to Disinfect Your Car, Safely Get Gas, and Use the Drive-Thru (Auto Trader Canada)

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Finally, I wanted to share a chalk drawing that I came upon while out for a walk. There was not a soul around — it was just there.

Up next: More COVID-19 Updates

Keep up the good work, stay safe, and stay healthy,
Rob