Can alcohol be sprayed inside the car for disinfection?
2 Answers
Alcohol can be used to disinfect the interior of a car, as it has sterilizing and disinfecting properties. However, it is recommended to use a wiping method instead of direct spraying. Precautions for using alcohol to disinfect a car include: 1. Alcohol is a flammable and explosive product, so it should be wiped dry immediately after spraying; 2. Ensure good ventilation by opening the car windows, and try to spray on the surface of objects, avoiding hidden or hard-to-reach areas inside the car; 3. After disinfecting the car, avoid smoking inside or closing the windows, as rising temperatures can reach the ignition point of alcohol, increasing the risk of explosion or fire; 4. After wiping with alcohol, special attention should be paid to leather seats, as they may be damaged.
I did this last time when there was a strange smell in my car, and it almost caused a disaster. While 75% alcohol can indeed kill germs, spraying it directly in the car is like planting a time bomb. Alcohol vapor is highly flammable in an enclosed space, and even static sparks can crackle when opening the car door after wiping the steering wheel with alcohol. Moreover, the genuine leather seats and plastic dashboard in our cars can turn white and crack after alcohol spraying—my car’s navigation screen’s touch layer was ruined this way. Now, I’ve switched to using automotive disinfectant wipes for spot cleaning and always open the windows immediately afterward. If deep disinfection is necessary, I’d rather spend a bit more for professional ozone sterilization, which is safer and can also treat hard-to-reach areas like the AC ducts.