The dashboard touchscreen of your car is a surface that should be cleaned to prevent coronavirus transmission — but, as some unfortunate drivers have learned, you can’t use just any disinfecting wipe.
The touchscreen does not take well to strong disinfectants; they can destroy the anti-glare coating and make the screen foggy or blotchy.
Manufacturers advise against cleaning the touchscreen with substances that contain alcohol, ammonia, bleach or hydrogen peroxide. (Though Clorox is associated in the public mind with bleach, their disinfecting wipes contain alcohol and ammonium compounds.)
The safe and effective procedure is to use soap and a minimal amount of water. The screens are fairly waterproof, as long as you don’t get too sloppy. Use a soft cloth rather than a paper towel to dry the screen, so as not to scratch it.
(The soap-and-water-only advice concerning car touchscreens is stricter than that issued by smartphone makers. Though they say cleaning agents can indeed damage the coating on phone screens, most manufacturers have since the outbreak of coronavirus given the OK to judicious use of Clorox wipes or other alcohol wipes.)
For the rest of the inside of the car, soap and water also works, and 70 percent alcohol is fine on almost everything except uncoated leather seats, Consumer Reports says.
Solutions with bleach or hydrogen peroxide are not recommended because they can damage upholstery.
Exercise moderation in your use of water. Steering wheels on newer cars have a lot of electronics that can be damaged by moisture, and soaked seat cushions can mildew.
