Car care during quarantine.

IsthisReallyReal, yes, it is apparently "ReallyReal"!

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/cats-animals-pets-coronavirus-covid19

This is a good, scientific article with citations, and addresses inferential but not necessarily proven issues.  

An earlier article, less thorough, but also scientific:

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/coronavirus-dog-pet-hong-kong-infection

I found a few other references, but these are the most thorough and scholarly articles I've found, and not just inflammatory or of questionable reliability  as some articles are.

Yes please do, because I have been checking online every couple of days and I have not seen anything of the sort.

I am a bit horrified that animals can get tested but not people. What is wrong with that scenario?

IsThisReallyReal, I read either yesterday or the day before that 3 animals have tested positive for it, but I haven't done backup checks on the articles so I haven't mentioned it.    If I find out more, and reliable information, I'll post back.

Mayday, the best protection for car seats would be to cover them.

I would spray lysol on fabric and vinyl. Leather can be cleaned with leather cleaner.

I am OCS about cleanliness and I do a lysol fog in my truck. Close everything, cover my face, stick my arm through the door and speay a fog of lysol and quickly close the door. I have always done this and it seems like it works.

I do not believe that dogs can get it. Everything that I have read says no. I have a service dog that goes just about every place with me and I am giving her more baths and keeping her from perusing when we are out and it is her time. I also don't let people get near her when she is not vested up. Everyone wants to pet her. Ugh! Really folks, I think social distancing applies even when you want to pet my dog. It's therapeutic for people to live on a loving animal, but right now is not a good time for it.

Stay well and belly rub for fido🐕

I keep forgetting to leave my shoes in a bag or outside...

My kid decided not to stay at college dorm.. The place is like a ghost town,

HOw long does this virus atach itself to vinyl, leather, car material? How do you sanitize the seats? Never really thought about thoroughly cleaning the car seats. But then agian, Im usualy the only one in the car beside my dog. Can dogs get this? I know they can carry it,, but can they get this?

Is this really real,, what we all need now is prayers, but people are sending food and snacks, that we can grab and eat when we get a moment to do so,, most of us are packing food because we can't get to the cafeteria or food court ( and may not want to) Our hospitals need purell type things,, but I don't blame anyone for keeping a tight hold on theirs as this goes on. And those coffee pods,, we are sooo tired. Just stay home, and be safe,, instead of in my hospital for all of our sakes. And thank you for your support! I pray you all stay safe.

Pamzi, you are blessed to have a man that takes care of your vehicle needs, pumping gas. My honey does the same thing for me and I appreciate it so very much.

Thank you for your work. People that willingly put their lives on the front line are true heros.

What would you want if the community could contribute anything right now?

Those little packets of Kleenex that are used and sent home with patients from rehab are coming in handy, and they're free after given to patients. 

I wonder how many others are finding secret hiding places in their cars....

As I have to go to work, my hubs is topping off the gas tank when I get to 200 miles to go.. I have a 100 mile commute to and from work 3x a week, and I am sure it will be more often as this mess goes on. I leave my work shoes in a bag on the floor, and I have a 2 day "bug out" kit in the back of the truck, in case we get stuck at work due to staff shortages,, at least I will have some clean "undies",, I can ( a this time) get hospital scrubs to wear. And I am keeping some bottled drinks in the cup holders in the back. And since I can't take my purse in, my wallet is locked up in there too.. license and CC if needed

Thank you for these great tips! 

The other day when I was out I realized my box of Kleenex was now a valuable!  So I locked it in the trunk .. which I'll go get since my 1 roll of toilet paper will be gone Soon and there's none for sale.

I can walk everywhere in my town and I only use the car when I'm leaving town or buying a lot of heavy groceries, maybe once every couple of weeks. I don't think that most people need to worry about their cars or take any extra measures to keep them running unless this goes on for several more months.

You may want to consider purchasing a STANLEY 1000/500 Amp Jump Starter w/120 PSI Compressor (J5C09) (available at Walmart for $75). It's basically a large battery with an air compressor, jump start cables, an LED light, a couple of USB ports and an auto DC port (like a cigarette lighter) attached. It has a built in AC charger so you can plug it into any good extension cord to charge it. The large handle makes it easy to move around. The DC port means you can use it to power a small fan or a cup warmer too.

Depending on weather conditions, it can remain in your trunk for 6-8 months and still have enough charge left to start your engine. I usually keep mine plugged in near my door over the winter but move it to my trunk April-November. It's much easier to use than jumper cables to jump start a car. I like it better than trying to drag air hoses around to inflate the tires. The kids like to borrow it to inflate various balls and toys and to provide portable power for phones and speakers around the pool or picnic areas. I paid $59 for my first one over 9 years ago and recently replaced it with this one when the battery in the old one would no longer hold enough of a charge to start my car; it still works as the kids portable usb power source.

I drive a truck, no place to hide things. So I bought a couple polar bear floats that sit on the floor of the backseat. Gives me a bit of a hidey hole and it keeps my dog off the floor when someone miscalculates where they are.

Good suggestions.   

I hide my medical ER kit in the trunk, in bags or something so no one can see what's there.   I also have bandages and little hand wipes in small packages, plus med tape.

The concept of keeping tires inflated and battery charged is a good one.   I have a tire gauge in the glove compartment and a portable compressor in the trunk.   The first is used every time I drive to check the tires as I've had problems with one losing air.    The compressor allows me to pump up at home as well as on the road if one of the tires starts losing air, which had happened in the past until a very alert mechanic found and fixed the problem.