Ever wondered just how thoroughly your rental car has been cleaned in between drivers? If you’re even mildly germ-conscious, chances are your instinct would be to give the steering wheel and door handle a quick wipedown before hitting the road.

However, according to a new study by CloroxPro, these aren’t the dirtiest spots in your rental car.

To find out what the germiest touchpoints really are, CloroxPro swab-tested 21 rental cars across 13 rental sites in the U.S.

Adobe Stock | Aleksandr Kondratov

The dirtiest surfaces were:

• Driver side floor mats: 1,197 germs
• Trunk of the car: 1,180 germs
• The front seat cup holder: 1,179 germs
• The dashboard air vent: 1,082 germs

Surprisingly, high-touch areas like the steering wheel and driver-side interior door handle had significantly fewer germs—408 and 375, respectively.

“Based on our research, almost everyone agrees that a clean and sanitized car makes you feel better, but consumers rarely think about the germs in their cars and the impact they can have on their health,” said Lynda Lurie, Director of Marketing, CloroxPro.

If you’re concerned about germs in your rental, consider packing a few sanitizing wipes. Prioritize wiping down spots like the dashboard air vents—they could circulate bacteria into the cabin when the AC kicks on—and the cup holders, which are often overlooked but collect plenty of grime. And don’t forget to wash your reusable water bottle after it’s been sitting in there.

Love travel tips like this? Don’t miss out.

Learn from the pros with travel tips and tricks that make getting from here to there a breeze. 
Travel smarter one email at a time.

Subscribe
By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Use