Rental Cars Can Be Just Downright Gross
Even though rental cars may look clean, they are often incredibly dirty. In fact, some surfaces, such as the steering wheel and cup holders, hide a shocking amount of grime and bacteria. Let’s take a closer look at 11 reasons why rental cars are dirtier than you think.
High Turnover of Drivers
Unlike driving your own vehicle, rental cars are used by multiple drivers over a relatively short period of time. In fact, you’d be surprised by how quickly the turnover period actually is. In order to make as much money as possible, it’s not uncommon for rental companies to do the bare minimum when it comes to cleaning between customers.
Superficial Cleaning
It’s much easier and cheaper to perform a superficial clean than it is to perform a deep clean. As a result, rental companies often only do a quick vacuum and wipe down before passing the car along to the next customer.
Bacterial Hotspots
Recent studies found that the trunk of a rental car typically contains more bacteria than a toilet seat! To be more specific, 1425 different types of bacteria were found in a sample of 100 rental cars.
Dirty Floor Mats
The floor mats of a rental car are another incredibly dirty area that often gets overlooked during cleaning. In fact, some studies showed that this is actually the dirtiest part of any car, as it is difficult to see when a deep clean is needed.
Sticky Cup Holders
Cup holders are also often overlooked during cleaning. Not only can they get incredibly sticky and grimy, but they also contain large amounts of bacteria and germs. If using a cup holder in a rental car, be sure to thoroughly wash your hands afterwards!
Contaminated Air Vents
Sometimes it’s simply impossible to drive without circulating air throughout the car, especially during the hot summer months. However, air vents are actually one of the dirtiest places in any car and can spread up to 1000 different types of bacteria through the air.
Gear Shifts Are Often Overlooked
This may come as a bit of a surprise, but recent studies have shown that the gear shift in a rental car is actually dirtier than the steering wheel, as it is often overlooked during cleaning.
Sweat and Bacteria
The driver's seat has been found to harbor twice the amount of bacteria when compared to the passenger and back seats. With the superficial cleaning we mentioned earlier, you can see why it just isn't good enough.
Dirty Steering Wheels
Even though the steering wheel is cleaned pretty often, it still contains roughly 150 to 400 different types of bacteria, making it one of the dirtiest places in any rental car.
No Standardized Cleaning Protocol
Globally, there is no standardized cleaning protocol that rental companies have to follow before renting out a vehicle. As a result, they can pretty much clean the car however they want, even if it doesn’t meet our standards.
False Sense of Cleanliness
Rental companies usually use different products to provide a false sense of cleanliness, such as an air freshener. Vacuum lines also make us believe that the car is cleaner than it actually is.
