Mobile vehicle care and fleet services company RideKleen introduced its new Surface Disinfection and Air Cleanse services back in April. With the service, RideKleen said it can treat vehicles with an EPA-approved, hospital-grade disinfectant called DetraPel.

That product is designed to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, including Coronavirus.

Since then, the company has upgraded and enhanced the service, incorporating a new disinfection solution.

“We’re really working toward redefining cleaning,” RideKleen president Pratik Patel said in an interview with Auto Remarketing.

The company said on Monday that it was introducing a vehicle hygiene product solution and service called PureProtect by RideKleen.

That service provides vehicle disinfection and air cleanse protection for fleet owners and operators, riders and drivers.

Patel explained that with PureProtect, RideKleen has upgraded its service so that it cleans soft surfaces in addition to hard. A second improvement is that the product provides a 30-day residual benefit.

“And what I mean by that is that in addition to a kill at the immediate contact of the product, there’s also a residual for protection that it gives for inhibiting bacterial growth for up to 30 days,” Patel said.

He continued, “So there’s almost like an added protection that you're getting even after the service.”

He expanded on how the company is redefining cleaning, noting that historically, people have thought of cleaning in terms of visually clean.

“When you look at a car, hey, looks clean, it must be clean,” Patel said.

He continued, “I think with the COVID outbreak and going forward, what the norm is going to look like, it looks clean, but is it really clean, when it comes to disinfection of the vehicle.”

Regarding PureProtect by RideKleen, the new offering that provides vehicle disinfection and air cleanse protection for fleet owners and operators, riders and drivers is available in all RideKleen markets, including Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and San Francisco.

RideKleen says it is empowering its customers with do-it-yourself offerings, including “high-volume enterprise solutions” and individual vehicle kits featuring the products, supplies and training so that companies can more safely disinfect and protect vehicles on their own.

More on PureProtect

PureProtect by RideKleen kits feature an “eco-conscious” cleaner from Caring Brands. The cleaner sanitizes, disinfects and protects the entire vehicle, including the interior cabin, A/C ventilation system, trunk and cargo areas.

The U.S.-made EPA-registered and approved antimicrobial cleaner is food-safe and approved for use on hard and soft surfaces, killing up to 99.9% of germs, bacteria, mold, mildew and emerging viruses. Rather than offering temporary protection, PureProtect by RideKleen provides an ongoing residual effect to slow the growth of odor-causing germs, mold and mildew for up to 30 days post-treatment.

Cox Automotive Mobility’s Pivet facilities in Atlanta and Phoenix, as well as Manheim locations nationwide, are using PureProtect by RideKleen kits and service.

Complimentary sanitization services are also being performed for first responders in Philadelphia and Atlanta, including the Upper Southampton Township Police Department in Philadelphia and DeKalb County Police Department in Atlanta. RideKleen will also roll out PureProtect by RideKleen services in partnership with dealers using Clutch Technologies’ Retail Delivery & Service Pickup and Delivery software, which the company says can result in safe, touchless retail and service experiences.

With PureProtect by RideKleen’s single vehicle kits and high-volume product options, the company says providers can offer peace of mind to drivers and riders. That helps dealers by providing assurance for the 83% of consumers who say disinfecting vehicle surfaces after a service appointment or test drive is extremely or very important, according to the 2020 Cox Automotive COVID-19 Consumer & Impact Study.

RideKleen sourced another recent Cox Automotive survey showing that dealers are more likely to use the disinfection products if they are offered as a do-it-yourself product rather than full-service.

With PureProtect by RideKleen, the company says providers can sanitize and disinfect vehicles in locations most convenient for their customers, such as a home driveway or office park.

That helps RideKleen customers further differentiate their offering with vehicle disinfection at the final point of delivery.

The company provided more information on the two services, noting that PureProtect by RideKleen Single Vehicle Kits sanitize and disinfect a vehicle in 10 minutes or less. The do-it-yourself kit includes a cleaner and disinfectant bottle, microfiber cloth, a pair of disposable latex-free gloves, face mask, disposable hand sanitizer wipe, rearview mirror hangtag to signal completed disinfection, and instructional card with access to additional training materials.

The second service, PureProtect by RideKleen Enterprise Product Solutions, involves customized solutions for high-volume operations. It includes drop shipment of one-gallon, five-gallon and 55-gallon containers along with atomizer or fogger applicators directly to customers. RideKleen said the offering is ideal for servicing small and large vehicle fleets, with training support from the RideKleen team.

RideKleen has created a digital marketing toolbox to help dealers and other providers promote their PureProtect by RideKleen services and boost consumer confidence. The toolbox includes educational brochures and collateral, exterior signage, and website creative elements.

Looking clean is not enough

Patel told Auto Remarketing that he has seen research showing people spend an average of one to one and a half hours per day in their vehicles.

What does the vehicle look like? The typical vehicle needs to be cleaned. Patel said the average steering wheel in a vehicle is about nine times dirtier than a public restroom.

“And what’s the first thing you touch when you get in the car? The steering wheel, typically, right?” Patel said.

He continued, “The vehicle’s interior has probably about 40% more germs than the average toilet seat. So just looking clean, is that enough? That’s kind of why we’re looking at this program as not only a response to the COVID outbreak and how we can help, but it’s also about redefining cleaning going forward.”