Tested: Muc-Off anti-viral grenade promises to kill 99.999% of your car's germs

One of the more annoying things 2020 has given us is total uncertainty about how clean everything is. Just 12 months ago we'd have been happy jumping in a mate's car and taking it for a spin without a second thought. Nowadays we're more likely to don a hazmat suit and stay two metres away from well... everything.

With this in mind, cleaning peeps Muc-Off have spotted a gap in the market for a DIY anti-viral car-cleaning spray, which is designed to kill 99.999% of enveloped viruses in a 75-cubic-metre area. It's called the Muc-Off Anti-Viral One Shot Grenade, and I tested it out in my slightly-germy VW Touareg. Check the video out, and read on for more thoughts.

What is it?

The One Shot Grenade is a £15 canister about the same size as those cans of aerosol deodorant that convinced 15-year-old you that you'd suddenly be irresistible to all forms of life.

Unlike those deodorants, the Muc-Off grenade contains a mix of alcohol and QUAT – otherwise known as a quaternary ammonium chloride. It's been lab tested and has proven to be effective, meeting the EN14476 standard, which means it is proven to kill enveloped Polio, Adeno virus and Murine noroviruses. This is the industry standard for products that are also presumed to kill dastardly Covid-19.

How does it work?

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It works just like an aerosol deodorant, except you can click the nozzle down to release a constant hands-free spray. You simply put it in the footwell of your car, start the engine and set the air-con fans running on their lowest setting. Make sure all the windows are closed and set the Grenade off. Then it's simply a case of waiting outside your car for 3 minutes for the aerosol to spray into your car's interior – then give it five minutes to go to work. You'll want to then leave your windows open for two minutes to let it disperse before using your car.

How well does it work?

I had no way of testing if it was killing any viruses in my car, but I can say that the grenade left my VW Touareg's interior smelling of fresh laundry. Fair play to Muc-Off for giving us an anti-viral product that doesn't leave everything smelling a bit hospital – it's something you'll be happy to use in your own car or home.

Who's it for?

Well, this is the tricky bit, because we all have our own personal risk comfort zones and needs.

If you frequently let others drive your car, this should be a great way of disinfecting it before you hop back in. If you want to rent your car out or share it during the pandemic, this looks like a great way of easily staying safer.

It's worth noting that the Muc-Off Grenade has uses outside of the car – you can use it to disinfect entire rooms. You can use three of them to go to work on 225 cubic metres, for example. Are you the guardian of a 16-year-old? You might want to stock up on a couple of crates to make your Saturday morning bedroom cleaning session a bit less vom-inducing.

At £15 the Muc-Off Grenade isn't cheap, but what price for peace of mind? It brings a bit of fun to some of 2020's most annoying new problems.