As his regular business slowed, Bill Bonds had an idea for how he could keep his employees working while giving back to some of the people most at risk for exposure to coronavirus.
Mr. Bonds, co-owner of a Ziebart store on Holland-Sylvania Road in Sylvania Township, is offering a free sanitizing wipe-down of vehicle interiors for first responders and medical professionals.
“I know they’re worn down. I know they’re tired,” Mr. Bonds said. “I was given a chance to help do something for those guys.”
He began quietly offering the service about three weeks ago, and his crews have wiped down about 300 vehicles — and counting — since then. The business uses a sanitizing spray and cleans all high-touch surfaces like the steering wheel, dashboard and console, door handles, and seat-belt clips. They also pay special attention to the plastic rear seats and surrounding area in police cruisers.
“Normal business has pretty much stopped, so this is a way to keep my guys getting a paycheck,” Mr. Bonds said.
Lt. Kellie Lenhardt, the Toledo Police Department’s spokesman, said the service helps officers immensely. During the ongoing pandemic, officers are required to use sanitizing wipes and clean their cruisers at least at the start and end of every shift, as well as after transporting anyone. The department is attempting to use only its vans to transport people during the outbreak, but that’s not always possible.
“Ziebart’s donation is huge for us because they’ve offered to do it daily,” Lieutenant Lenhardt said. “It helps keep everybody safe, and it saves us time.”
Mr. Bonds said most of the cars his company has wiped down have stashes of sanitizing wipes and hand sanitizer inside. But those items are precious commodities as stores and suppliers are struggling to restock.
“They’re trying to do their part too,” he said. “With supplies running low, it’s just so hard getting them. Rather than have them spend their free time chasing down supplies, this keeps a lot of pressure off them.”
Anyone who wants to have their car sanitized need only visit the business and show their identification badge or something similar to prove they are a first responder or a medical professional. Many of the vehicles they’ve cleaned have been for nurses, in particular those who work for in-home health care services.
“It’s extremely helpful,” said Brett Warner, spokesman for the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office. “They’re the professionals and they’re going to do it much more efficiently. That’s much less time the officer is spending cleaning their car out every time they have someone in it and more time to take calls or patrol.”
Though they still need to keep up with frequent sanitizing, Mr. Bonds said, having a thorough cleaning done gives people peace of mind.
“They’re loving it,” he said. “It’s making them feel a lot more secure about being in their car.”
First Published March 30, 2020, 10:30 a.m.
