Volcanic ash on vehicles should be cleaned immediately, expert advises

An automotive expert from the Bandung Institute of Technology, Yannes Martinus Pasaribu, has advised vehicle owners to immediately clean volcanic ash that has settled on their vehicles, rather than waiting for the ash fall from a volcanic eruption to cease.

“Allowing volcanic ash to accumulate on a car is highly detrimental and risks permanently damaging the vehicle, because volcanic ash contains silica with a sharp texture and sulphur that is extremely destructive if left for too long,” Yannes said on Sunday.

He explained that the sharp, abrasive silica particles can cause damage if left attached to the vehicle for an extended period.

He recommended that cleaning of volcanic ash on vehicles be carried out carefully so that the sharp silica particles do not rub against the vehicle’s surface and cause scratches.

According to Yannes, vehicle owners should begin the cleaning process by rinsing the vehicle with running water.

“By rinsing with a large volume of running water without any contact from a sponge or cloth at all, the abrasive particles can be dislodged as quickly as possible,” he said.

Once most of the ash has been removed, vehicle owners can proceed with a thorough wash to ensure that no volcanic ash remains on the body, glass, or other vehicle components.