There’s practically no one unaffected by the Covid-19 pandemic, most especially families with senior citizens and little children at home. There is just so much that needs to be considered, such as wearing masks when out in public and avoiding crowded places. In other words, it is a time where vigilance is needed at all times.
Now that the world is trying to avoid getting the virus, it’s understandable that most of us are staying home for most of the day. But merely staying home might not be enough. In order to completely protect your loved ones, making sure that your house is 100% clean and disinfected is essential.
Here are 6 tips to clean and disinfect your house thoroughly and protect your loved ones not only from the Covid-19 virus but also from other harmful bacteria and viruses.
1. Use disinfectants when cleaning.
Simply cleaning your home means removing visible dirt, but in order to fully protect your family, it is necessary to disinfect using any of the approved disinfectant by the United States Environmental Protection Agency:
- Disinfecting wipes like Lysol, Clorox, or store brand wipes
- Disinfectant sprays like Clorox, Lysol, or Purell
- Isopropyl alcohol
- Hydrogen peroxide
If you don’t have access to these store-bought disinfectants, or if you prefer making your own, you can make your own bleach disinfectant spray by simply mixing 4 teaspoons of household bleach in a quart of water.
2. Always wash your hands first.
Before attempting to clean your home, it is always important to make sure that your hands are clean. It is good practice to teach your children proper hand washing techniques and basic hygiene habits, and it is crucial to set a good example.
The right way to wash your hands is to wash them with soap and water for 20 seconds. Wash them this way before and after cleaning and disinfecting your home.
3. Clean your home’s high-touch surfaces.
Now that you are ready to clean and disinfect your home, assess the surfaces that are most often touched by the members of the household. These include the doorknobs, cupboard and drawer knobs or handles, faucets, kitchen and bathroom counters, toilets, table surfaces, light switches, and staircase railings.
You also need to tackle other innocent-looking but high-touch surfaces such as remote controls and game controllers, electronics and mobile devices, handles on the refrigerator, oven, microwave, and other appliances, and other similar surfaces.
Remember that the novel coronavirus has been found to be capable of staying on hard surfaces like plastic and stainless steel for up to two or three days. Therefore, these high-touch surfaces should be cleaned regularly.
4. Use disposable gloves to clean surfaces.
Always wear disposable gloves when cleaning and disinfecting your home, and don’t forget to discard them afterwards. If you prefer to use reusable gloves, then allocate these gloves specifically for cleaning and disinfecting only. Do not use them for other purposes such as preparing food.
After removing the gloves, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
5. Launder soft and textile items.
Don’t forget to include soft or porous materials in your home such as the carpet, linen, rugs, and curtains. You can spot treat them with appropriate cleaning materials to remove visible dirt or stains. Afterwards, launder them in your washing machine using the highest temperature setting available.
If laundry is particularly dirty, or if someone is sick at home and you are washing their belongings, be careful not to shake them off to avoid dispersing the virus into the air. In addition, always wear disposable gloves when handling the laundry. If gloves are not available, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after laundering.
6. Use disinfecting wipes to clean electronics.
Do not neglect cleaning your electronics, especially hand-held devices like cell phones and tablets. Since it is not advisable to spray alcohol or any chemical directly onto the surface of electronics, it is better to use disinfectant wipes instead. If you don’t have these wipes available at home, you can also spray 70% alcohol on an ordinary wet wipe or cloth and use it to wipe the surfaces of your electronics. After wiping, dry the item thoroughly.
There is definitely a lot going on now, and even the simplest chores like cleaning the house can become challenging and complicated. The pandemic is truly a stressful time for anyone, but by staying at home and making sure to clean and disinfect your house, you can rest easy in knowing that you are doing your best to protect yourself and your family.