Keeping your household spick and span may be nothing new especially for young families, those living with an elderly, or for any neat freak. But with the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, clean surfaces and droplets-free air may just spell the difference between catching the virus or not, and it just might save your life.
Covid-19 is a new disease caused by the viral respiratory virus, SARS-CoV-2, and while there is still so much to learn about it – how it spreads, where it thrives, who are more susceptible, and how to keep the virus at bay – practicing cleanliness has never been more important nowadays. If we look at what is currently known about the virus, transmission occurs via respiratory droplets from close contacts within about 6 feet. Studies have also shown that droplets remain in objects and surfaces for hours or days.
While health experts still don’t have the all the answers – or a vaccine – yet, nevertheless, put on your cleaning gloves as we give you a few tips on how to disinfect your house and keep your surrounding areas clean and disinfected. For in the pandemic era, cleaning of visible dirty surfaces will not be good enough – immediate disinfection is essential as a best practice.
Start with the exposed
Living in a condo? Wipe your doorknobs and windowsills daily. Residing in a subdivision? Wash down your gate, your porch, or even the road fronting your house. Practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces and areas of your home like tables, light switches, handles, toilets and others, and always have a ready supply of approved disinfectants like wipes, sprays, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.
Remember to wear disposable gloves and eye protection when cleaning and disinfecting your surfaces, then discard the gloves after use. Use detergent or soap and water to clean them, while for disinfecting, use a strong disinfectant product. Let the product sit and remain wet on surfaces for ten minutes or more. In a pinch? Mix five tablespoons of bleach with one gallon of water. Avoid mixing chemical products!
Soak the fabrics
Launder items in accordance to your product’s instructions, but if possible, use the warmest water setting to keep the germs away. Wash and dry your work clothes separately from your home wear and most especially, with the kids’ clothes. Clean the hampers regularly and make sure to disinfect them. Do not reuse the water.
Clean air is a must
Certain air disinfectants have been approved for use against the novel coronavirus, proven to kill 99.9 percent of the germs within two minutes of contact. Be sure to spray daily, if possible at several times of the day, especially for those residing in highly-populated and high-risk neighborhoods.
Floor watch
Even before the pandemic, floor cleaning is essential for tidying up the house. Contaminants can transfer easily to these surfaces, germs fly off people’s shoes and anything brought from outside that will touch the floor is already deemed dirty. What’s more, respiratory droplets have nowhere to land but the floor.
When it comes to cleaning your floors in Covid era, your go-to mopping style may not get the job done. It will not remove the contaminants at all, rather, it will spread them around. There is also the risk of slipping and other accidents.
Remove all soil and other debris. Sanitize your floors using a tough disinfectant while utilizing a scrubber, then spray your bleach-water mixture. Allow it to seep through before finally wiping the floors completely. Oh, and please leave those shoes outside!