With coronavirus cases worldwide coming in at well over 1,000,000 and deaths exceeding 55,000, it’s no surprise that everyone suddenly wants to know how to disinfect their homes to minimize viruses, bacteria, and germs.
If you’re wondering about the best way to disinfect your house, you’re in the right place! Here’s the low-down on how to sanitize your environment and keep you and your loved ones safe and healthy.
Best Practices: Clean Then Disinfect
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) it’s important to understand the difference between cleaning and disinfecting.
Cleaning is the process of removing dirt and other impurities from surfaces. This includes germs. Although using regular household cleaning products to wipe down surfaces in your home doesn’t necessarily kill germs, by removing them, you’re taking a big step towards reducing the risk of spreading infections.
Disinfecting, on the other hand, uses special chemicals to kill the germs located on surfaces. This doesn’t actually get rid of dirt or germs, but it does kill them. This is why it makes the most sense to clean first and then disinfect.
In many cases, basic cleaning can be as simple as wiping down surfaces with soap and water. This includes countertops, doorknobs, and light switches as well as all bathroom surfaces. For best results, you’ll want to do this twice a day.
Once this is done, the following tips will help you disinfect every room in your home.
Choose the Right Products (Or Make Your Own)
If you can get ahold of bleach-based disinfectant wipes, this is probably your best option. Unfortunately, these products are currently sold out at most retailers. But, that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck!
You can also use unexpired household bleach diluted with water or an alcohol solution that contains at least 70% alcohol. Either of these options is effective enough to kill dangerous germs and viruses. To create your own solution, mix 1/3 cup bleach in a gallon of water.
Important Tip: Never mix products that contain bleach with products that contain ammonia!
If you’re using a commercial product, read the instructions and make sure you follow them carefully. Many of them require you to thoroughly wet the surface with the product and let it sit for at least a few minutes.
Since it’s possible the COVID-19 and other viruses can live on surfaces for several hours or even days, you’ll want to make sure you disinfect your home at least once a day.
Disinfecting Safely
While you’re using disinfectants, whether commercial or homemade, make sure to keep children and pets away until the surfaces are dry. Once you’ve confirmed that they are dry, the surfaces can be considered both clean and safe to touch.
It’s also a good idea to use disposable cleaning products, like paper towels, when possible. This way, you can easily dispose of these potentially contaminated products without worrying about it.
Again, these may be difficult to come by right now. If you are going to use reusable sponges or cloths, you’ll want to clean and disinfect them after each use. They should be washed at a temperature of at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
One easy way to achieve this is to place them in boiling water that contains a diluted disinfectant and leave them to soak overnight.
Laundry Tips
If you’re cleaning laundry that’s potentially contaminated, do not shake it! Doing so could disperse the virus and other germs into the air.
Set your washing machine to the warmest temperature appropriate for the items you’re washing. Check the labels if you’re not sure what the material can handle. It’s fine to wash potentially contaminated items with other items, however, you may want to wear disposable gloves while doing the laundry.
When you’re done, make sure you clean and disinfect the hampers or any other containers you use to transport the laundry.
Disinfecting Electronics
It’s no secret that most of us bring our mobile phones with us everywhere, making them a hotbed for bacteria, and germs. This is also true for TV remotes, video game controllers, keyboards, laptops, tablets, and more.
To disinfect them, use an alcohol wipe that’s made of 70% isopropyl alcohol. Be careful when using anything on the screen, as certain carriers may have different coatings, and alcohol may damage some of them. Make sure you check the electronic’s manual first!
If you’re not sure, take a look at these tips for safely cleaning your smartphone.
Other Quick Tips
There are a lot of little things that people don’t think about when it comes to keeping their homes clean and germ-free. Here are a few more tips that will help you keep your home as healthy as possible:
- In the kitchen, clean and disinfect all knobs, handles, and buttons on cabinets, the refrigerator, and all of your appliances.
- In the bathroom, make sure you change out your hand towels at least once a day.
- Disinfect soft surfaces, like mattresses, pillows, couches, etc. with Lysol spray (just check a small area first!).
Follow these tips, and your home will be as clean and germ-free as possible.
Make Your Home Sparkle Today!
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There is no denying things are a bit scary right now, but we’ve got your back and we can all work together to beat this. No matter what, we’re here for all of your cleaning and filter needs!
