COVID-19 has been dominating 2020, and it is still not over. However, the world is starting to open up as we get to the end of the year. We can go around a bit more freely. But this doesn’t mean we can be careless now. With more people going out and about, the chances of them bringing the virus into your home increase. If you want to ensure the safety of your home, you need to be serious about cleaning and disinfecting everything. Here are some essential things to do for a cleaner house.
Have the Essential Supplies
If you plan to clean and disinfect your house regularly, then you need to have the proper equipment and materials. While you may have the basics like brooms and soaps, there are other things that you need to have. The essential thing that you will need is a good disinfectant. This is your most effective tool and you will be using a lot of it to get rid of germs and bacteria from various surfaces. You will need to buy this in bulk, if possible. Besides that, you will need various detergents for the various surfaces that need cleaning.
Cleaning tools are also necessary so that cleaning is much easier. Brooms, buckets, and mops are only the beginning. You will need scrubs, sponges, and rags, too. These can degrade fast, so when you are looking at sponges and cleaning rags for sale, you should consider buying them in lots so that you can easily dispose of the old material. Nowadays, you should also be wearing cleaning equipment like gloves, safety goggles, and masks. This adds a layer of protection that can help ensure you are free from any form of infection. It also protects you from the harsher chemicals in the disinfectants and detergents.
Know the Right Procedures
While many assume that cleaning is simple, if you want proper disinfection, you will need to know the right process. These can be very different depending on the surface that is being cleaned.
For hard surfaces, which includes walls and doorknobs, start with wearing gloves during cleaning. Even if you wear gloves, you should also wash your hands after the cleaning process. Before you disinfect, start with a thorough cleaning of any dirt or grime on the surface. After that, you should apply the disinfectant. One very effective disinfectant against the coronavirus is a good bleach solution, with sodium hypochlorite at 5.25to 8.25 percent. Five teaspoons of this bleach solution with a gallon of water should be effective.
For more porous surfaces, which include carpets and rugs, a good surface cleanses with soap and water should be enough. Follow it up with the disinfectant and finish with a good vacuum.
Clean Clothes and Bedding
Other potential sources of infection are clothes and bedding. If you went out, your clothes may have brought in the coronavirus. If possible, you should immediately throw any clothes you used into the laundry for immediate cleaning. Do not shake dirty laundry since this can spread the particles and bacteria on it into the air. Use gloves when handling the laundry and use warm water to help with the cleaning. After you dump the clothes in the washing machine, you should disinfect the clothes hamper that you used to store the clothes. Dispose of the gloves and wash your hands after doing the laundry. If one of your housemates is sick, no matter what the disease, their bedding might become a source of infection.
Don’t Forget About Personal Hygiene
While cleaning the home is essential, the biggest source of infection is other people. This means it is important that personal hygiene become a priority when it comes to home cleanliness. Washing your hands is incredibly important to stop the spread of the virus. Have everyone in your household become familiar with the 20 to 30-second hand washing routine. With more and more people going out, washing hands when you come home is becoming essential. Soap and water are the preferred cleaning solution but a 60 percent alcohol solution from a hand sanitizer can work just as well.
Develop the habit of avoiding touching the eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. This is especially important when they recently sneezed or coughed. You should also get into the habit of washing hands before preparing food.
The best protection against any disease is prevention. With proper disinfection procedures, you can ensure your home is safe from the threat of COVID-19. Take the right precautions to protect yourself and your family from the pandemic.
