Crucial Cleaning Tips During Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Some people find that cleaning is a chore, while others have the mindset that their homes should be spotless and pristine at all times. Others are somewhere between the two extremes, but with the novel coronavirus still in existence, most people are willing to put in a little extra effort with cleaning and sanitizing their custom furniture to prevent their families from getting ill.
With the news that coronavirus can survive on various surfaces for anywhere from a few hours to several days, having a few house cleaning tips is something everyone can appreciate. Below, we’ll be offering some of those tips and tricks and making sure you have everything you need to keep your home safe and hygienic during the pandemic.
Tip One: What to Clean and Disinfect With
Before you get started with the cleaning process to keep your home healthy during the novel coronavirus, it’s essential to make sure you have all the needed supplies available. There aren’t a ton of items needed to get your house clean during the virus, but some are crucial to have around. The list below will get you on the right track to get started:
Waterproof Gloves – Dishwashing gloves or nitrile gloves should be used for cleaning during coronavirus. These gloves have two benefits associated with them since they protect you from cleaning chemicals while ensuring you avoid exposure to the virus. Having gloves in a variety of sizes that fit all the household members is an excellent idea.
Necessary Supplies – Having access to the cleaning supplies you use regularly is essential and it can be easy to forget about some of them with everything else going on in the world. Some of the things that will come in handy during cleaning include warm water, plastic trash bags, detergent or soap, and clean towels.
Disinfectants – Disinfecting the home is just as important as cleaning it, and there are a variety of disinfectants to choose from. The EPA offers a list of approved disinfectants that are effective against COVID-19 and other viruses or infections. A mixture of bleach and water can also be used by combining one quart of water with one tablespoon of bleach.
Optional Items – It’s also recommended to have items like disposable gowns, goggles, and masks for use while cleaning the home. These also offer additional protection against cleaning chemicals.
Tip Two: When to Clean Your Home
The first thing to be aware of when it comes to cleaning to prevent coronavirus is that cleaning is different from disinfecting. The first involves removing traces of dirt and debris from surfaces while disinfecting means killing germs using specific chemicals.
If you already regularly disinfect and clean the house, you’re already going well. Anyone who is cleaning and disinfecting every week is already ahead of the pack when it comes to keeping your home safe. However, there are some differences right now compared to times when a pandemic isn’t occurring.
The CDC recommends that homeowners clean and disinfect all high touch areas in the home on a daily basis. High touch areas are the surfaces in the home that people are touching throughout the day. Since the skin can transfer viruses and bacteria, these are the areas that tend to have the most germs. Some of the high touch areas to focus on include:
Desks
Doorknobs
Chairs
Light Switches
Sinks
Tables
Handles
Remotes
If you, your family members, or guests touch something on a frequent basis, this is something that should be cleaned more often. This is especially true for hard surfaces since viruses can live longer on them than soft surfaces.
Tip Three: What to Do After Having Visitors
Social distancing is a vital thing to practice right now since coronavirus passes from one person to another. The health experts recommend that you keep distance between yourself and others who don’t live in your home so you can prevent spreading the virus. That means that you should limit visitors whenever possible.
However, sometimes having guests over is unexpected or required, so making sure to be safe is essential. Once a visitor leaves the home, all the high touch areas that were mentioned earlier should be cleaned and disinfected as quickly as possible. Disinfect items like doorknobs and chairs or other items that the guest had contact with while in the home.
Tip Four: How to Clean if Someone in the House Has Coronavirus
If someone who lives in your home has symptoms of coronavirus, there are additional things to consider when it comes to your cleaning routine. While it can be frightening to be in this situation, there are still things you can do to reduce the chances that anyone else in the home gets the virus.
The most significant thing that needs to be done is avoiding contact with the person who has symptoms as much as possible. The best option is to have a separate room for the ill loved one to use for rest and relaxation where others aren’t going to visit. It’s excellent if there’s a separate bathroom for this person to use, but this isn’t always going to be possible.
When cleaning in this situation, it’s crucial to wear disposable gloves as much as you can. It’s also essential to wash your hands whenever you take off the gloves. The person who is ill should have separate cleaning supplies, and their space should only be cleaned when necessary.
For laundry, a sick person’s clothing should be washed using gloves and keeping the clothing away from your body. Use hot water and disinfect any used hampers. As far as dishes and food items go, sharing them isn’t a good idea. When washing dishes, gloves should be used, and the washing should be done in hot water.
Putting It All Together
While living through a pandemic can be stressful and confusing, there are ways to make the house around you safe for everyone who lives there. By using the tips above, you can ensure your space is clean and disinfected so everyone can get through the pandemic without problems. It might mean a bit more work, but it will all be worth it in the end.
Contact Knotty Nuff Wood today with any of your Custom Cabinet and Woodworking needs!