House Cleaning and Disinfecting for Corona-Virus.
The recent outbreak of the Corona-virus has caused people to adopt a more hygienic lifestyle. House cleaning and disinfecting correctly and more often has become even more important. Hand sanitizers and home cleaning products have become somewhat of a necessity. Frequent touch points like doorknobs and cabinet handles should be disinfected at least once a day.
The transmission of COVID-19 through people and other surfaces has urged humanity to disinfect and sanitize their dwellings. House cleaning and disinfecting correctly is more necessary at every level, whether it is a personal residence or a commercial office, cleaning the surrounding environment is vital as recent studies show that the virus can last on surfaces or in the air for up to 24 hours.
Difference between Cleaning and Disinfecting
House cleaning and disinfecting correctly is is very important. In order to prevent the virus from spreading, we need to understand that disinfecting is not merely cleaning. Disinfecting involves a germ-free environment. To achieve this we need to use cleaning products that have disinfectant chemicals that will help destroy all kinds of germs. According to the CDC:
Disinfecting is the process of killing bacteria present on the surfaces; it works by using chemicals. Disinfecting lowers the risk of transmission of harmful diseases and infections.
Whereas cleaning, on the other hand, involves the removal of dust and dirt. CDC states clearly that:
Cleaning encompasses getting rid of the impurities and dirt on objects or surfaces. It involves the use of soap or detergent, which does not necessarily kill germs. It only removes them.
Benefits
- With no effective cure or vaccine discovered yet, we know that we have to live with the virus; hence disinfecting and following the CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control) recommendations is the only way to protect yourself and your loved ones.
- According to a study of Psychological Science, clean houses and organized places have proven to mitigate stress, improves your happy mood, eating, and exercise habits.
- Another study stated that cluttering has a direct relation to enhanced productivity at home and office.
Disinfecting your house will help you:
- Keep your home fresh and healthy.
- Prevent several diseases.
- Reduce health problems like allergic reactions and respiratory problems.
- Help keep you and your family safe from corona-viruses.
Things to do before you start cleaning
In order to do your House cleaning and disinfecting correctly before you start cleaning, you must have the right products and supplies that you will use to clean off dirt and grime on the surface. Buy easily reusable rubber gloves, so you don’t have to reinvest. Use a microfiber cloth for cleaning purposes and don’t keep using the same material for long periods.
Cleaning before disinfecting
Germs and pathogens hide under dirt and dust particles, so thoroughly cleaning the surface that you are going to disinfect later will reduce the chances of leaving any harmful germs off the surface. So it is essential to wipe the common contact points and mop the floor to get rid of dirt before disinfecting.
- Use a broom or duster to dust off the dirt on the surfaces.
- Take a clean piece of cloth, soaked in water and cleaner, and clean any hard stains and dirt that has stuck to the surfaces.
Things to remember while using disinfectants
- To disinfect hard surfaces, look for a hard surface disinfectant. A hard surface disinfectant is for multiple surface usage, like kitchen counters, faucets, tables, and floors.
- Make sure to look for a disinfectant that is EPA approved or make products at home like bleach, alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide in a proper amount recommended by CDC. According to CDC, a bleach solution made at home is commonly used to disinfect and is an excellent disinfectant. However, bleach contains chlorine, so it needs to be diluted with water before using it.
- While using bleach disinfectants, make sure you’re wearing protective gloves and mask to avoid the toxicity of chlorine.
- Strictly follow the instructions mentioned on the product and do not mix several products. Ammonia is also a common ingredient in disinfectants, if combined with bleach, releases toxic fumes of chlorine gas, which can be harmful.
Steps to disinfect Living Room
Cleaning before disinfecting is essential. When you clean, start from top and finish at the bottom, because if you have mopped the floor before cleaning the tables and bookshelf, you’ll probably end up mopping the floor again.
- You can start by cleaning the mess, picking up anything that doesn’t belong in the specific room, and putting them right back into their places.
- Follow the top to bottom strategy. Start by clearing the ceilings off any web, wiping the fans clean, and then dust and wipe the tables, shelves, and furniture.
- When you are done with dusting all furniture, cleaning the cabinets and other home appliances, vacuum, and mop the floor.
- Disinfecting hard surfaces, using a disinfecting spray or wipes will do the trick, whether it is a table or a bookshelf.
- If your living room has a TV and other electronic devices, you’re going to use wipes to ensure that no excess water remains in your appliances.
- If your living room consists of a gaming console, you may want to clean and disinfect the remote control too, and disinfecting wipes will be suitable.
Following the top to bottom strategy for the whole house is less time consuming and will give you a more thorough home cleaning.
Disinfecting the kitchen
Your kitchen has the most common touch points because every cabinet and drawer has a handle used to open and close it, even the refrigerator.
- After cleaning using the top to bottom strategy, proceed by disinfecting the most frequent contact surfaces. Keep your disinfecting wipes close so that you can keep using them whenever needed.
- Do not use a single wipe to clean all the knobs and handles.
- To disinfect your cooking and cutting stations, choose oxygen bleach with hydrogen peroxide as it is eco-friendly and is safer than chlorine bleach.
- Bacteria can grow on wooden cutting boards, spoons and, other utensils. Keep disinfecting such tools.
- Disinfect the kitchen floor and keep in mind that disinfectants with bleach should be diluted before use and are not mixed with Use a robust disinfecting agent that would kill bacteria and germs. Leave the floor wet and let it air dry.
Did you know your sink has more E. Coli than in flushed toilet? According to Dr. Germ and many others, this is the bitter truth. The kitchen sponge has more bacteria than your Bathroom, according to a published study in Scientific Reports. So, don’t forget to disinfect your kitchen sink and sponge as well.
Steps to disinfect dishes and other kitchen utensils
- Using an automatic dishwasher is undoubtedly going to make your life easier, just by increasing the temperature to a 140F and using a disinfecting dishwasher, you’ll have everything sorted.
- However, if you do not have a dishwasher, you need to wash the dishes regularly, but in the end, you must dip the dishes and glassware in a two-tablespoon aqueous solution of bleach.
- After that, allow the dishes to air-dry while washing dishes wear rubber gloves as bleach can be harmful to the skin.
- While cleaning utensils use a bleach solution to ensure the destruction of all harmful bacteria, the liquid bleach comes in forms of jugs and gallons.
- While preparing a disinfecting solution, all you need is 2 cups of water and a teaspoon of bleach if you need more than you can double or triple the quantity of water and bleach; 4 cups of water and two spoons of bleach.
Disinfecting Hard Surfaces
When Disinfecting hard surfaces like tables, kitchen counters, bathroom sinks, and vanities you can use any hard surface disinfectant. These disinfectants come in the form of sprays and wipes. The sprays are the easiest to use. However, you must follow the directions mentioned on the labels about the quantity and instructions to apply. They usually advise using enough of an amount that the surface is left wet with the disinfectant for a certain amount of time and air-dries later.
How to disinfect your Bathroom
To disinfect the toilet bowls, the use of more potent disinfectants is required for apparent reasons. These disinfectants have higher cleaning actions due to the presence of bleach in them. The best results are obtained when the thick gel cleaner is applied inside the bowl and is left for a few minutes before using a brush. That will make it easier to scrub off any remaining germs left there.
Steps to disinfect your personal computer
Your gadgets and personal computer has uneven surfaces and needs cleaning thoroughly. To clean and disinfect your computer, we cannot use water-based disinfectants for our devices, as it can impair the functionality. Hence, it is more appropriate to use disinfectant wipes; Clorox and Lysol are the best ones.
- Make sure to turn off your computer before cleaning. Unplug all parts of the machine.
- Use a duster to dust off the dirt thoroughly off your monitor screen, keyboard, and other parts.
- To clean up the dust in between the keys of the keyboard and other intricate parts using a dusting brush will be more appropriate.
- After dusting, take the disinfecting wipe and rub the top and sides of the keys carefully and then the whole keyboard thoroughly.
- Clean the mouse with a new wipe, monitor screen, and other parts as well. Try using a fresh wipe for each piece.
Steps to disinfect iPad or phone
- Shut down your phone or iPad before cleaning.
- Remove any excess dirt with the help of a cloth or can of compressed air.
- As mentioned above, it is most fitting to use wipes; however, while disinfecting your phone or iPad, you need to be cautious while cleaning the screen. The screen is sensitive, so try not to apply pressure on it.
To get their House cleaning and disinfecting correctly done people invest in home cleaning services, which allows them to rest or do other things while the house is professionally cleaned and disinfected. A professional house cleaning service can help you keep your home and business safer for your family, customers and employees. A professional cleaning service will sanitize/disinfect common contact points as much as possible to maintain a safe and secure environment of your home or business. However, you should keep your house or business equipped with cleaning and disinfecting supplies. Using “sanitizers” does not ensure the removal of all viruses and other bacteria’s. Hence, it would be a wiser choice to invest in cleaning supplies, particularly labeled “Disinfectants.” Disinfectants kill all kinds of harmful pathogens and turn your home and business into a haven for you and your family.
If you’re in West GA, Western KY or Southern IL or Tamp Bay area and need our professional cleaning services, contact us today using one of the links below for a free estimate to help keep your space a clean and safe environment.