11 Cleaning Tips To Keep Your Home COVID Free
By React, a specialist cleaning company.
1 Clean and disinfect surfaces that people come in contact with: tables, doorknobs, light switches, counter tops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, taps and sinks. Avoid touching high-contact surfaces in public.
Pic: Shutterstock
2 Wash surfaces with warm water and soap first, before then applying disinfectant – this clears away dust and dirt where the virus can be absorbed and breaks down the oily surface or envelope of the virus, leaving it unable to infect a host cell.
3 Wear rubber gloves and an apron while cleaning – wash in hot soapy water after use.
Pic: Shutterstock
4 Sanitise cleaning cloths and sponges frequently – put them in your microwave for 30 seconds to eliminate germs and bacteria after use, washing your hands immediately after.
5 Open deliveries, post, parcels, etc. in a dedicated space, outside if you can. The packaging is more likely to be a risk than the contents due to elapsed time. Remove contents carefully and place in a clean box or bag to take back inside. Packaging should be disposed of in the usual dustbins outside. Wash your hands immediately after for 20 seconds using the recommended method and then wipe with disinfectant any surfaces or door handles you have touched in the process.
6 Sanitize your phone & other gadgets with an alcohol or disinfectant wipe or invest in a smartphone UV sanitizer such as those available from www.phonesoap.eu – phones can have more germs than your toilet seat and are basically a compact petri dish.
Pic: Shutterstock
7 Immediately after being in public places, throw all of your clothes in the laundry in case any virus particles are on your clothes. Wash everything at 60oC (140F) or at 40oC (104F) and use a mild bleach-based detergent to kill any trace of virus or bacteria to ensure they don’t spread.
8 Wash your bed sheets every three days, more than normal in these circumstances – they can collect dust mites and bacteria, which is why they need to be washed regularly.
Pic: Shutterstock
9 When doing the laundry, you’re easily exposed to bacteria. A few things to minimise the risk of the spread of germs here – don’t shake dirty clothes as this could result in bacteria spreading through the air. And clean and disinfect your washing basket and anything else that comes into contact with dirty laundry, washing surfaces before then wiping or spraying with disinfectant.
Pic: Shutterstock
10 Whether it’s your bedroom or living room, any space you spend a lot of time in can become tainted. So make sure to open the windows to let fresh air in, getting rid of any loitering bacteria.
Moira Chisholm
I'm the Health Editor on My Weekly and am always interested to hear what's new in this fascinating field. I also deal with the gardening, shopping pages, general features, our website content and the Ask Helen problem page. I have a special interest in Christmas content because I'm on the team for Your Best Ever Christmas Magazine, too!
