Cleaning Your Home To Protect You From the Coronavirus

With the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, at the top of everyone’s mind these days, along with the efforts we are all making to stay healthy, wearing masks – social distancing – washing our hands frequently, there’s another thing we should also be thinking about…how to keep our homes clean to prevent the spread of the virus.

Bringing the virus into your home can be an easy thing to do…If you have had to run to the grocery store, the virus can enter your home on a grocery bag or food carton, or on your hands from touching something in the store. We should have processes in place to kill the virus before the infection spreads.

That doesn’t mean you need to be paranoid and walk around with disinfectant in your hand 24/7, but there are a few basic things you can do to keep your home from being the carrier.

Tips for Cleaning and Disinfecting:

• It has been suggested that we sanitize frequently touched surfaces often, but don’t just sanitize…it’s best if these areas are cleaned with warm soapy water first, and then wiped down with a sanitizing disinfectant. Be sure to let the sanitizer sit on the surface about 1 minute before touching or wiping.
  • • • If you don’t have any sanitizing wipes or liquid, you can use bleach as a disinfectant, but it must be diluted: you can use 4 tsp. of bleach to 1 qt water or 1/3rd cup bleach per gallon of water. (Never combine bleach with any other household cleaner or ammonia)
      • Some household cleaners are labeled as “cleaner-disinfectants”, which can turn a 2-step process (cleaning, then disinfecting) into a 1-step process.
• Kitchen or bathroom counters should be cleaned and sanitized daily, because they are so frequently used.
• Other frequently touched surfaces that should receive sanitizing attention (possibly every other day) are:
  • kitchen cupboards
  • refrigerator, microwave and oven door handles
  • coffee makers
  • remote controls
  • computer keyboards (don’t use a sanitizing spray on these)
  • light switches
  • door handles
• If you use sponges for cleaning, remember, they can be homes for bacteria, so at least on a daily basis, toss it in the dishwasher where it can be cleaned with the detergent and hot water.
• Probably one of the things we touch most is our cell phones…disinfect them frequently! We have been told to stop touching our faces to stop the spread…think about how close our cell phones and our hands are to our faces when we are using them.
• Kitchen towels and cloths need to be changed every day.
• Although it’s not in your home, your car is another carrier of bacteria…be sure to sanitize the steering wheel, door handles (inside and out), and all driving controls. This can be done either just before you drive away or once you return home.

For more information on COVID-19 and how it spreads you can go the the CDC site on the Coronavirus.

I have been cleaning windows in the Seattle area for 30 years, and quite frankly, I enjoy it!  I will be happy to answer all of your questions, and I know the mistakes to avoid. I clean private homes or apartment complexes.

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