Every time I hear the news bulletin, the increasing ratio of infected persons hits me hard. Although I am staying at home and maintaining social distance, I still feel so unsafe. To ease my panicked mind, I decided to research the virus and its preventive measures thoroughly.

In this article, I have summarized the key points of my research that will help my readers in disinfecting their homes against coronavirus. Let me first tell you the importance of cleaning your homes:

-          The pathogens of the virus have an active life of up to 120 hours on everyday objects

-          The virus can survive on paper, ceramic and glass for up to five days

-           Life of the germs on plastic and steel is approximately 2-3 days

Thus, you should roll up your sleeves, get approved disinfectants, and start disinfecting the home right away. The virus can be life-threatening, and therefore no compromise can be made in your cleaning schedules.

How Your House Can Catch The Germs?

Scenario 1

One of your family members went outside to buy some stuff. That member caught the virus on the way back home. Now, he used the doorknob, car handle, doorbell, etc. which are common touch-surfaces for all family members. Other members also touched these surfaces, and now the virus has infected the whole family.

Scenario 2

You ordered food online, and the delivery man came to deliver it. Though the man has covered his face with a mask, he has touched the food box. Now, you have kept that food box on your kitchen counter. If that food delivery man was infected, there are high chances that the virus has traveled to your kitchen via the food box.

There are tons of other scenarios through which the coronavirus can come to your home. Though everyone is practicing social distancing, still, family members are going out to purchase groceries, you may need to visit the hospital, you may receive deliveries and you may even be going to work.

Since we cannot see the virus, it is possible to catch it even if we are cautious. Therefore, it's essential to clean and disinfect your home regularly to get rid of it. Getting rid of the dreadful germs is not impossible. Following methods can be useful in disinfecting our living spaces:

As prescribed by a renowned microbiologist Brian Hedlund, high-touch surfaces should be given special attention. We first need to identify such surfaces and then implement our cleaning plan.

Let us see some popular high-touch surfaces:

-          Doorknobs

-          Doorbells

-          Counters

-          Door handles

-          Taps

-          Chairs

-          Dining table

-          Switch

-          Laptops

Cleaning and Disinfecting

The cleaning process will take place in two stages:

Step 1: Cleaning

You cannot jump to disinfecting directly. Disinfecting is the second step of the process, and it needs to be done after cleaning. The process is simple and can be done in minutes. Make a solution at home by mixing liquid soap with water. Fill this solution in a spray bottle.

Now spray this solution on the high-touch surfaces and then rub it with a soft duster. It will wipe off all the dust and grime. But, keep in mind that the virus can still be there. For that, you need to take step number 2.

Step 2: Disinfecting

Here you will need an excellent disinfectant for sterilizing the surfaces. However, do not use any unauthorized disinfectant for your home. Keep the following guidelines in mind:

-          Go through the label and check the expiry date

-          If it is an alcohol-based solution, the percentage of alcohol should be 70%

-          Don't get ditched by the clothing cleaners. Home disinfectants are different.

-          Use the disinfectants approved by EPA only.

-          Cover the hands with disposable gloves

How to make a home-made disinfectant?

Since every other supermart is short of disinfectant, you can make one at home. Just dissolve bleach (5 tbsp.) in a gallon of water.

Now, let us learn to disinfect different home items:

How to Clean Different Surfaces in Your Home

1.      Soft-Touch Surfaces

Items like carpets, couches, and rugs can be disinfected at home. You can use the following methods:

1-      Make a diluted solution of bleach and dip a washcloth in it. Wring out the access and then rub your couches with the cloth. Repeat the process as many times as you need. Let them dry before use. Remember to wear gloves before you start this process!

2-     Make a solution with dishwashing soap or detergent, spray it on the surfaces and rub it.

3-     Cleaning carpets is a bit tricky. You can take professional cleaning services like carpet cleaning Epsom is providing home delivery during a pandemic.

2.     Kitchen Cleaning

Thoroughly disinfect the following things in your kitchen:

1-      Counters

2-     Basin

3-     Fridge handle

Tip:

Try to buy Lysol based disinfectants for your kitchen and use hot water for cleaning the dishes. Wear gloves when working in a kitchen and disinfect regularly.

3.     Bathroom Cleaning

Try to regularly disinfect the following surfaces in your bathroom:

1-      Basin

2-     Floor

3-     Bathtub

4-     Toilet seat

Flush properly after every visit. Clean and disinfect the floor, try to keep the floor dry, and maintain good ventilation.

4.     Living Room Cleaning

Wrap the carpets and rugs from your bedroom. Juts use plastic mats in front of the washroom. Regularly clean the door handles, knobs, and floor. Make a solution of bleach and mop the floor with this solution regularly. Try to keep good ventilation and avoid using air-conditioners.

5.     Electronic Items

Follow the below tips for electronic items in your house:

1-      Wrap the remote, keyboards and other items with a plastic wrap

2-     Now disinfect the plastic wrap daily with alcohol wipes

3-     Change the plastic wrap twice a week

6.     Clothing Material, Dusters, and Bathrobes

The coronavirus can live on your clothes for up to 2 days. So, always change your clothes whenever you go outside. Besides this, use the following method for cleaning:

1-      Clean with a regular detergent solution

2-     Dip clothes in a disinfectant solution

3-     Dry properly

Conclusion

Besides other preventive measures like social distancing and personal hygiene, home cleaning and disinfecting are essential. We can catch the germs in a blink of an eye; thus, detailed disinfecting practices need to be followed on a routine basis.

How are you disinfecting your house? Share some tips with us!