Coronavirus: How to clean your home to prevent the spread of Coronavirus
Cleaning your home is a must for preventing the spread of Coronavirus. The advice here is similar to the advice provided for good general home hygiene practices.
Throughout our daily lives, our hands touch thousands of surfaces inside and outside your home. From the moment you wake up you hit the snooze button your phone, then rolling out of bed to go to the loo pulling the chain, and on and on. We spread germs constantly and making sure that surfaces are regularly.
Clean then Disinfect
Making sure your home is sanitised is a two step process. You’ll need to sanitise surfaces in your home by cleaning then disinfecting them.
Cleaning removes dirt and germs from a surface. This works by using water and soap/detergent to physically remove dirt and germs from the surface. This step does not necessarily kill the germs but removes germs lowering the number of germs remaining on the surface.
Disinfecting kills germs on the surface. This works by using chemicals to kill germs on the surface. This step does not necessarily clean the surface but it does kill germs lowering the numbers of germs remaining on the surface.
That’s why cleaning (removing) then disinfecting (killing) is the best method for reducing the number of germs in your home and helping to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
Coronavirus Cleaning
To clean your surfaces, you need to use hot water and soap or another type of detergent, depending on the surface you need to clean.
Hot water helps to use thermal energy to break down more of the dirt to help remove more. Detergent, such as soap, use chemicals to break-up and remove dirt, germs, grease, and grim.
Regular household detergents that can be used include:
Please remember to follow the instructions carefully when using detergents. Some detergents require you leave them for up to 20 minutes wet on the surface for them to work effectively.
Coronavirus Disinfecting
To disinfect your surfaces, you need to use a chemical that kills germs, such as bleach, depending on the surface you need to clean.
Regular household disinfectants that can be used include:
Frequently Touch Surfaces
Don’t forget to clean and disinfect those surfaces you touch most frequently, here’s a list of a few commonly touched surfaces in and around your home.
- Laptops and Computers
- Mobile Phones
- TV Remote Controls
- Door Handles & Cupboards
- Light Switches
- Bathroom and Kitchen Taps
- Kettle Handle
- Microwave Controls
Don’t Forget Safety First
Always read the instructions of any detergents and disinfectants that you use in your home. Where appropriate make sure they’re safe for your children, pets, or any allergies.
Wear goggles, gloves, and an N95 mask when using bleach and strong chemicals. Generally, we recommend using a mask when cleaning with strong chemicals, however, as worldwide supply of masks is limited and currently it is recommended that masks be reserved for medical staff or those who have already contracted the Coronavirus.
Make sure your home is well ventilated.
High-Temperature Laundry Wash
When cleaning your clothes, make sure you use enough laundry detergent, as high a temperature setting as possible (without ruining your laundry), and as long setting as possible.
The laundry detergent chemicals will break down dirt and help to kill germs, the high temperature will use thermal energy to break down dirt, and the longer cycle setting of the washing machine will use mechanical energy to help dislodge dirt from your clothes.
Coronavirus
Our cleaning experts are writing more helpful guides on Coronavirus.
