“Cleanliness is next to Godliness,” as the saying goes, one we’ve all heard many times, maybe from our mothers, as we rolled our eyes. But during this world-wide Coronavirus pandemic, cleanliness will help control the spread of the disease and possibly spare lives. We hear about the importance of washing our hands multiple times per day with soap and water, and how it will help stop the spread of this virus. Now that we’re sheltering in place, stuck within the confines of our homes, it’s essential to keep our houses clean, especially if someone in our family is sick.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, current evidence shows that the virus can remain active on various surfaces from hours to days. Therefore, the cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed up by disinfection is the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our households and throughout the community.
The CDC recommends wearing disposable gloves while disinfecting. Pay extra attention to commonly touched surfaces. Don’t forget to regularly wipe off doorknobs, tabletops, handles, other frequently touched surfaces, and electronics. To disinfect the area, if it’s dirty, use soap and water or another
detergent, followed by a household disinfectant. If you’re not sure if your disinfectant is suitable, the CDC has a list of coronavirus approved disinfectants on their website. The CDC further states you should keep the surface wet for some time, however, it’s still necessary to follow the instructions on the label. Also, make sure to have proper ventilation while using the product, to avoid inhaling toxic fumes.
You could use household bleach solutions if you weren’t able to get other cleaning products during the grocery store buying frenzy. Be sure that the liquid is suitable for disinfection and that it hasn’t expired. Some color-safe bleaches, for example, that are intended for use on clothing, may not be designed to disinfect. Remember, never mix bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. It’s best to leave the solution on the surface for at least one minute. You can mix 1/3 cup of bleach per gallon of water, or add four teaspoons of bleach per quart of water. You should use solutions with at least 70% alcohol.
How should soft surfaces, such as carpeting, area rugs, and drapes, be treated? First, clean the surface using soap and water or with cleaners suitable for these surfaces.
You can launder them (if possible) according to the instructions on the label. Always use the warmest appropriate water setting and make sure to dry the items completely.
In our technology-driven world, nothing gets as much contact more than our tablets, computer keyboards, touch screens, and remote controls. Don’t forget to disinfect these devices’ surfaces regularly, or put a wipeable cover on such electronics. To be safe, follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning these items, but if not specified, you can use wipes or sprays that contain at least 70% alcohol. Then dry the surface off thoroughly.
For laundering your items, a good rule of thumb is to check the manufacturer’s instructions, and use the warmest water setting that is appropriate. Then dry the clothing completely. Most importantly, when washing the laundry of someone who is ill, wear disposable gloves when handling their items and don’t shake the dirty laundry. If you shake the clothing, it could disperse the virus in the air. You can, however, launder their clothing with other people’s items. When you’re finished, remove the gloves and wash your hands immediately. It’s important to disinfect any clothes hampers according to the directions for other surfaces. Place a disposable liner or one you can clean inside the basket.
Hand Washing 101
Washing hands regularly with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds is a best practice in the defense against the virus. It’s critical to clean your hands immediately after removing gloves and after contact with a sick person. You can substitute soap and water with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. If hands are visibly dirty though, always wash them with soap and water; as well as in the following instances:
♦ After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
♦ After using the restroom
♦ Before eating or preparing food
♦ After contact with pets or other animals
♦ Before and after caring for a person who needs assistance
♦ Always be vigilant about not touching your eyes, nose, and mouth unless your hands are clean. These guidelines should always be in place as a best practice during this pandemic.
Cleaning Tips when Living with a Sick Person
What should you do when someone in your house is sick, though, short of wearing a HAZMAT suit? The person who is ill should stay separated from everyone else in the house. If they have a separate bedroom and bathroom to use, only clean around them when necessary. Provide personal cleaning supplies to the sick person, and if they feel able to, they can clean their own space. Try to limit personal contact as much as possible with the person who is ill.
If you’re sharing a bathroom with the sick person, clean and disinfect it after each use, and if they can’t clean up after themselves, wait as long as possible before entering the bathroom to clean. For more information, consult cdc.gov. For mealtime, it’s crucial for the person who is sick to eat separately from their family members who aren’t ill.
When handling any used dishes, glasses, or silverware, always wear gloves and wash them with hot water and soap or load into a dishwasher. Afterward, dispose of the gloves and wash your hands. Use a separate, lined trash can for the sick person. Always wear gloves when removing the garbage bag and disposing of it, and wash your hands immediately afterwards.
Tips for those “Spring Cleaning” Jobs
Now, for the pesky in-depth cleaning, which are most likely put off for when you have “extra time.” When stuck at home for weeks on end, it’s hard to ignore the filth that’s been accumulating all winter long. This year, what was once “spring cleaning,” is now a much more obsessive-compulsive type of cleaning, partly caused by panic and partly by extreme boredom. Take a close look at that bookcase filled with books, knick-knacks, and photographs. It might be time to finally organize it.
With all your extra time, you could rearrange the books, color-coordinate the knick-knacks and update the picture of your child on their first day of kindergarten, now that they’re 19 years old. As you take down the items from the shelves, one by one, that two-inch film of dust will require a little more elbow grease than a simple dusting. You can use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment first, then follow up dusting with a wood cleaner on a soft cloth.
Dust the Forgotten Areas
After you’ve got the commonly touched surfaces under control, you can only put off cleaning under that tv console so long. When was the last time you cleaned underneath the bed? Imagine how well you’ll sleep when your allergy to the dust bunnies under the bed doesn’t keep you up all night. Also, it’s an excellent time to dust vents and baseboards, those places that get overlooked while doing a quick clean-up.
Use a vacuum cleaner on the vents with a brush attachment, which will work better than using water and cleaning products that will only smear the dust. You can also unscrew the vent covers and soak them in soapy water. While you’re at it, don’t forget to change the filter in your air conditioner.
Clean out the Closets
Next, take a look through your bathroom drawers and linen closets. Throw out old expired medicine, make-up, old toothbrushes, etc. Organize your linen closet shelves
and get rid of any ripped and/or stained towels, bed linens or, blankets. Neatly fold all of your towels, sheets, and blankets. You’ll feel like you accomplished something! When the quarantine is over and, you have overnight guests, they’ll be so impressed! The other closets in your house could benefit from some “TLC” at this time, as well.
Reorganize your clothes closet, putting away or moving to the back, seasonal items not currently worn. Make a donation pile and neatly rearrange the remainder and straighten up your shoes.
Get a New Perspective With Redecorating
Are you tired of looking at the wall with the same pictures, scuff marks, and paint chips? Rearrange your photos and or paint the wall. Touching up areas that need it and putting up a new arrangement of pictures will make the room feel fresher and cleaner. Shed a little light on the situation. Replacing old light bulbs will help to brighten your home. Dust your lampshades. It’s incredible how much light the lamps seem to give off when the shade doesn’t have a layer of dust on it.
Cleaning your curtains can go a long way toward making your room feel cleaner and brighter, as well as ridding it of allergens. Check the manufacturer’s instructions and launder them if possible and hang them to dry.
Clean and Reorganize Your Kitchen
Beyond the usual cleaning of dishes and disinfecting of surfaces in the kitchen, it’s time for more in-depth projects such as organizing the pantry, cleaning the stove, refrigerator, and cleaning out the cupboards. These are the jobs most likely to get skipped when we’re short on time and running out the door. The refrigerator can benefit from some extra attention right now. Take the time to throw away any food you can no longer identify, wipe down the shelves inside, and organize the remaining food for easy access. Wipe off and disinfect the outside handles as these are sure to get a lot of activity.
We routinely overlook the small appliances in our kitchens in terms of cleaning. Use this time to hand wash all the parts of your coffee maker and run a few cycles with distilled water to get rid of buildup in the machine. Also, open up your toaster and clean out all the loose crumbs.
Tackle the Outside Yard Work
When you can’t stay inside any longer, tackle some of the yard work waiting for you. You can still be socially distant with your neighbor as you wave across the street from each other with rakes in hand. Sweeping and raking up loose leaves and debris is an excellent place to start. From there, you can prep your spring planters by cleaning them to get ready for new planting. Most outdoor furniture takes a beating from the harshness of winter and will most likely need extra cleaning, even if it’s been in storage. Murphy Oil soap is a solid choice mixed with warm water.
US Window & Door Can Help
After you’ve done all these projects inside of your home, but you just can’t stand looking at that fogged up window anymore, US Window & Door can help you. We provide you with an estimate for your job if you wish to replace any of your doors or windows. We’ll be there for you during this pandemic and will safely complete any job you need. You can find our message regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus) here.
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