How to Clean and Disinfect Your Home – Protect yourself from the Coronavirus
Why should you clean and disinfect your home?
According to a study by The New England Journal of Medicine, the coronavirus remains stable on different kinds of surfaces for varying amounts of time (as per a controlled laboratory setting). It was still detectable on copper for up to four hours, on cardboard for up to 24 hours, and on plastic and steel for up to 72 hours!
Anytime you leave the house or have things delivered, you might be bringing in the virus that could settle on any of these surfaces. This is why you need to clean key high-touch surfaces regularly at home.
What are high-touch surfaces?
Surfaces that you and all other family members use often are considered high-touch surfaces. Here is a list for your reference.
Surfaces that must be Cleaned and Disinfect Daily:
- Mobile phones and other tech devices (especially keyboards)
- Doorknobs
- Light switches
- Remote controls
- Doorbell switch
- All door handles and latches
- Table surfaces
- Hard dining chairs (seat, back, and arms)
- Kitchen counters
- Bathroom counters
- Faucets and faucet knobs
- Toilets (seat and handle)
- Game controllers
This video will help you keep track of what to clean –
Is there a difference between cleaning and disinfecting?
Yes, there is. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) – ‘Cleaning is about removing contaminants from a surface. Disinfecting is about killing pathogens.’
Hence, both are needed, and they need to be done at least once a day to high-touch surfaces.
How do you clean and disinfect?
The first step when you’re cleaning is to remove any contaminants or dust by wiping it with a cloth dipped in soapy water. When you are disinfecting, you must be careful to choose a disinfectant that will not cause damage to the surface you are using it on.
You can use store-bought disinfectant wipes or sprays. If you don’t find them available, you can even make your own. For wipes, you can use store-bought wet wipes and then pour in 10-15 ml (depending on how many wipes) of Isopropyl Alcohol or rubbing alcohol. You can even mix the alcohol with water and use it, make sure the ration is not less than 70:30, 70% alcohol and 30% water.
You can also use bleach diluted with cold water (one-quarter cup of bleach per 4 ltr. of cold water). Using hydrogen peroxide is also a good idea. This also needs to be diluted in water before you use it.
How long do disinfectants need to remain on a surface to work?
Different products require varying lengths of time to work effectively. For hydrogen peroxide, you need to leave it on for a minimum of one minute before wiping it off. For rubbing alcohol it needs to be on for a minimum of 30 seconds. When you’re using bleach on delicate surfaces leave it on for a minimum of 30 seconds. On surfaces that don’t get damaged, you can leave it on for 10 minutes.
Can you use natural substitutes?
Unfortunately, using natural substitutes like vinegar, tea tree oil, and other natural products are not recommended. There is no evidence that they can kill the virus, they might be able to kill a fraction of it, but this is not good enough.
If you have any other tips on how to properly disinfect your home, then drop us a message below or reach out to us on NoBroker. Remember, stay at home, be safe.
If you need more help or information, drop us a comment below or reach out to us on NoBrokerHood.
In case of a COVID-19 emergency, contact-
- National Helpline Number – +91-11-23978046 or 1075
- MyGov Corona Helpdesk on Whatsapp – 9013151515
- Karnataka – 104
- Maharashtra – 020-26127394
- Tamil Nadu – 044-29510500
- Delhi NCR – 011-22307145
- Telangana – 104
- Andhra Pradesh – 0866-2410978