CLEANING HABITS TO KEEP COVID-19 OUT OF YOUR HOUSE!
26 May 2022 | DIYA RAJGURU
Over past few years we have been living in a pandemic and with these changing times, there is a need to change our daily habits to clean our homes too, if we want to keep risk of being infected at bay.
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We need to inculcate new cleaning habits with changing times during this pandemic.
1. Your HandsFirst, let’s nail the basics: Wash your hands. Do it frequently. And do it well…vigorously, and with soap, for at least 20 seconds.
2. The AirNext is keeping the air inside your house clean. Surprisingly the air inside our house is more polluted than the air outside. NASA recently revealed a study that states that indoor air is 99% more polluted than outdoor air. The air in the house is constantly polluted due to using various electronic devices, using plastic furniture and gas emitted from the stove, etc.
You can clean your inside house air by firstly keeping it well ventilated. Open the doors and windows for at least an hour each morning to circulate the air out and let fresh air in. If you are living in extreme weather conditions and letting fresh air in is not an option. Use air purifier or your aircon system with HEPA filter to keep rotating the air inside. Using essential oils in diffuser will also help purify the inside air. Each essential oil has its properties, few are stress relievers while others are anti allergen and anti-bacterial which helps in purifying the inside air.
NASA has named several indoor plants to reduce indoor pollution and purifies the air like snake plant, rubber plants, money plant, aloe vera plant etc. These plants are capable of removing most of the pollutants in the air. These trees are also very easy to care for and you do not need to give much time to take care of them. If you don't already have any of these plants in your home, go and bring some from your nearest nursery for the betterment of your own health as well as your family.
Keeping air clean will also help reduce the potential for airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors. Where able, windows, curtains and doors to balconies should be opened few hours daily.
1. Your HandsFirst, let’s nail the basics: Wash your hands. Do it frequently. And do it well…vigorously, and with soap, for at least 20 seconds.
2. The AirNext is keeping the air inside your house clean. Surprisingly the air inside our house is more polluted than the air outside. NASA recently revealed a study that states that indoor air is 99% more polluted than outdoor air. The air in the house is constantly polluted due to using various electronic devices, using plastic furniture and gas emitted from the stove, etc.
You can clean your inside house air by firstly keeping it well ventilated. Open the doors and windows for at least an hour each morning to circulate the air out and let fresh air in. If you are living in extreme weather conditions and letting fresh air in is not an option. Use air purifier or your aircon system with HEPA filter to keep rotating the air inside. Using essential oils in diffuser will also help purify the inside air. Each essential oil has its properties, few are stress relievers while others are anti allergen and anti-bacterial which helps in purifying the inside air.
NASA has named several indoor plants to reduce indoor pollution and purifies the air like snake plant, rubber plants, money plant, aloe vera plant etc. These plants are capable of removing most of the pollutants in the air. These trees are also very easy to care for and you do not need to give much time to take care of them. If you don't already have any of these plants in your home, go and bring some from your nearest nursery for the betterment of your own health as well as your family.
Keeping air clean will also help reduce the potential for airborne transmission of COVID-19 indoors. Where able, windows, curtains and doors to balconies should be opened few hours daily.
3. High touch areasThink about the areas in your home that get the most contact with hands throughout the day — and tackle those often. Common high-touch surfaces include door handles, railings, faucets, appliance handles, countertops, TV remotes and light switches. It is important that you get into the habit to clean these high touch surfaces frequently to avoid the risk of infection. If a surface is dirty, first clean it with soap or detergent and water. Then use a disinfectant product containing alcohol (of around 70 per cent) or bleach. Vinegar and other natural products are not recommended by Unicef.
4. Cleaning the floorsDust, germs, bacteria and viruses all settle on the surface or on the floor so its imperative to clean and disinfect the floors with a disinfectant, especially if someone has been sick. Adding a disinfectant to water or simply adding salt or little bleach will also help keep the floors clean.
5. Clothing, towels and sheetsCovid virus can survive on fabric for many hours, so it is important to exercise caution and common sense. Good practices to consider include removing your shoes when you enter your home and changing into clean clothes when you return home after being in crowded places and washing your hands with soap and water immediately afterwards.
When doing laundry at home, make sure to clean the bedsheets, towels and clothes regularly. Also keep following in mind:
• Remember not to shake the dirty laundry to minimize the possibility of dispersing the virus through the air.
• Launder items with soap or detergent, using the warmest appropriate water setting and dry items completely — both steps help to kill the virus.
• It is recommended washing linens in the hottest water possible and drying them completely. You should also regularly spray your laundry hamper to disinfect it, and wash your hands after handling the dirty laundry.
6. Use heat to sanitise fabricsIf you haven’t already, get your sofa, carpets, and car steam cleaned. The steaming helps you deodorise and sanitise these surfaces without having to use chemicals. In my previous videos, I have recommended using baking soda on carpets and leaving it on for an hour before vacuuming. However, baking soda is effective at removing carpet stains, it is not effective against killing the bacteria or disinfect the carpet, so steam cleaning is recommended. You may consider deep cleaning your carpets using hot water extraction using professional cleaning services once a year.
Similarly, if you have hand or kitchen towels that are used frequently by several people, do a very hot wash for them (60C and above) at least once a week to get rid of microbes that thrive on damp surfaces.
7. Handling and preparing foodGood hygiene is important when handling food to prevent any food-borne illnesses and here are some precautions that we must all take to handle food:
• Remove any unnecessary packaging and dispose into a waste bin with a lid.• Packaging like cans can be wiped clean with a disinfectant before being opened or stored. You can add rubbing alcohol 70% or higher strength into baby wipes and turn them into disinfectant wipes, which can be used to wipe food packaging.• Wash unpackaged produce, such as fruit and vegetables, thoroughly under running water with vinegar.• Wash your reusable fruit and vegetable bags and fridge liners.• Wash your hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub, immediately afterwards.
8. Wipe down your techDid you know that the average mobile phone has more germs on it than a toilet seat? That’s because our hands are on it almost constantly, whether it’s after you’ve opened a door, eaten a meal, or held on to a rail on public transport. The oils left by our skin can help bacteria thrive. Make it a habit to wipe down all your tech – including mobile phones and keyboards – on a daily basis, and avoid lending it to others during this period, because viruses can be spread if a sick person coughs or sneezes while using it. Also, while you are cleaning your tech, do not forget to clean your glasses with disinfectant wipes.
9. Keep Home entrance clean and hygienicBy leaving your shoes at the front door, you're preventing outside dirt from entering your home. The floors of public places are some of the dirtiest things around. Think about all of the places that you go throughout a day. Your shoes have been there, too. And they bring all that dust, dirt, and grime with you when you make it home. This simple preventative measure will keep your carpets and rugs looking newer for longer. All you need is a shoe rack right inside your door or to simply carry them from your entryway to your closet. 10. Cleaning and disinfecting your toothbrushIt is important to disinfect your toothbrush at least once a week. This is in addition to replacing it every three months. It is important to store your toothbrush in an upright position in which it can air dry. Storing your toothbrush in a closed container or cabinet provides more potential for the growth of harmful bacteria. When recovering from a virus or cold, always disinfect your toothbrush. (Be sure to sanitize the toothbrushes of the other members of your household, too.) Because a toothbrush holds on to bacteria, it could cause your cold to last longer than it needs too! Dirty toothbrushes could also be the cause of a virus spreading throughout your entire household. Easiest method to disinfect the toothbrush is to bring water to a rolling boil before adding your toothbrush and then set a timer for 3 minutes.
11. Dry your sinkAfter brushing clean and dry your sink. Drying your sink after every use keeps away moisture, the best friend of mold and bacteria. Plus, it will also keep the area around your sink clear of any stray food (kitchen) or hairs (bathroom). Keep a hand towel under the sink for that specific purpose, and swap it out regularly.
12. Cleaning and sanitize cleaning equipmentIt’s a good habit to develop to clean and sanitize your cleaning equipment’s after using them. Mop heads and cleaning cloths should be laundered in hot water and completely dried before reuse. Vacuums should be cleaned as per the manufacturer instructions. Cleaning habits changed during pandemic, and it may not change back and this is new normal for all of us. It wouldn’t be wrong to say pandemic has made us stronger and cleaner.
9. Keep Home entrance clean and hygienicBy leaving your shoes at the front door, you're preventing outside dirt from entering your home. The floors of public places are some of the dirtiest things around. Think about all of the places that you go throughout a day. Your shoes have been there, too. And they bring all that dust, dirt, and grime with you when you make it home. This simple preventative measure will keep your carpets and rugs looking newer for longer. All you need is a shoe rack right inside your door or to simply carry them from your entryway to your closet. 10. Cleaning and disinfecting your toothbrushIt is important to disinfect your toothbrush at least once a week. This is in addition to replacing it every three months. It is important to store your toothbrush in an upright position in which it can air dry. Storing your toothbrush in a closed container or cabinet provides more potential for the growth of harmful bacteria. When recovering from a virus or cold, always disinfect your toothbrush. (Be sure to sanitize the toothbrushes of the other members of your household, too.) Because a toothbrush holds on to bacteria, it could cause your cold to last longer than it needs too! Dirty toothbrushes could also be the cause of a virus spreading throughout your entire household. Easiest method to disinfect the toothbrush is to bring water to a rolling boil before adding your toothbrush and then set a timer for 3 minutes.
11. Dry your sinkAfter brushing clean and dry your sink. Drying your sink after every use keeps away moisture, the best friend of mold and bacteria. Plus, it will also keep the area around your sink clear of any stray food (kitchen) or hairs (bathroom). Keep a hand towel under the sink for that specific purpose, and swap it out regularly.
12. Cleaning and sanitize cleaning equipmentIt’s a good habit to develop to clean and sanitize your cleaning equipment’s after using them. Mop heads and cleaning cloths should be laundered in hot water and completely dried before reuse. Vacuums should be cleaned as per the manufacturer instructions. Cleaning habits changed during pandemic, and it may not change back and this is new normal for all of us. It wouldn’t be wrong to say pandemic has made us stronger and cleaner.
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