10 Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

Can you catch the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) from food? How should I do laundry now? Household tasks have turned into a source of uncertainty and anxiety as families grapple with getting the basics done all while keeping their loved ones safe and healthy. Widespread misinformation about the virus puts everyone at risk and adds to the stress of having to filter fact from fiction.

While research into the COVID-19 virus is ongoing, we know the virus is spread mainly when respiratory droplets of an infected person (generated through coughing, sneezing, talking, singing) get into the mouth, nose, or eyes of people who are nearby. We also now know that people can be infected, and spread the virus to others, even without having any symptoms. People may also become infected by touching their mouth, nose, or eyes after touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. The virus may survive on surfaces for a few hours up to several days. Simple disinfectants can kill it. Now, what does this mean for your home?

To give parents a helping hand, we compiled the latest expert information on what is known about COVID-19 and Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus.

1. Cleaning a Kitchen

 Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

One of the crucial Home Cleaning Habits is to wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before you touch anything, especially if you’ve been outside or at work. Sanitize your hands with a 60 percent (or higher) alcohol sanitizer if soap and water aren’t immediately available. Regularly wipe down all kitchen surfaces, including counters, tabletops, and any other surface you frequently touch, like stove or microwave buttons. Use an EPAapproved disinfectant if available. Wash all dishes and silverware before and after you use them.

2. Cutting Board

 Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

Never cut fruits or vegetables on the same cutting board you use to slice raw meat. Clean it with hot water and soap first. Keeping veggies and raw meat separated will avoid cross-contamination and the possible spread of harmful bacteria. It’s a good idea to have two cutting boards: one for raw meat and one for fruits, vegetables, and everything else.

3. Countertops

 Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

Keep all surfaces cleaned and sanitized after you cook. This will help eliminate food bacteria such as Campylobacter, a common cause of diarrhea. This will also discourage insects from feasting on the leftovers left on the counter. Household pests like cockroaches can carry a number of pathogens and can also trigger asthma and allergies in some people. You can sanitize your countertops with bleach after wiping them down with soap and water. One teaspoon of chlorine bleach per quarter of water will do the trick. This extra step will help kill any lingering pathogens and also one of the Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus. Keep a lid on possible insect infestations by washing dishes and utensils immediately after eating. Store food in tightly sealed containers, and keep trash in a container with a lid on it.

4. Bedroom

 Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

Dust, dust mites, and possibly pet dander keep you company all the time. These bed bugs add to poor air quality and can irritate the best of us, whether you’re allergic or not allergic to them. Use zippered plastic mattress and pillow covers. Once a week, wash all bedding in hot water above 130˚F to kill dust mites. Vacuum uncovered mattresses regularly.

5. Toilet Handle

 Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

The toilet may be an easy mark for potential health dangers in the bathroom, but it’s for a reason you might not expect. Sure, you know to keep the bowl and the seat clean, but how often do you clean the flush handle? Rotavirus, enterococcus, and other nasty pests can live there. Rotavirus is the most common cause of diarrhea among children. For Home Cleaning Habits, keep the flush handle sanitized with a disinfectant that specifically lists fighting bacteria or viruses on the label. Sanitizing with a 60 percent alcohol solution can also help remove the virus particles of SARS-CoV-2.

6. Floor to Ceiling

 Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

Mold can thrive in the bathroom and present a number of health issues from watery, itchy eyes to asthma attacks. Another danger lurking in your bathroom, and possibly throughout your house, is trichophyton. This fungus causes ringworm and athlete’s foot and can be passed from one person’s foot to the next via flooring. The best Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus is to use a disinfectant designed to kill mold and fungus in the bathroom. After bathing or showering, wipe down the tub or shower walls and curtain with a towel or squeegee. Some shower curtains can even be thrown in the washing machine. Throw soiled tissues away and empty the wastebasket daily. Don’t leave them lying around the room or on top of the counter.

7. Doorknobs

 Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

They do more than allow you into your home or a room. These handles can carry staph, short for Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacterium. While usually not a threat, staph can be harmful if it enters your mouth, eyes, cuts, or scrapes, and can cause a wide problem. The new coronavirus can also get on your doorknobs if you’re regularly going to work or going out and then touching doorknobs before washing your hands. A good swipe of the doorknob with an antibacterial cleaner or 60 percent alcohol solution will keep staph and other harmful microorganisms at bay.

8. Carpets and Rugs

 Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

Many carpets and the adhesives and padding needed to install them emit the same VOCs as paint. Some people experience flu-like symptoms after installing new carpet and others complain of eye, nose, and throat irritation. Here are some Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus:

  • Ask that your carpet be aired out before installation.
  • Open windows and doors and use fans to allow as much air to circulate in the room as possible.
  • Consider selecting carpet and related products that meet low-VOC emitting criteria for indoor air quality acceptance.
  • Vacuum your carpets and rugs frequently to ease allergic reactions to dust and pet dander.
  • Open windows periodically to help ventilate a room, especially after installing new carpet or painting walls.
  • Consider using an air purifier or house plants to filter toxins and any airborne VOCs out of the air.

9. Dust

Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

We sometimes think of household dust as dirt, but it’s much more than that. Researchers have identified 45 potentially harmful chemicals in household dust to examine. At least 10 of these chemicals were in almost all the samples taken from sites throughout the United States. According to the review, dust can contribute to a wide array of health problems, including allergies, asthma, respiratory problems, cancers, and disorders of the reproductive and nervous systems. These effects can increase in the winter when we typically spend more time indoors. To keep problems from dust to a minimum, you should follow Home Cleaning Habits such as keeping your home clean, dry, well-ventilated and maintained, free of pests, and free of contaminants.

10. Laundry

 Home Cleaning Habits That Save Your Home From Coronavirus

Clean bedsheets, towels, and clothes regularly.  Don’t shake 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. Wash your hands with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub, immediately afterward. Wash or disinfect your laundry bag and hamper as well. Consider storing laundry in disposable bags.

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