Worldwide, everyone is worrying about spreading germs as we’re dealing with the spread of COVID-19. A lot feels like it’s out of our control, but there is one thing that we can take charge of and that’s cleaning our homes. Here are some tips for properly disinfecting your home so you can ensure your family stays healthy during this difficult time.
First, know the difference between cleaning and disinfecting. While cleaning can remove contaminants from surfaces, you’ll want to disinfect areas of your home as that means you’re killing pathogens. The CDC recommends that you clean and disinfect high-touch areas at least once daily as a precaution.
Focus on high-traffic areas—where your family members are most active in the home. The first step should be to disinfect all of your doorknobs, especially those on your home’s exterior. Second, make sure you’re cleaning off the sink handles as you or your family members may be touching them with germy hands when going in for hand-washing.
Here’s a list of what to focus on:
- Doorknobs
- Bathroom and kitchen counters
- Toilet seats and handles
- Light switches
- Game controllers
- Hard-surface dining room chairs
- TV remote controls
To properly clean your home, remove any contaminants and dust by wiping surfaces with soapy water or a cleaning product. After you’ve done that, you can clean the area again with a disinfecting spray or wipe. You can also find products that have isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide.
The CDC suggests you find alcohol solutions that have at least 70 percent alcohol.
And if you can’t get to the store or can’t find the appropriate cleaning solutions, you can make your own. The CDC provides the following instructions for making a homemade bleach disinfecting spray:
- 4 teaspoons household bleach
- 1 quart water
- Pour both into a one-quart spray bottle and shake vigorously
- Spray on surfaces you want to disinfect, let sit for 10 minutes and wipe away with a wet cloth
For more information on protecting yourself from COVID-19, visit cdc.gov.
