worried about the virus spreading from common surfaces? Here are some tips on how you can disinfect everyday surfaces to prevent a coronavirus outbreak.

With no sign of the covid situation normalizing, and the second wave rolling in, you must be wondering how to keep your home and workspace safe from it. As the coronavirus can survive on a hard surface such as plastic or steel for days, there is a chance of virus transmission occurring from these shared surfaces. Cleaning and disinfecting the frequently used surfaces can go a long way to prevent this transmission. However, that doesn’t mean you need to go on a cleaning frenzy, wiping down every surface you see people touching. That is not a viable option and will only add to your paranoia in an already stressful situation.

All the misinformation about coronavirus and new research findings also doesn’t help with the situation. Sorting out all this jumbled information and maintaining the rules might seem challenging. To help you in this regard, here we have come up with some ways for you to disinfect everyday surfaces that are suspected to be covid contaminated.

Cleaning, Disinfecting, Sanitizing- Is There Any Difference?

Although used in similar contexts, cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing are different from one another. Cleaning means removing dirt from a surface, using soap, water, or with just a duster. Disinfection is the process of killing germs from a surface using disinfectant chemicals. Meanwhile, sanitizing kills as well as removes germs from a surface.

Whether you should clean, sanitize or disinfect depends on the object or surface. For instance, sanitizing your hands too often can result in skin irritation. You need to find a balance between handwashing and hand sanitizing. You can follow the guideline that the CDC has provided to know when to clean and sanitize.

How to Clean Porous Surface

You can wash soft or porous surfaces such as carpets, upholstery, and curtains to get rid of germs. Use warm water for washing to get effective results; avoid using any acidic chemicals for cleaning. However, if washing is not an option, you can clean the surface that you suspect might be a source of contamination with a handheld steam cleaner. Dry the items completely before you reuse them.

How to Clean Non-Porous Surface

For a non-porous or hard surface, you need to both clean and disinfect; you can do it with any disinfectant you have. Clean the surface using detergent and water. Don’t forget to wear gloves while you are cleaning. While disinfecting, avoid touching the chemicals with your hands, and strictly follow the measurement mentioned in the label.

How to Clean Electronic Objects

To clean the LCD screen, phone, tablet, or laptop, you can use alcohol-based spray or wipes. Make sure you use a disinfectant product that has at least 70% alcohol. After spraying or wiping, wait 30 seconds and thoroughly dry the surface to avoid any damage by the liquid’s remnants. Dispose of the used alcohol wipes it in a safe place where it cannot spread the virus.

Areas to Disinfect In Your Home

Although there is less chance of getting infected while staying at home, if someone who was exposed to the virus comes into your house, you can also catch covid; in that regard, the washrooms and kitchen areas of your home are most likely to possess germs. Cleaning them can prevent many viruses or bacteria attacks as well as coronavirus. Here are some common areas that you need to clean periodically-

• Food prep surfaces
• Kitchen storage knob
• The front surface of the Refrigerator and oven
• Light switch
• Doorknobs
• The railing of the staircase or balcony
• Remote controller
• Gaming console
• Keyboard and pc
• Elevator button

Also, make a habit of washing your hands every time you receive some mail, parcel, or boxes. To make the cleaning process more comfortable, you can group the surface according to their use and clean those together. This smart approach can save a great deal of your time and effort and minimize the chance of missing any of them from cleaning.

Cleaning Products You Need

There are various cleaning products available to you. Before buying any cleaning products, ensure they are EPA (United States environmental protection agency) approved and comes with clear user instructions. Bleach (sodium hypochlorite), hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol (isopropyl), and grain alcohol (ethanol) are some popular and effective disinfectants. Using an all-purpose cleaning product can be easier for home cleaning.

Handling Disinfectant and Cleaning Product

Disinfectants might carry a high dose of a chemical that can be abrasive to your skin or harmful to your respiratory system when you breathe them in too often. Therefore, always wear gloves when handling cleaning products. Follow CDC approved guidelines to make a disinfectant solution with bleach or alcohol. If you disinfect any object that is used for food prep, such as, cutting board, make sure you wash it in water after the disinfectant has dried.

Avoid  Going Overboard With Cleaning.

People obsessed with disinfecting every object within their sight sometimes forget that disinfectant also has some risk. Overusing them or mixing them up with one another might put your health at risk. Prioritizing cleaning over washing hands and wearing masks also seem unwise. While you are busy with your alcohol wipe, try not to lose focus from the top three preventive measures- social distancing, hand washing, and wearing a mask.

On a final note, while social distancing is one of the proven methods of preventing the covid outbreak, we can’t stay at home as most countries are back to business as usual. If you leave the house, try to avoid crowded spaces as much as you can. Try not to touch common surfaces in public places. Take measures to clean your shoes, clothes, and phone as soon as you return home. 

As for cleaning, maintain regular cleaning practices in your home that you usually follow. When you suspect the surface is contaminated with a virus, then you should disinfect it. 

Don’t forget to maintain handwashing, social distancing, and mask-wearing as religiously as you update your social media page.