How To Clean And Protect Your Home From Novel Coronavirus
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We all know about the trending epidemic Coronavirus that has spread and caused global death in recent months. The virus originated at the beginning of December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province in China. The World Health Organization (WHO) named the disease COVID-19 which is caused by this dangerously threatening virus.
COVID-19 refers to the type of virus, and the year it first appeared. After 3 months of investigation, analysis, and irreplaceable damage; the WHO declared the Coronavirus a pandemic disease, on 11th March 2020. Since the virus emerged back in December, the rate of affected people around the world has gradually increased, and it’s still growing. A number of the cases turned to death, and while the recovered people’s ratio is higher. The death rate is something the world hasn’t seen for a long time.
With almost 200 countries being affected as of now, governments and public communities are on high alert to contain the further spread of Coronavirus. The virus can jump and affect people that are in close contact. So the basic solution is to stay in quarantine, maintain social distance in your communities, and keep your residence clean to protect your family and loved ones.
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This may not sound easy, but the best way to stop the Coronavirus outbreak is to maintain strict social distance and dismiss close contacts. Since it’s not possible when you’re in your home, with your family, first you should take steps to make sure that you’re not carrying the virus. That way, it has a smaller chance to spread on your property. Then clean and disinfect your home, and maintain sterilization of the house properly.
According to the WHO and the specialists working on the contamination of COVID-19, you can take certain effective measures.
Start with keeping yourself from getting affected by Coronavirus and avoid the COVID-19 disease. You should practice the following suggestions:
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Avoid touching your face
Did you know how many times an average person touches their face in an hour? According to a 2015 study, researchers found that it’s 23 times on average. Whether you are conscious about it or not, your hands are constantly going up to touch your nose, eyes, ears, or even mouth.
To stay safe from Coronavirus, the first thing you have to do is change this habit. COVID-19 can basically happen in two ways; the virus can transmit from an infected person in close contact, or by touching a virus-contaminated surface and touching your face afterward. So practice minimal face-touching and teach your family to do the same.
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Wash your hands often
Washing your hands regularly is extremely essential to be secure from Coronavirus infection. Normal splashes will not work, you have to properly wash and rinse your hands with soap, handwash, or sanitizer, which contains at least 60% alcohol to kill the viruses. You should wash your hands effectively to make sure you’re not carrying any virus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), effective handwashing has 5 simple steps.
1. Wet
2. Lather
3. Scrub
4. Rinse
5. Dry
(Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds)
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Cover your cough and sneeze
Make sure you and your family members are following good respiratory hygiene. It means whenever you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a bent elbow, or if possible, with tissues. Because cough and sneeze droplets spread the Coronavirus, dispose of the tissue immediately and wash your hands following proper methods already mentioned above.
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Avoid close contacts
We’re saying this over and over again, AVOID close contacts. Follow this instruction even when you’re home because, with Coronavirus, you can’t instantly tell if you’re affected or not. So if you feel sick, or you’ve been exposed to the outer environment for going out, or just for the practice of it; reduce close contact as much as possible to keep you and your families safe.
You can keep your home safe from Coronavirus by regular cleaning and disinfecting according to experts’ procedures. Cleaning your home basically means scrubbing and cleansing surfaces with soap and water. For disinfecting though, you have to use recommended disinfectants to kill viruses off. Whether it’s a household cleaning agent found in the market or a DIY cleaning solution, it must consist of chemicals that can kill viruses.
There is a significant difference between cleaning your home and disinfecting it. Cleaning removes dirt and germs, whereas disinfecting kills germs and viruses. We’re going to explain both in the following section.
Cleaning your home is relatively easy, and you might already do it in your regular life. For this crisis situation, though, you have to be extra careful and more thorough with this process. Create a routine and practice cleaning the frequently touched surfaces in your home such as:
- Tables
- Doorknobs and doorbells
- Electric switches
- Countertops
- Keyboards and mouse
- Toilets
- Faucets and sink
- Desks and chairs
- Any kind of handles, etc.
And to do that you can simply use soap, water, and a fresh cloth, or mop to scrub surfaces and sides.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and many other public health experts, disinfecting your home should be the ultimate solution to kill Coronavirus and prevent it from spreading in your household. There are EPA-registered household disinfectants recommended by professionals. They mainly include three types of disinfectants that are also recommended and instructed to use by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
1. Bleach
Bleach can be processed and made into an effective sanitizer that can kill bacteria, fungi, and even Coronavirus. Household bleach is ideal for disinfecting against viruses once you have created your own cleaning solution. To make a disinfectant from bleach and apply to the residence, you need the following:
- ⅓ cup of bleach
- 1 gallon of cold water
- A bucket or container
- A brush or a piece of thick cloth
- A pair of gloves
Mix the bleach with the gallon of cold water to easily create an effective germicide. Always wear gloves when handling and using bleach. Afterward, take a bucket of your sanitizer and apply it to surfaces within your home with the help of a brush. Impermeable objects can be soaked in bleach for a few moments to kill off the viruses fully. Remember, you should try to use the bleach within 24 hours after you’ve processed it because its disinfecting potential fades with time.
NEVER mix your household bleach with ammonia or any other kind of cleaning solution. Also, never use bleach with bare hands or let it touch you because it is harmful to the human skin.
2. Alcohol
Cleaning solutions containing alcohol are popular disinfectants, and they can easily be found in the market as various sanitizers. Alcohol in different forms, including rubbing alcohol, which is frequently used to clean houses, can be very effective at killing Coronavirus and any other pathogens.
You can effortlessly create a DYI alcohol disinfectant by mixing water with alcohol. Make sure to keep the alcohol around 70% of the mixture to kill off viruses. You can also use aloe vera instead of water to create a valid hand sanitizer as well. According to the CDC, 60-70% of alcohol-mixed sanitizers can successfully kill Coronavirus.
Apply the water-alcohol mixture on hard surfaces and leave it for a while to work. Careful not to let the mixture touch your skin while you’re cleaning your home. However, you can use the mixture of aloe vera and alcohol to sanitize your hands because it’s safer and not harmful to the skin. And remember, seal off your alcohol disinfectant between uses to prevent evaporation.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is another solution to disinfect your home and kill pathogens like Coronavirus. There are cleaning agents typically sold in the market with 3% of hydrogen peroxide. You can directly apply it to sterilize your house, or you can mix it with water to dilute and make a 0.5% concentration to kill off viruses effectively.
Remember to be very careful when using hydrogen peroxide cleaning solutions. Take your preferred mixture in a spray bottle, apply it to surfaces and leave for a minute to work. Afterward, wipe the surface with a clean towel or cloth and you’ll have the place virus free.
As for natural chemicals and cleaning agents, we use them every day; specialists confirmed that they are not recommended to use against the Coronavirus. These cleaners include vinegar, tea tree oil, witch hazel, etc. And while they are useful in killing some other viruses and pathogens, studies have found them ineffective against the Coronavirus.
Don’t Forget to Clean and Disinfect Your Bathroom
It’s a no-brainer that bathrooms are one of the most common places for viruses and bacteria. While you should clean your bathrooms regularly at a normal time, these critical times call for cleaning and disinfecting your bathrooms thoroughly and more often. You don’t want to leave any chance for the Coronavirus in this case. Because apparently, everyone uses the toilet, and therefore, is exposed to any existing pathogens.
First, you should practice disinfecting the toilets and emptying the toilet trash daily. You can easily use recommended toilet cleaners like Lysol Toilet Cleaner, or any other All-Cleaners found in the market. Other than the toilets, routinely clean and sanitize the bathroom surfaces using our recommended disinfectants above. Surfaces can include taps, shower handles, basins, knobs, mirror shelves, necessities, mats, floors, and anything that is frequently touched.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long does the virus that causes COVID-19 last on surfaces?
The virus can survive for up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel. On the other hand, it can last for 4 hours on copper, and up to one day on cardboards.
How should surfaces be cleaned to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
70-90% Alcohol solutions should be used for surface disinfection. You have to spray the solution and clean it using a microfiber cloth. You can also use soapy water or detergent to clean the surface.
What are the 5 steps to cleaning and sanitizing?
First, remove any loose dirt or grime from the surface. Then wash the surface and rinse it. Afterward, sanitize the surface using 70-90% alcohol-containing cleaner. Then let it dry in the natural air.
How to clean and disinfect your home?
You have to use soapy water or a cleaning solution to clean the soft surfaces like carpets, rugs, and drapes. The laundry items need to be washed using warm water and detergent. Then, clean the hard surfaces using effective cleaning solutions that contain 70-90% alcohol.
Final Words
We are passing a critical era. It’s been a long time since human beings were put up against such difficulties that can largely reduce the total population of Earth. Public health experts around the globe are struggling to find a vaccine for COVID-19, and they are yet to announce any breakthrough. Until then, it’s our responsibility to contain the Coronavirus as much as possible by staying inside, following instructions, keep our homes clean, and families safe.
We hope our guidelines will help you face the situation and maintain the quarantine days safely. Now more than ever, we need to stand together as a global people to contain the Coronavirus outbreak and save the world.
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