A Guide to Home Health During a Pandemic

Many months after the initial lockdown, COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the world. A glance at the news or some time spent looking at your county’s verified infection counts reinforces the reality that (for the time being) the virus is here to stay. The thought can feel both daunting and overwhelming to consider.

So what can you do? While we don’t have control over the situation at large, we do have a say in what happens within homes. Our homes are our sanctuaries and should serve as happy, safe havens for our families. Even in the unpredictable world, there are several routines and personal habits that you can employ in order to help keep your home healthy and your family safe.

Here’s what we know:

COVID-19 is a novel strain of coronavirus and is a respiratory viral illness that is typically spread through droplets that are released when a person speaks, breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Its symptoms range from mild to extremely severe. Because a vaccine isn’t yet widely available, the ideal scenario is to avoid the virus by reducing the chances for exposure. Some proven behavioral methods for cutting transmission rates are:

Wearing a mask in public
Washing your hands frequently
Avoid touching your face with unclean hands
Routine disinfecting of high-touch surfaces
Staying at home as much as possible

Speaking of staying in, all of the emphasis on staying put provides us with the (sometimes reluctant) motivation to get our homes in order. From organizing to decorating to deep cleaning, spending extra time indoors is the push we need to create spaces in which we actually enjoy spending time. If you don’t know where to start, check out these ideas about how to get areas neat and tidy.

Here’s what we can do:

Now that experts have a better understanding of how this specific virus spreads, we can implement cleaning routines that work to reduce viruses (and other illness-causing pathogens) in your home.

General Tips

When it comes to disinfecting, make sure to use a product that is EPA-registered. These products have been proven to kill this specific strain of coronavirus.
A diluted bleach solution mixed in a 1:10 ratio with water also works well as a disinfectant.
If you choose to use an antibacterial and antiviral wipe, use until the wipe loses moisture. Once the moisture is gone, the wipe is no longer effective.

How to Sanitize and Disinfect Every Room of Your Home

Once you’ve chosen a disinfectant that works for your needs, now you can get moving in deep cleaning your home. Below is a guide for getting every area clean, fresh, and free of germs.

Home entryway or mudroom.

Because this is often the location you enter as soon as you come into your room, it’s a hugely important space when it comes to sanitation. Have a designated tray next to the door so that you’re reminded to remove shoes upon entering. Use the disinfectant to sanitize the door handles, light switches, and other “high touch” surfaces in the space.

Kitchen and dining room.

Kitchens become a breeding ground for bacteria because of the constant food prep and frequency of use. All surfaces, including sinks, faucets, and countertops should be cleaned thoroughly after each meal preparation. After cleaning, sanitize the area with an approved disinfectant, and make sure to allow the product the proper dwell time to be effective. Oven handles, microwaves, cabinet handles, and refrigerator doors also need to be disinfected often. Sanitize your kitchen sponge by heating it in the microwave for two minutes (or simply replace it).

Mop the kitchen and dining room floors at least once per week. Use a microfiber mop head that you can wash in hot water, separately from other items. Clean the seats and backs of chairs, as well as under and around your child’s booster seat or high chair. Disinfect these areas in the evening, giving the surfaces several hours before they’re used again.

Living room.

Frequent vacuuming is essential for eliminating many different pathogens. In addition, having your carpets professionally cleaned about twice a year is prudent.

Pay attention to the items in this area that are commonly touched, such as remotes, video game accessories, light switches, coffee tables, and lamps. Disinfect every day.

Bedrooms.

Beds are the resting places for dead skin cells, dust mites, and other allergens. It’s important to wash your bedding weekly in hot water and dry thoroughly. Clean and flip your mattress twice a year.

Another imperative detail related to germ mitigation is putting dirty clothes directly in the hamper, and never on the floor (PSA for teenagers and select husbands). Staying on top of laundry helps to eliminate contact germs with the outside world.

For children’s toys, separate by material. Most fabric toys and stuffed animals can be washed in a washing machine (be sure to check each label). Plastic toys can go in the dishwasher, as long as they don’t have the ability to collect water inside without draining.

Office.

For home offices, the germ-ridding cleaning emphasis should be put on disinfecting the high touch surfaces. These include the keyboard, desktop, phone, computer mouse, calculator, etc.

Bathrooms.

In addition to daily disinfecting of faucets, doorknobs, and toilet handles, it’s crucial that you deep clean your bathroom at least once per week. Click here for complete instructions on bathroom cleaning. Complete the task by cleaning and disinfecting the bathroom floor.

Attend to wastebaskets by keeping them lined and changing them regularly. Avoid unnecessary spreading of germs by closing the toilet lid before each flush.

If you’d rather spend your socially distanced time with kids, a book, or a movie marathon, no judgment here! Book a house cleaning service with The Maids today. Our teams are taking extra precautions to ensure that we’re leaving your home clean, neat, and healthy for your family.

A Guide to Home Health During a Pandemic 5 min read was last modified: January 22nd, 2021 by The Maids Team

A Guide to Home Health During a Pandemic 5 min read