The most common thing we’re all doing at the moment is washing our hands to protect ourselves from the novel coronavirus. The virus has officially been declared a pandemic and a national emergency. People are paying extra care to keep themselves germ-free by getting a lot of antibacterial wipes, hand sanitizers, and soaps. 

If we are being more diligent in washing our hands, do we also need to keep our homes disinfected to avoid the spread of the virus? Yes! All of us need to be cautious of surfaces we touch in public and worry about the bacteria we bring at home. The most effective way to minimize your exposure to the virus is to maintain your home disinfected and sanitized. 

Some of you may be worried that you may have come in contact with someone who tested positive for the virus, or you just want to be more cautious, you may use cleaning products like Lysol, Microban, Clorox, and hydrogen peroxide to sanitize all the surfaces in your home. Pay more attention to doorknobs, countertops, and other high traffic areas during your deep clean. 

Here are top ways to keep your home sanitized from the coronavirus, and other areas and items you should disinfect. 

First Thing in Mind! 

Before cleaning your home with a bleach solution or proper disinfectant, we suggest that you wear a surgical mask and disposable gloves. Keep the windows of your house open for ventilation, and be aware to avoid touching your face and eyes. 

Use Disinfectant Spray to Clean Surfaces

For areas like your couch and carpet that can’t be wiped down, you may use a disinfectant spray, like Lysol, to fight off unseen germs. We recommend spraying in a sweeping motion to cover the whole surface, then have it completely dry before sitting down or walking on the surface. Also, spray down countertops, mattresses, and tables. If you run out of wipes, you can also aim your disinfecting spray into a paper towel to wipe down sink handles and other smaller surfaces. 

Use Disinfectant Wipes to Instantly Clean Down Surfaces

Are you aware of the many things you get to touch every day? (sinks, doorknobs, cabinet handles, refrigerator doors, remote control) and plenty of germs are lingering on those surfaces that you may not imagine about. Home is the place where you’re most comfortable, you are not that strict about washing your hands in your own space as you are in public places. 

To keep the germs away, get a disinfectant wipe to instantly sanitize those areas. It’s enough to do this once or twice a day to remove the germs, however, if someone in your house is sick, you can wipe down surfaces more frequently. Once you’re done wiping the area, let it air dry to provide it time to kill any bacteria that could linger. 

Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Clean Up

Most people know that hydrogen peroxide is effective for whitening teeth but not everyone knows that 3% hydrogen peroxide was able to inactivate rhinovirus within eight minutes. According to plenty of homebuilders, if you pour the substance directly on surfaces such as your sink, countertops, or toilets, you must soak it for around 10-15 minutes. This will give it time to entirely do its job. After letting it sit, scrub the area and then rinse with water.

It’s also good to clean your toothbrush with hydrogen peroxide since the bristles can harbour bacteria. 

Wash Clothing and Other Fabrics 

Make it a habit to wash your bedsheets, pillow covers, and blankets. You may use a washing machine and anti-bacterial detergent to wash your fabrics.

Don’t Forget to Clean Your Car 

Always remember that when you go out, you get exposed to germs and viruses that can follow you back into your car. So you need to sanitize these parts on a daily basis like your car door handles and controls, start button, keys, steering wheel, shifter, all buttons, seats and knobs on your dash, and anything that you always touch. 

Except for any leather and touchscreens, you can use disinfectant wipes on most surfaces. There are particular wipes designed for cleaning your car’s leather. Also, if your car has a touchscreen feature, you must use a microfiber cloth to wipe it down (only if your manual says so). Meanwhile, you can spray Lysol for cloth seats which are considered effective when given time to dry. 

Household Items You Should Also Disinfect 

• Computer keyboard and mouse 
• Google Home and Amazon Echo speakers 
• TV remote and TV buttons 
• All frequently used electronics, such as tablets and phones 
• Debit cards 

Reminders After Cleaning Up 

Mop the floor again of your residence from one end to another, however, don’t go from uncleaned areas to cleaned areas, to avoid dirtying the cleaned area. 

Using your gloves and mask, throw all used cloths, as well as other waste, into a double-lined plastic trash bag. After that, take off your gloves and surgical mask, wash your hands with soap and water. Isolate clean-up waste from other household waste. 

Having Personal Hygiene

Always take a shower and change your clothes, then air and ventilate your home. Take note that you should avoid sharing household items, and wash used items thoroughly with soap and water. 

If you think that there are possible surfaces in your home that should be sanitized persistently, then do it. Remember that the virus can survive on surfaces of various materials for at least two-three days. You must also avoid hosting visitors in the home until your residence is sanitized. 

Ivandrea Ollero is a writer for Wincrest Bespoke, one of Sydney’s well-renowned home builders who offer custom-designed homes that blend elegance, space, and functionality to create a perfect match for families, suburbs, lands, and lifestyles. She is also a content crafter who researches and writes custom content about travel, fashion, finance, business, home improvements, health, and beauty in order to provide helpful information and tips for her readers. Ivandrea graduated from St. Scholastica’s College, Manila, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism in 2016.