Spring has arrived, but social distancing means you’re probably spending a lot more time indoors than you usually would. That makes now the ideal time to clean your home—from top to bottom. While the prospect of a sparkling living space may be reason enough to pull out the scoring supplies, the coronavirus has made it an even bigger priority for many homeowners. In the face of this major health concern, upping your cleaning game is a wise decision.
Here are a few tips you can use to thoroughly clean your home during the COVID-19 pandemic…
Know the meaning of disinfecting
When you clean your shower or kitchen sink, you’re removing the germs that are collecting there. The disinfecting process takes things a bit further. It means you’re actually killing germs through the use of chemicals. During a pandemic, disinfecting surfaces can help reduce the risk of infection.
Start with the right products
There’s no shortage of cleaning products on the market, but some are more useful than others. Brands like Lysol, Purell, and Clorox make disinfects that kill a broad spectrum of germs, making them great tools for tackling viruses like COVID-19.
Of course, the pandemic has made finding the right products on grocery store shelves harder than it used to be. Fortunately, you can make your own disinfecting solution by combining a quart of water with 4 teaspoons of bleach.
Focus on the things you touch
While you certainly don’t want to neglect any of the surfaces in your home, those you touch most often should receive extra attention. These are the places where germs—including COVID-19—are most likely to linger.
It’s best to disinfect doorknobs, light switches, sink taps, and other frequently-touched areas at least once a day. Store-bought and homemade solutions both work well, as do ultra-convenient disinfecting wipes.
Consider easy-to-forget spots
While you have your gloves on, remember to tackle those grimy areas that tend to get overlooked. In the kitchen, that includes your dirty stove drip pans and the organizer in your utensil drawer. The latter may come into contact with your hands every time you put away the dishes, so you should make a point to disinfect it.
The grout between your bathroom tiles and your ceiling fan blades are other easy-to-forget places. Amidst your coronavirus concerns, don’t forget about everyday dirt, dust, and grime!
Pay attention to your dishes
There’s a reason restaurants put so much effort into sanitizing dishes. Luckily, most dishwashers do a very good job of disinfecting these easily-contaminated surfaces.
If you wash your dishes by hand, you can take the additional step of soaking them in a bleach solution. Clorox recommends combining two teaspoons of their product with a quart of water.
Don’t forget soft surfaces
It’s never a bad idea to wash your bathroom towels and bedroom linens. During a pandemic, keeping the fabrics that you come into direct contact with is particularly important.
Make sure you throw your towels in the laundry after at least every second use—especially those you dry your hands with. Since germs tend to live longer in damp environments, don’t forget about your bathmats! when you do your laundry, whether its clothing, sheets, or towels—use the hottest setting that’s safe for your fabric.
Thinking of buying or selling a home? If you have questions about real estate and social distancing, get in touch—I’d be happy to answer them for you.
