Sprucing up and cleaning your homes and indoors is an established part of everyone’s household routine.

Amid a pandemic, however, you might find that the regular indoor sprucing up you are so accustomed to doing once every week might not just cut it anymore. After all, if you want to ensure a virus-free home, you may want to step up your sanitation regimen.

However, it is not enough that you impose a strict cleaning and disinfection routine on your household. Keeping your family and yourself virus-free means taking all the necessary precautions to ensure that you and your family members stay healthy.

We are already well into a year after news of the coronavirus has since broken, and yet, the virus itself shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, new mutations and strains of the virus have developed, making it impossible to determine this pandemic’s end. As a result, we should not let our guard down.

In this era of adapting to the new normal, it is still very much recommended to practice social distancing and limit any outdoor movement that is not classified as “essential,” especially now that numbers of new and active COVID cases are continuously growing.

Given that activities such as grocery shopping and visits to the doctor are at times inevitable, it is advised that you practice stringent hygiene measures to ensure that you do not catch it and bring it back to your homes and families.

To ensure your family’s optimal health, learning how to disinfect and clean your homes is paramount. After all, whether you just bought a house and lot for sale in Cagayan de Oro or have been living in the same home for a while, you must protect your homes from becoming breeding grounds for the virulent disease.

Steps in cleaning and disinfecting your homes during the pandemic

Learning to disinfect your homes and keep them COVID-free requires thorough and repeated cleaning.

That said, using your standard cleaning procedures more often is recommended, but it is advised that you pay special attention to areas with high traffic, such as the kitchen and the main entryways.

Should you need to leave your homes, be sure to take extra precautions and care upon your return.

Below are the steps to keep a clean and safe home.

1) Wash your hands thoroughly

Thorough hand washing is a pivotal piece of advice for preventing the spread of a virus. So, it is recommended that you thoroughly wash your hands before you even begin cleaning.

Considering how handwashing has become a paramount piece of advice during this pandemic, you must determine whether you are doing it correctly. That said, you need to include hand scrubbing for at least twenty seconds using warm, soapy water.

Make handwashing a priority, insomuch that you should always remember to wash your hands before entering your homes and before leaving them.

2) Use protective gear and clothing

Always use disposable gloves when you are cleaning, but if you do not have a supply of disposable gloves, you can use reusable rubber gloves as an alternative. Just be sure to wash them thoroughly afterward. It is also recommended that you have different gloves to use for your bathrooms, kitchen, bedrooms, and the rest of your home.

Similarly, it is advised to wear a mask while you are sprucing up. It protects you from inhaling any harsh chemicals while also deterring you from unnecessarily touching your face.

3) Clean surfaces thoroughly

Be sure to meticulously and thoroughly clean your surfaces, as this is the first and foremost step in removing germs, viruses, and dirt. For best results, use a sponge or cloth soaked in warm soapy water that you can wash and rinse after each use.

Do not overlook hard-to-reach areas and places such as cracks and corners as pathogens are known to notoriously lurk in these areas as well.

4) Properly disinfect each surface

It is not enough that you clean surfaces and wipe them off. If you want to kill viruses and other microorganisms that may still be on the surface, you need to disinfect them as well. Use products such as Lysol Spray or Clorox Wipes in disinfecting surfaces.

Alternatively, you can make your own disinfectant solution using household bleach and water to disinfect surfaces.

5) Sanitize anything store-bought such as groceries and the like

The first thing you should do upon arrival at home from the store is to disinfect all of your store-bought products. The same applies to products delivered to you.

While it is recommended that you remove and dispose of the product’s original containers or packaging and swap it for your own, you may also opt to give it a quick wipe down using a disinfectant. For fruits and vegetables, use produce-safe soap and water for disinfection.

6) Disinfect packages

Much like how you disinfect store-bought items, you should also disinfect packages delivered to you. Considering how outdoor movement is still discouraged and restricted, people are compelled to do most of their shopping online.

Should you receive any packages in the mail, always be sure to wipe them down with disinfectant before bringing them inside your homes.

7) Immediately dispose of takeout containers

We have discussed how imperative it is to disinfect groceries and packages. That said, the same goes for food takeout and delivery. While restaurants and cafes have taken all the necessary sanitary procedures to stay open, it does not hurt to be vigilant.

Swap any food containers with your dishes as soon as you can and avoid eating off of cardboard and plastic surfaces whenever possible.

8) Wash your clothes regularly

Do household laundry as you normally would. However, it is advised that you immediately wash the clothes you wear outside as an added precaution.

To help kill off pathogens, wash your clothes with warm to hot water and dry them on high heat. If you do not have your own washing machine, limit your trips to the laundromat to once a week.

9) Sanitize high-traffic areas

High-traffic areas such as the kitchen and main entryway should be sanitized daily. This is especially true when you leave home and return as you are likely to bring microorganisms and pathogens with you anytime you are outside.

10) Isolate anyone who becomes ill in your household

In the unfortunate event that someone falls ill in your household, be sure to isolate them away from everyone else in a single and unused room. Ideally, this room should have its own toilet and bath to ensure that the sick individual does not have to leave their room.

Whether they have been tested for COVID or not, it is still recommended to quarantine them from the rest of your household just to be safe. Adequately supply them with food and cleaning supplies.

Use gloves and wash your hands thoroughly before and after if you handle anything they come into contact with.

It may have been more than a full year since news of the pandemic broke out, but that does not mean we should let our guard down. While some of us may be more than just a little weary from all the stringent precautions and self-isolation, we should soldier on and continue to adapt to the new normal.

Staying indoors as much as possible and limiting social activities are still two of the best ways to avoid contracting the virus.

When complemented with proper handwashing and strict hygiene practices, you can be assured that you follow all the necessary protocols to combat the virus. In this regard, you can rest easy, alleviate your worries and have peace of mind that you are doing whatever you can to avoid getting the virus.

So, with the tips and techniques above, try and maintain a clean, safe, and virus-free home for you and your family—not just for the pandemic but for all time.

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