Cleaning and disinfection are at the core of staying healthy and protecting your family from infectious diseases such as H1N1 and COVID-19. Most people are regular with cleaning, but disinfecting and removing germs and pathogens are now in focus following the outbreak of the recent pandemic.
The first step to cleaning and disinfecting your household is to remove the clutter. Next, organise all your closets, cupboards, and shelves with closed baskets, stackable organisers, racks, and trays. Once this is done, you can start cleaning and sanitising your home.
1. Removing dust
Dusting is the very basic cleaning, a chore we undertake each day. Sweeping and mopping the floors, using the vacuum cleaner to remove dust from table tops, floors, and other surfaces, and using a dust cloth to remove dust settled from sculptures and art installations should be part of a daily cleaning practice for your home.
2. Cleaning glass surfaces
Glass surfaces such as mirrors, window panes, glass partitions, glass table tops, microwaves and over doors are all surfaces that require special attention. They can attract dust, watermarks, stains, and also harbour germs. A microfibre cleaning cloth and a specialised glass cleaner can help remove all these without leaving scratch marks on these surfaces.
3. Disinfecting floors
Floors are among the surfaces that attract the most amount of dust, grease, mud, and footprints. Walking through our doors, we track in all these and germs. Our pets shed hair, and food spills add to our woes. Apart from sweeping, mopping the floor with a strong cleaner and disinfectant solution is an important part of your disinfection routine.
4. Sanitising surfaces
As we come home from a long day at work or after school, the doorbell, the doorknob or handle, the key rack, the shoe cabinet, and the foyer area are all surfaces we touch, often without washing or sainting our hands. These are surfaces that act as vectors for germs and pathogens. Spraying them with a high-quality disinfectant spray or wiping them with antimicrobial wipes is a good way of maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene.
5. Cleaning linen and upholstery
Curtains and upholstery are among the least cleaned surfaces of your home. They are also the most difficult to clean. The first thing to do is to clean them out with a vacuum cleaner. The curtains can be dry cleaned regularly, and carpets and couches can be shampooed for a complete disinfectant cleaning. Maintain a towel and linen cleaning schedule and add disinfectant to the rinse cycle to eliminate germs.
6. Toilet cleaning
Toilets and bathrooms are often cloistered spaces with a damp environment well suited to the growth of bacteria, germs, and fungi. While baking soda and vinegar solution is a popular cleaner used to clean and disinfect toilets and bathroom floors, several commercial products are available that remove stains and watermarks and disinfect these surfaces. Using a brush for the bowl and a scrubber for the tiles, sink, and faucet will help remove dirt and germs.
7. Kitchen cleaning and disinfection
The kitchen where you prepare your food and often have meals with your family should be the cleanest part of your home. Use a non-toxic cleaner and disinfectant scrubber on the countertops and hobs. Clean the cupboards and change the shelf sheets regularly to keep them decluttered and well-organised.
Final Words
If you are always hard-pressed for time to undertake regular cleaning and disinfection activities, you may want to opt for a minimalistic lifestyle and hire professional help.
