How To Disinfect Your Home: a Room-By-Room Guide

It always feels good to tidy up, but COVID-19 means that many homeowners are getting more serious about the way they clean. To reduce the risk of illness in your family, you may want to add some additional steps to your cleaning routine. Most notably, you should focus on thoroughly disinfecting the surfaces in every room of your home. This process entails killing germs, as opposed to simply removing as many of them as possible.

Here’s how to disinfect your home, room-by-room, during the COVID-19 pandemic…

The Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home. Unfortunately, it’s also a place where germs like to collect. Since COVID-19 can linger on surfaces for hours and even days, it’s a good idea to wipe everything down more frequently.

Start with the places you touch most often, and try to tackle them with a disinfecting spray or wipe at least once a day. The handles on your fridge, dishwasher, and cabinets—along with the buttons on your appliances—are all potential hotspots. Of course, it’s still important to wipe your countertops and other large surface areas.

If you can’t get your hands on disinfecting products, you can make your own solution at home. Simply add four teaspoons of bleach to a quart of water. It’s also safe to use a bleach mixture on your dishes if you hand wash them (check the manufacturer’s label for directions). Don’t forget to replace your sponges and scrubbers at least once every two weeks!

Bathrooms

Nobody likes a grimy bathroom. During the COVID-19 era, it’s more important than ever to scour your toilets, sinks, and showers on a regular basis. If you don’t already use a disinfecting formula—either store-bought or homemade—now is the time to make the switch.

While all of the bathroom-cleaning basics still apply, you should once again focus on the areas you touch most (like your toilet-flushing handles, and your hot and cold taps).

Damp towels and bathmats can be breeding grounds for germs, which is why you should wash and replace them as often as possible. Try to take this step at least once every two days, and be especially vigilant with hand towels.

Bedrooms

When it comes to the bedroom, many homeowners are concerned about dust mites. While killing these nasty allergens is certainly worthwhile, the coronavirus presents a whole new reason to wash your linens—and do so regularly.

Throw your sheets and pillowcases in the washing machine at the highest heat the fabric will take. Once a week should suffice.

Don’t forget that there are frequently-touched surfaces in your bedroom as well. From your doorknob to your bedside lamp, be sure to disinfect them daily.

Living Room

Couches and chairs are bound to come into contact with the clothing you wear to the grocery store. To reduce the chances of COVID-19 transmission, throw your slipcovers and cushion covers in the washing machine. A disinfecting spray can also be helpful for soft surfaces, if you have one.

There’s often no shortage of germs on shared electronics, and the living room remote is no exception. To disinfect it safely, use a microfiber cloth dabbed with rubbing alcohol. Make sure you take the batteries out beforehand.

Disinfecting your home may be a bit of extra work, but it’s worth the effort! By adding a few steps to your regular cleaning routine, you can reduce the risk of illness and create a sense of calm in your family‘s living space.

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