Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home Part 1

Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home Part 1

It doesn’t look like COVID-19 is going anywhere anytime soon, which means it is vital that you know how to clean and disinfect your home to ensure you and your family remain as healthy and safe from coronavirus as possible. Below, we will provide you with some information recommended by the CDC. If you have any questions, you should visit the CDC website or contact your local health department. Should you have any questions about your oral health or what precautions we are taking here in our office, please feel free to call Access Dental.

What to Know

• Clean all items according to the manufacturer’s instructions
• If someone you know is sick, provide them with their own bedroom and bathroom
• Always wear reusable or disposable gloves for cleaning and disinfecting
• Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap
• Always clean a surface with soap and water before you disinfect it

Is There a Proper Way to Clean and Disinfect?

1. Cleaning

While you want to make sure that you are wearing gloves when you clean and disinfect, wearing gloves outside of that may not prove to be beneficial to you and can actually help spread the virus around. The best way for you to keep your hands clean is not through gloves but to regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If you do not have soap on hand, you can use hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60 percent alcohol content.

Keep these things in mind to help you:

• Cleaning a surface with soap and water will limit the number of bacteria, germs, and dirt
• Disinfecting a surface will kill all bacteria present on it
• Always clean commonly touched surfaces such as toilets, sinks, counters, doorknobs, handles, desks, phones, tables, etc.

2. Disinfect

• Follow ALL instructions and directions on a disinfectant label to ensure safe and proper use
• ALWAYS disinfect with a household disinfectant that is listed on List N as these fight against COVID-19

Picture: Freepik

Most disinfectant products recommend you:

• Allow all surfaces to remain wet for the recommended length of time listed on the label
• Apply the disinfectant cleaner with gloves on and always make sure that there is good ventilation in the room

While you may think you know the instructions, it is important to always read the directions first and then follow those directions to ensure that you are using the disinfect properly so as not to cause harm to yourself or others.

You should also:

• Wear both skin and eye protection when using disinfectants
• Only use the recommended amount on the label
• Use water that is room temperature unless otherwise instructed on the label
• Never mix any chemical products
• Always label chemicals that have been diluted
• Store and use chemicals out of the reach of children and pets

You should NEVER inject, eat, drink, or breathe any of the disinfect chemicals into your body as they can cause injury and are dangerous to your health. Avoid contact with your skin as well. You should never use any of the chemicals on pets or animals as they are not intended to be used for such purposes.

If you have any questions or concerns about COVID-19 or which disinfectants to use, contact the CDC or EPA for advice.

Want to learn more about cleaning and disinfecting your home? Check out Part II of this series.