Keeping our houses clean has become even more important in recent years, with winter illnesses being more common. One of the things that have been advocated by all experts is to keep ourselves and our surrounding areas free of all kinds of germs. Now that most of us are self-quarantined, everyone is desperately trying to clean every part of their homes.
This is a good thing, obviously. But our home consists of numerous little objects. How do we know what to clean and what to let go of? Here, we have listed 10 essential household things that you should disinfect during the the winter months. Once you have made this a habit, your home will remain a clean and safe place always even after the current crisis is over.
About a month back, if someone would have asked you to clean your smartphone every single day, you would have probably scoffed at them. But things have changed drastically now.
This is probably that one item you touch the most today and it is unavoidable. Thus, it is imperative that you disinfect your phone's screen properly every day. Experts say that not wiping down your mobile phone screen every day with a disinfectant might end up neutralizing the benefits of handwashing. Also, remember that your mouth comes in close contact with the phone every time you are on a call. We don’t know what contaminated particles might have latched themselves on the screen. The best way to counter this is by wiping down your mobile phone screen at least twice or thrice a day.
Even though you might be quarantined at home, you cannot stop using your house keys. You touch them regularly, at least once or twice a day while locking and unlocking the door. You might also be putting the keys in your pockets while going out to buy groceries. When you return, you might well be carrying some germs in your hands and will be using your fingers to use the keys again for unlocking the door. So whenever you return home, clean your house keys properly with a disinfectant spray and make sure you leave them to dry at the door.
Doorknobs and light switches are perhaps the most frequently touched surfaces in your home. Now that most of us are quarantined at home, they will be touched regularly; more than we realize, in fact. It would hence be best to make it a habit of cleaning and wiping down all doorknobs in the house with a disinfectant spray. You should be particularly careful about the ones leading out and in through the front door. For the switches, especially the ones by your front door and in your kitchen, you can spray the disinfectant liquid on a clean cloth and lightly rub it on them up and down to ensure they are thoroughly cleaned.
Your word desk is one of those objects in your house that you touch frequently with your hands but tend to forget about easily. There are so many things we place on our work table regularly – smartphone, keys, wallet, mugs, stationery, etc. The table can be easily contaminated, but we hardly bother to clean it routinely.
In the current situation, though, it is essential that you wipe your work table thoroughly at least once a day. Use a cloth and a multipurpose cleanser for this purpose and clean the desk ideally at the end of the day. Also, make sure that the surface of your work table is not unnecessary cluttered with items. The emptier it is, the easier it will be to clean.
Another household item that you are inadvertently touching a lot right now is your TV remote control. This is because most of us are watching a lot of television at present after being forced to stay shut inside our home. That, however, also means that the TV remotes (along with other controllers) need to be consistently cleaned right now, as your fingers are constantly touching their buttons. The best thing to do is to wipe them clean at night as you are winding down for the day. Use a thin cloth and a disinfectant liquid for cleaning the remote surface.
It is very likely that you are ordering plenty of stuff online these days so as to avoid a trip to the crowded supermarket. While that is good, you must also be careful about the delivery packages you receive. Before taking the packages and products into your house, you must sanitize the box thoroughly. The delivery guy might have taken all the necessary precautions while delivering the product, but you have to be cautious. If the package has come in a box, then make sure that it is properly discarded first. Then, after you have washed your hands, you can proceed to clean the contents of the package.
If you knew the kind of germs and bacteria that have made your bathroom their home, you would probably be horrified. What’s more, bacteria and germs find it easier to multiply in the bathroom, as it typically is a more humid environment and is used repeatedly throughout the day. Not cleaning your bathroom on a regular basis allows bacteria to collect in areas we don't expect, the toilet handle being one of them. Wiping down the toilet flush handles and buttons is the most important, as they are likely to be flowing with germs.
Doing it all throughout the day is, of course, not possible. Thus, as you are about to call it a night, just sanitize the toilet flush handle by spraying some good germicidal liquid on it.
The sink is the second most infected area in the entire bathroom. As much as 71% of its surface is covered in bacteria, according to experts. The entire sink area, including the taps, can be infected with deadly bacteria like E. coli, Streptococcus and Staphylococcus. So, you might be feeling good about using the sink tap to wash your hands to avoid being infected. But do remember that in these times, you never know what else you might be bringing in accidentally in your hands while touching the sink. An anti-bacterial spray is hence a must to get rid of all those nasty pathogens.
Do you clean your dining table and kitchen counter every night after dinner? If not, then consider it. Your dining table and kitchen counter have to be a germ-free zone always; now more than ever. Thus, after each meal, you should first use a simple cloth to clean the surface of the table of any leftover crumbs. Then, use a multi-purpose cleaner to spray on the entire area and proceed to wipe it with the cloth.
Doing this routinely will keep your dining table and kitchen counter area free of bacteria and grime, and it will also ensure that you don’t pass on any germs to the person who sits on the table after you. Also, if you have dirty dishes that you can’t do before bed, then simply soak them in the sink overnight as they will be easier to wash in the morning.
You keep a lot of things on your bedside table – books, eyeglasses, phone, keys, coins, water bottles, hair ties, etc. All of these items have the risk of being infected with germs from your hands at some point during the day. Also, the nightstand is generally close to your head, making you even more vulnerable. Thus, make sure you have cleared the clutter off your bedside table before going to sleep and don’t forget to give it a good wipe to keep it germ-free.
