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Our homes are supposed to be a safe haven where we can relax and recuperate from what we've encountered out in the world. Unfortunately, we wind up bringing home the world and all its germs through dirty hands, shoes, clothing, and phones.
Even if your home looks clean, it may still harbor contaminants that could affect your health. Dr. Michael G. Schmidt, professor of microbiology at the Medical University of South Carolina and chair of the American Society of Microbiology's Council on Microbial Sciences, says that the best way to protect your family is to quite simply to clean your house.
Dr. Schmidt explains that after washing our hands, the next best way to protect your family is to wipe down countertops, doorknobs, light switches, and common surfaces with a microfiber cloth dampened in a solution of hot water and an all-purpose cleaner like this one from Method twice per day. "The slight abrasion of the microfiber cloth and the cleaning solution will lift and dilute any microbes that have settled on the surfaces," says Dr. Schmidt. "Since electronics don't hold up well to soap and water, use an alcohol wipe with at least 70% isopropyl alcohol to clean cell phones, remotes, and keyboards."
The difference between cleaning and disinfectingCleaning shouldn't be confused or used interchangeably with disinfecting though. The former means you're removing germs but not killing, while the latter means you're actually killing them. This distinction is important because you might clean surfaces effectively but you might not be disinfecting, leaving germs and bacteria to fester and grow.
Disinfecting, if done correctly, will kill microscopic organisms so that they can no longer cause harm. However, Dr. Schmidt says, "Disinfecting cleaners can give a false sense of security if they are not used properly and are only necessary if someone in the household is ill." The key areas to address are surfaces that are shared by family members and those that come in close contact with bodily fluids. If your windows are dirty, they aren't a big concern to your health but a doorknob touched after a sneeze can be.
According to Dr. Joseph Horvath, associate professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of South Carolina Medical School, it is important to read labels and follow the directions on products. "Products labeled as disinfectants will adequately kill viruses and bacteria if used correctly." If the label promises to just "sanitize" a surface, the fine print might say that it will kill 99.9% of the bacteria, but not mention if it's effective against viruses or fungi. You want to look for disinfectants as they can kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi when used properly.
How to disinfect every room in your house As a house keeping expert with more than 20 years of experience, I have tested all the products and gathered my best tips to help you disinfect the surfaces in every area of your home and slow the transfer of common communicable diseases. While many of the types of surfaces overlap, here's a comprehensive list of products you need to help keep your family healthy.
Unfortunately, due to the novel coronavirus, many of the items I recommend are out of stock or heavily marked up. We'll do our best to update this post with accurate purchase options, so I'd suggest checking back often or even going to your local brick-and-mortar stores in case there's more availability there. We've also kept the links live in case the item becomes available.
If you're looking to disinfect a specific room in your house, click on the links below, otherwise, keep reading to see how you can disinfect your entire space.
Read the original article on Business Insider