The coronavirus outbreak has changed a lot in the way we live. The possibility of getting the virus by merely touching a surface that a contaminated person has touched caused a panic and a high awareness of sanitation and disinfection.
Today, it has been established that you are most likely to get the coronavirus from respiratory droplets. The best thing you can do to survive the pandemic is to wear a mask in public, avoid crowds, and practice social distancing.
To lower your risk of having the virus around you and in your home, you should also wash your hands frequently, refrain from touching your face, and make sure to clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces. These practices will not only keep you safe from COVID-19 but will also lower the risk of getting other diseases as well.
Cleaning and Disinfecting – Is there a Difference?
First of all, let us remind you that cleaning is not the same as disinfecting.
Cleaning means you physically remove dirt, grime, germs, and some bacteria and viruses using detergent and water. This is considered to be the first step in disinfection.
Disinfecting means you are using chemicals to kill off germs, bacteria, and viruses on the surface. It is essential that you clean first before you disinfect because dirt and grime can reduce the potency and effectivity of the disinfectant.
What are high-touch surfaces?
These are surfaces where most people will be touching. Here is a list of common high-touch surfaces that you should clean and disinfect regularly:
- doorknobs
- light switches
- faucets
- toilets
- sinks
- handles
- rails
- countertops
- electronics
- tables
- desks
- chairs
- phones
- remote controls
Products that can help battle the coronavirus
The coronavirus has a protective layer around it. You must disable that protective layer so that the virus could not do its job of infecting the other cells in your body. This coating can be disabled by different cleaning and disinfecting products that contain ethynol, chlorine, soap, and bleach.
Here is a list of cleaning and disinfecting materials and products that can help you fight off the coronavirus:
Soap and water
The friction from scrubbing with soap and water when you wash your hands can break the protective layer of the coronavirus.
Remember that the key lies in the scrubbing. Even if you use antibacterial soap, this will not be as effective if you do not scrub well since the coronavirus is not a bacteria.
It is recommended that you wash and rub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. A common way people ensure that they have washed their hands well is to sing “Happy Birthday” while washing.
This is also the only item in this article that you should use on your skin. The rest of the products in this article can only be used on surfaces.
Frequent handwashing may dry out your hands and may cause some cracks on your skin. These cracks can make you vulnerable to germs since it gives them a place to cling on to and hide. So, aside from frequent handwashing, you should also moisturize your hands with a hand cream or lotion to prevent dryness.
Isopropyl alcohol
Alcohol solutions that contain at least 70% of alcohol are considered to be effective against the coronavirus. To disinfect hard surfaces with it, you have to clean the surface first with detergent and water. Then, spray the alcohol to the surface and let it sit for at least 30 seconds to a minute. This will give enough time for disinfection to take place.
Alcohol is considered safe to use for disinfecting all kinds of surfaces. However, it may cause discoloration in some plastics.
Hydrogen peroxide
Your household hydrogen peroxide (3% hydrogen peroxide) is found to be effective enough to deactivate the coronavirus as well.
All you have to do is spray hydrogen peroxide on the surface and let it sit for a minute before you wipe it all over the surface.
The best thing about cleaning and disinfecting with hydrogen peroxide is that it is not corrosive. You can use it to clean your metal surfaces with no worry.
However, it still has an active bleaching property, so it can discolor fabrics. It is safer to use your old clothes when you clean using it in case of spills.
Bleach
Disinfecting your surfaces with bleach is another effective way to fight off coronavirus in high-touch surfaces.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends this diluted solution: four teaspoons of bleach for every one quart of water or 1/3 cup of bleach for every gallon of water. If there is still some mixture leftover after you clean, throw it out. You cannot store this cleaning moisture for a day because the bleach can degrade the container (if you use a plastic container). The bleach will also lose its potency.
Before you use bleach as a disinfectant, make sure that you clean the surface with detergent and water first. This is because many materials can react with the bleach and cause it to lose its potency. After the initial wash, make sure that it is dry before applying the diluted bleach mixture. Let the bleach sit on the surface for at least 10 minutes before you wipe it away. Always wear protective gloves when you clean using bleach.
Take note that bleach can corrode metal over time and that it is too harsh for countertops. You have to practice caution when using bleach for these types of surfaces.
Bleach will definitely discolor your clothes too, so it is best to put on old clothes when cleaning if there would be some splatters and spills while you are cleaning.
Disinfectant products
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has certified 16 disinfectants that could kill the coronavirus last August. Some of these products are from brands like Clorox, Lysol, and Purell.
When you use disinfectant products, make sure that you take the time to read the label’s instructions. Any misuse could lead to poisoning, which could lead to fatal results in the worst-case scenario.
Products that you should not use against the coronavirus
With every sickness, some people would spread “miracle” cures or solutions. You may even have heard of some of these when the coronavirus started spreading.
One downside of having the Internet is that it is easy to spread a lot of fake information. This section aims to debunk these theories and remind you that they have no scientific basis and are not supported by medical professionals.
Here is a list of products that you should not use against the coronavirus:
DIY hand sanitizer
A lot of recipes for homemade hand sanitizers came out when the pandemic started. This is unsafe as people do not really know the right ratios to use, and if you search the Internet, there is no general answer.
Some mixtures can be dangerous as well, and you could hurt yourself. This is especially true if you are dealing with different chemical products.
It is still best to buy ready-made hand sanitizers instead of giving you a false sense of security. Companies have to spend a lot of time and money to pay chemists to develop the right formula that is safe and effective. There is no way that a DIY hand sanitizer would be more effective than one created by professionals.
Vodka
There was also a time when vodka was pointed out to be effective enough to kill off coronavirus. As a result, a lot of vodka makers have issued out public statements reminding the public that their products do not have enough ethyl alcohol content to kill coronavirus.
Take note that 70% alcohol is required to kill coronavirus. Meanwhile, vodka only has 40% alcohol in it.
Distilled white vinegar
Cleaning with white vinegar has also been claimed as a DIY solution to disinfect surfaces for coronavirus. Although white vinegar is often used in some DIY cleaning mixtures, there is no scientific evidence that shows it is effective enough against coronavirus. You would need something stronger than white vinegar to disinfect against coronavirus.
Vinegar is not recognized by the EPA as a disinfectant because it is not effective when it comes to fighting bacteria and viruses.
Last thoughts
Note that the coronavirus is strong enough to stay for hours to days on various hard surfaces. It is important for you to do regular cleaning and disinfecting, especially when it comes to high-touch surfaces.
No matter what cleaning product you use, make sure that you wear protective gloves and a mask for your safety. You have to make sure that the room is also well-ventilated.
It is still hard to tell how long we still have to wait and battle out this pandemic. While we wait for an antidote to be formulated, cleaning and disinfecting regularly is your best bet in keeping your home COVID-free.