Safely Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home During COVID-19
Safely Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home During COVID-19
Wednesday June 17, 2020
We may be in the yellow phase of our reopening plan, but it is important to continue to take extra precautions to clean your home; both with routine protective measures and additional steps when someone in your home is sick. The CDC has provided helpful information on steps to take when cleaning your home. We have provided a condensed version highlighting the most important steps below:
- Cleaning and Disinfecting Hard Surfaces
- To clean and disinfect any surfaces in your home, be sure to wear gloves to protect yourself.
- Practice routine cleaning of frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, and faucets.
- When cleaning surfaces, be sure to use soap and water followed by a household disinfectant, when necessary.
- When disinfecting a surface, always be sure to check the label to ensure that the solution is safe for household disinfection. Additionally, take proper precautions to ensure safety.
- Cleaning Soft Surfaces
- Be mindful to include soft surfaces, such as rugs and drapes, in your cleaning protocol by using soap and water or an appropriate cleaner for these surfaces.
- Laundry
- Launder items, as appropriate, using the warmest appropriate wash and dry setting. Wear disposable gloves when handling the dirty laundry of someone who is sick. Do not shake dirty laundry and clean and disinfect clothes hampers according to the guidelines above.
- Electronic Devices
- As we are self-isolating at home, we may be utilizing electronic devices more often for work, school, and entertainment purposes. Consider regularly cleaning cell phones, tablets, touch screen computers, keyboards, and remote controls. Follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting or use alcohol-based wipes containing at least 70% alcohol. Also consider putting a wipeable cover on electronics.
- Washing Hands
- By now, we are all aware of the importance of frequent hand-washing with soap and water for 20 seconds. Additionally, it is important to wash our hands after removing gloves and after contact with a sick person. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Caring for someone who is sick
- Keep a separate bedroom and bathroom for a person who is sick (if possible). The person who is sick should stay separated from other people in the house (as much as possible) including when eating meals.
- Wash the used dishes, cups, and utensils of a person who is sick using gloves, soap, and hot water or by using the dishwasher.
- Specify a lined trash can for a person who is sick and throw any trash, gloves, etc…into that trash can. Use gloves when handling the trash of a person who is sick and wash hands thoroughly after removing trash.
For additional information on the CDC’s protocol for cleaning your home, visit their website at here.
As always, Abramson Senior Care is here to support you and your loved one, particularly at this challenging time. Please don’t hesitate to call Abramson Care Advisors at 215.371.3400.
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