Welcome to the second part of the cleaning and disinfecting your home series. We are happy that you have chosen to continue reading this series and we hope that it helps you. We are going to delve more into disinfecting your home in this series.
Disinfecting your home is an important step to keep you and your loved ones safe but as you do work to disinfect your home, make sure that you always take special precautions to protect those with asthma. Some chemicals and disinfectant products can cause flare ups and may make asthma symptoms worse.
If you do not have any disinfectant chemicals in your house, diluted bleach does work. When bleach is properly diluted and within date, it is effective against coronavirus.
Tips for you to keep in mind:
- Use a bleach solution with a 5.25 to 8.25 percent of hypochlorite
- NEVER mix bleach with ammonia – it can be DEADLY
- Make sure all bleach is fresh and NOT expired
- Use bleach in a well-ventilated area
- Follow all of the manufacturer’s recommendations and guidelines
How to Make a Bleach Solution
Don’t have any disinfectant chemicals? Here’s how to make a bleach formula:
- Combine 1/3 cups of bleach per gallon of room temperature water
OR
- Combine 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of room temperature water
ALL bleach solutions that you make will be good for up to 24 hours for disinfecting purposes. If you do not have any bleach on hand, you can use an alcohol solution that contains a minimum of 70 percent alcohol.
Picture: Freepik
Cleaning and Disinfecting Soft Surfaces in Your Home
If you need to clean any of the carpets in your home, you want to clean and disinfect the area as you normally would if you spilled something on it. Below, you will find more specific instructions.
If you have a soft surface such as a rug, carpet, or drapes, it is vital that you clean all the surfaces and disinfect them to limit any exposure to coronavirus.
To start, you want to take the soft surfaces and use soap and hot water on them. If you have a specific cleaner for the items, you can use that as well. For example, a specialized solution for your rug can be used. Once the items are spot cleaned, you should launder them following all washing instructions recommended by the manufacturer. You should use the hottest recommended setting on both the washer and the dryer.
OR
You can disinfect the items with any of the disinfectants that are listed on List N. Once you have cleaned and disinfected the items, make sure to vacuum them.
Disinfecting Your Electronics
Electronics such as tablets, phones, keyboards, remote controls, and more all harbor bacteria and need to be cleaned. It is essential that you disinfect them to help protect yourself.
Tips to disinfecting:
- Follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions when you do disinfect the device(s)
- Consider utilizing a wipeable cover on your electronics as they offer protection from dirt and bacteria
- If you cannot find any recommendations from your manufacturer, use a minimum of a 70 percent alcohol solution to spray down and wipe off the device
ALWAYS keep your surfaces clean and disinfected for the best possible protection against the coronavirus. Want to learn more? Check out Part III of this series!