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How (And How Often) To Clean High-Touch Points In Your Home

By June 17, 2020Cleaning, Housekeeping

You’ve probably been spending a lot of time at home lately. The pandemic has made most of us afraid to go outside in fear of coming into contact with the virus. But what about the germs inside our home? Don’t just disinfect when you leave your house – do it at home, too. If you want to know how to kill the harmful germs that are in the most commonly used areas of your home, read on –  we’ll tell you how to get rid of them and how often you need to worry about doing so:

 

First, let’s distinguish between cleaning and disinfecting. We want to do the latter when sanitizing high-touch surfaces, so it’s important to know the difference. Cleaning is the act of removing dirt from a surface, but disinfecting is what kills the germs and bacteria on those surfaces. The difference is what prevents the spread of disease. High-touch surfaces must be disinfected using an alcohol-based solution. In place of isopropyl alcohol or other cleaning chemicals, a diluted bleach solution can be used – just double check that you’ve got the ratio right. Disinfectant wipes are another way to conveniently and quickly clean your most-used surfaces. Whichever product you prefer, make sure it is a disinfectant and not just a cleaner. You’ll need the right chemicals to get the job done properly.

 

Certain areas of your home see more traffic than others. It’s the everyday appliances that need to be carefully cleaned because they get used the most. Examples of high-touch surfaces include handrails, drawers, light switches, countertops, and door handles. Think of any appliance or surface in your home that you or someone in your household uses once a day, and you can consider that a high-touch point. Even electronics, like smartphones and keyboards, should be cleaned regularly – think of how often you touch your phone! Be careful not to use harsh cleaning agents on electronics because they may get damaged. To reduce your exposure to germs, it’s recommended that you clean all these surfaces regularly. 

 

The next question is, how often should these surfaces be cleaned? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that high-touch points in your home be disinfected at least once a day. If that sounds like a lot, you’re not alone in thinking that – but imagine being responsible for cleaning a whole office space or hospital! Now, maybe the thought of cleaning your own house is less intimidating. It’s easy to fall behind on cleaning, but during a pandemic, this monotonous, daily routine has taken on a new importance. 

 

Reading about all those germs might’ve made you squirm a bit. In that case, why not get a professional to disinfect and get rid of them instead? Anago Cleaning Systems offer janitorial services in Winnipeg. They can help you stay on top of your new cleaning routine, at home and at work. Call Anago Cleaning systems – we’re here to keep you and your family safe.