Winter is cold and flu season. With the COVID-19 pandemic still going strong, this means hand washing and surface sanitization are more important than ever. Keep your home clean and safe with these COVID cleaning tips for the colder months.

• Disinfect the kitchen garbage can: To clean this germ catcher, first take it outside or into the garage. Spray every surface with a solution of one part vinegar or hydrogen peroxide and one part water. Let the garbage can sit for one hour. Then, scrub to remove any residue and rinse with water.
• Sterilize counters and sinks: Kitchens and bathrooms are breeding grounds for all sorts of germs. Wipe down counters, sinks, and faucets with an all-purpose cleaner, disinfecting wipes, or diluted bleach once a day or as needed.
• Mop the floors: When you clean the kitchen and bathroom, you may focus on waist-high surfaces, but don’t neglect the floors, especially if you have small children. Sweep and mop once a week to prevent germs from accumulating down there.
• Vacuum upholstery: Use the brush and crevice attachments on your vacuum to suck up the dirt, dust, and dust mites hidden in your upholstered furniture. Then, treat any stains or grime according to the care instructions.
• Dust hard-to-reach surfaces: Desks and tabletops aren’t the only things that need dusting. Winter is a great time to tackle other horizontal surfaces, including the tops of doors, clocks, picture frames, ceiling fans, lampshades, and curtain rods.
• Change the furnace filter: Consider upgrading to a high-end air filter that can trap bacteria and viruses. Then, clean or replace the filter as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Cut back on clutter: The more knickknacks you have lying around, the dustier your home becomes. Minimize trinkets and routinely dust those you choose to set out.
• Regularly wipe down high-touch surfaces: Germs are most likely to spread when family members touch shared surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches, faucets, appliance handles, computer keyboards and mouses, TV remotes, and toilet handles. Use disinfecting wipes on these surfaces once a day or as needed to slow the spread of germs.
• Wash rugs and steam clean the carpet: Viruses can survive on carpeted surfaces for several hours. That’s why you should launder small rugs and have your carpets steam cleaned as often as possible.
• Clean with hot water: Use the high-temperature setting when running the dishwasher, and wash clothing in the hottest water permitted on the care tag. Hot water is a safe, natural way to kill germs on dishware and clothes.

If a family member or employee is potentially exposed to or tests positive for COVID-19, rely on the cleanup crew at DKI to disinfect your home or business and reduce the spread of the virus. We specialize in emergency infectious disease control, which makes us highly qualified to mitigate the spread of the flu and COVID-19 throughout the colder months. Call us at 844-354-2255 or contact us online to schedule coronavirus cleaning and disinfection services today.