People throughout North America and the rest of the world are taking precautions against the novel coronavirus. One such precaution is to disinfect your home against COVID-19.

Why Should I Disinfect Surfaces?

Anytime you return home from work or running errands, it’s possible that you’re bringing coronavirus germs with you. While person-to-person contact poses the greatest risk of transmission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still recommends disinfecting high-touch surfaces in your home at least once a day. After all, the novel coronavirus can survive on cardboard surfaces for up to 24 hours and on plastic and stainless steel surfaces for up to 72 hours.

Cleaning vs. Sanitizing vs. Disinfecting

Cleaning a surface to remove dirt and dust does little or nothing against microbes, including coronaviruses. You need something stronger to kill germs that could make you sick. This begs the question—should you reach for sanitizer or disinfectant?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), disinfectants must clear a higher bar than sanitizers. As a result, no sanitizer-only products are approved for use against coronavirus.

Which Disinfecting Products Kill COVID-19?

The EPA has compiled a list of cleaning products that are effective against coronavirus. Some of these products include:

  • Disinfecting wipes (Clorox, Lysol, or store brand)
  • Disinfecting sprays (Clorox, Lysol, or Purell)
  • Isopropyl alcohol
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Household bleach (4 teaspoons diluted in one quart of room temperature water)

Use these products as directed, which may include leaving them wet on surfaces for 10 minutes before wiping dry. This is the key to killing the advertized 99.9 percent of germs.

How to Disinfect Your Home Against COVID-19

Don’t fret about cleaning the house from top to bottom every day. Instead, focus on disinfecting germ hot-spots, including:

  • Doorknobs
  • Light switches
  • Staircase railings
  • Cupboard door and drawer pulls
  • Microwave, refrigerator, oven, and dishwasher handles
  • Faucet handles
  • Kitchen and bathroom counters
  • Toilet seats and handles
  • TV remotes and game controllers
  • Computer keyboards and mouses
  • Phones

Wear disposable gloves while disinfecting, and dispose of them when you’re finished. If you wear reusable rubber gloves, disinfect them before putting them away.

Take Extra Precautions if Someone in Your Household Tests Positive

If a family member becomes ill with COVID-19, protect the rest of your household from contracting the illness by following CDC guidelines. Here are some suggestions:

  • Confine the sick person to their room.
  • Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
  • To limit contact, only disinfect the area around the sick person when needed, such as if it has been soiled.
  • Wash your hands extra diligently.

Coronavirus cleanup is not a DIY job, especially if an outbreak occurs on a large scale. Call on DKI for infectious disease cleanup at your job site, apartment complex, retail space, school, or other facility. We use hospital-grade, EPA-registered products to disinfect any porous or non-porous surface. Contact us right away to arrange for emergency COVID-19 cleanup.