COVID-19 home cleaning tips: What should you sanitise?

In the throes of this COVID-19 pandemic, we’re well-acquainted with the basic dos and don’ts of the  prevention measures you can do to prevent infection, such as frequent hand washing, wearing a face mask, and keeping at least a one metre distance when you’re running essential errands. But if you’re wondering what else you can do to keep your home free of the virus, read below to find out cautious you should be with cleaning, and what surfaces need to be disinfected regularly. And while you’re at it, check out this guide to cleaning your phone.

Commonly touched areas

While it’s exhausting to disinfect every surface in your home regularly, you’ll want to focus on high touch areas. These include door knobs, tables and desktops, light switches, toilet flushers, furniture and appliance handles, chairs, faucets, and handbags. Where possible, clean with soap and water, then follow up with a disinfectant with at least 70 percent alcohol.

Groceries

So you’re back from a grocery run, and you’ve sanitised your hands and your phone. But what about your groceries? The minimum you’ll want to do is wash your hands after unpacking and putting the groceries away. But if want to take extra precautions, wipe down or wash cans and boxes before storing and throw out disposable packaging. Then, wash or wipe down any surfaces that have been in contact with the groceries and the bags. And finally, wash your hands again.

Reusable grocery bags

While it’s highly recommended to clean your reusable grocery bags after every use, a minimum is once a week. Wash nylon or cotton tote bags. For bags made from other materials, wipe down with an anti-bacterial spray and a paper towel.

Laundry

You can breathe a sigh of relief. There is no need to separate the clothes you wore outdoors from your regular load as the virus is unlikely to survive a wash. As you’re doing your laundry, don’t touch your face, and wash your hands right after.

Reusable cloth masks

Wash your cloth masks after every wear as research has shown that virus particles can linger on the outer layer of your mask for up to a week. Dispose of paper or surgical masks immediately after wearing. Bear in mind that while taking off the mask, do not touch the front of it as it could be potentially contaminated. For cloth masks, use detergents that feature bleach-like compounds or other active ingredients. Hand washing? Lather with soap and scrub with hot water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Then, follow up with heat drying at the highest possible temperature your mask can withstand.

Deliveries

The golden rule for deliveries is to avoid contact with couriers as much as possible. Opt for contactless delivery, where parcels can be left outside the door, on your doorstep, or the lobby. Transmission through packaging is said to be low, but wash your hands after handling and disposing of it.

Food deliveries

Place delivery bags in your sink instead of tabletops then transfer food from containers to plates. Discard all packaging and takeout containers for recycling. Wash your hands thoroughly before eating and clean and sanitise sinks.

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