A New Spring Cleaning Routine
Clever strategies to clean and disinfect your home!
We have shifted our daily lives during the novel coronavirus pandemic, leaving many of us adjusting to working from home. As we adapt to social distancing, and kids settle down to online learning too, your normal cleaning routine has become more like disinfecting quarantine zones. If your spring cleaning has transitioned into sanitizing everything for a germ-free home, these tips will really help! Get ready to toss out how you cleaned before, and revamp your household chores. As we all take action to stop the spread of the virus by staying indoors. From the best EPA-Approved disinfectants, to how long COVID-19 stays on surfaces, below are a few ways you can clean and sanitize to a germ-free, healthy home!
Clean vs. Disinfect
The CDC recommends cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces in your home at least once a day, especially if you have had contact with the outside world in some way. Knowing what needs cleaned to remove contaminants, versus disinfecting to kill pathogens, can make a huge difference to how often surfaces will need to be cleaned. Focus on those areas first and maintain your normal cleaning routine for other areas of your home.
Target Zones and Surfaces
Breakdown each area in your home by zones, and target cleaning to your home’s high-touch surfaces. Coronavirus can live on surfaces for up to 24 hours and even longer on cardboard and stainless steel. With everyone doing their part to self-isolate and children home from school, these high-touch surfaces that you typically would clean are more susceptible now to germs. Think about your door knobs, kitchen countertops, toilet seat and handle, computers, remote controls, anything in your home frequently touched and used throughout the day. Clean first with soap and water, and then disinfect using an EPA-Approved disinfectants. Finish with Lysol Disinfectant Spray to clean and sanitize and then air dry to kill off any remaining germs including the COVID-19 virus!
See the full list of EPA-Approved Disinfectants here: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2
If you have run out of household cleaning supplies and waiting for stores to stock their own shelves, there are alternatives including homemade solutions you can make on your own. Use bleach diluted with water or isopropyl alcohol (70%) mixed with water as a solution to sanitize and clean surfaces. Set aside time daily based on the level of cleaning needed for each zone in your home, and the surfaces most often touched. Make it a team clean effort, with everyone that lives in your home pitching in and adapting to a new cleaning schedule you can use year-round!
Try this homemade bleach cleaning solution recipe from houselogic.com:
5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) bleach per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of hot water
Windows & Mirrors
Add your normal spring cleaning routine in the mix and wash your windows and mirrors. Remove window treatments and put them in the dryer on a low or no heat setting to remove allergens and dust particles.
For a great solution to your window washing, try the cleaning solution below!
Combine:
2 cups water
1/2 cup white or cider vinegar
1/4 cup rubbing alcohol 70%
Pour in a spray bottle and for a streak free shine don’t clean windows on a hot, sunny day. Spray the solution on a paper towel or soft cloth first before cleaning mirrors. See 8 Best Homemade Cleaners - How to Make DIY All Purpose Cleaners from Good Housekeeping.
It may seem like an overwhelming feat to an overstressed family self-isolating at home! But it’s important to maintain a good cleaning plan to have peace of mind during these times. If you feel more frazzled than enthused on what needs done, try this interactive room-by-room guide from nbcnews.com!
We’re in this Together ❤
Our top priority is the health and safety of everyone in our community, and we just want to take a moment to thank our Marrick Homes’ team, and all the agents, brokers, and local realtors for their continued hard work and efforts during this time. We are in this together, and appreciative to our homeowners and prospects too, who continue to support local businesses (like yours truly) in Southern Maryland and beyond.
If you are looking for a new home now we have many Single Family Homes and Townhomes available with fabulous incentives. Find a model and floor plan you love and take a virtual tour! Customize too by adding the perfect features, finishes, and options just right for you! Visit our website today and discover your dream home waiting for you in Southern Maryland!