The ‘coronavirus’ is still on the rise and continuously causing concern not only in Riverside County but in other places as well. As a result, cleaning and disinfecting have become a very important routine now in homes. These methods are essential to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy and safe against coronavirus. In this article, you will learn some important tips on how to prevent COVID-19.

What To Know About COVID-19

In order to help prevent Covid-19, we must be well aware first of what Covid-19 is all about. Here are some facts about it.

• It is person-to-person transmission and frequently happens among close contacts (within about 6 feet).
• The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is easily spread through the air and occurs commonly through respiratory droplets. (e.g. sneezing, coughing)
• The novel coronavirus can live on different surfaces for hours up to several days.
• According to a recent study, the virus can stay in the air for up to 3 hours, live on cardboard for up to 24 hours, plastic and steel for up to 3 days.
• Touching surfaces that are contaminated can transfer the virus to various areas of the home.
• Touching the eyes, nose, and mouth with contaminated hands has a high risk of introducing the coronavirus into your body.
• The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends cleaning and disinfecting especially high-touch surfaces at least once a day.

Cleaning vs Disinfecting

Cleaning a surface is simply getting rid of dirt and particles but disinfecting is to kill viruses and bacteria. Soapy water, baking soda, and vinegar are some of the many products you can use to clean hard and high-traffic surfaces. Removing contaminants, debris, and dust is a necessary step in cleaning your home. However, disinfecting is an essential step to destroy the coronavirus and other pathogens that have invaded your home. It plays a vital role in order to prevent Covid-19.

Prevent Covid-19: Clean and Disinfect High-Touch Surfaces

Staying indoors is one of the recommendations of the health department to reduce the risk of contracting the virus. So, while spending more time at home, the chances of touching more surfaces are high. Thus, cleaning and disinfection become an important part of daily life. Superior Flood and Fire has discovered how to help you out on preventing the spread of the coronavirus at home.

Disinfect High-touch Surfaces

A high-touch surface is something that is touched frequently by a number of people. There are things and surfaces at home that we touch or use frequently throughout the day. So as much as possible, focus on disinfecting these hotspot-areas for germs in order to prevent Covid-19:

• Everything about the toilet/ bathroom counters
• Cell phones, tablets, and other mobile devices
• Computer keyboards/ mice
• Faucets/ Door knobs/handles
• Cupboard and drawer knobs/pulls
• Remote controls and game controllers
• Table surfaces/cabinet handles
• Light switches/switch plates
• Staircase railings
• Kitchen counters
• Refrigerator and dishwasher handles
• Oven and microwave handles

Good Practices Before Cleaning

• Open the windows for proper ventilation.
• Wear disposable gloves and discard them after use.
• For reusable gloves, disinfect after use.
• If possible, use disposable wipes. If not, rotate the wipe or cloth when cleaning and disinfecting.
• For disposal, use only lined trash cans.
• Wash hands after cleaning and disinfecting.

Suggested Cleaning Products That Can Kill and Prevent COVID-19

The EPA provides a list of disinfectants that can kill the novel coronavirus since not all cleaning products are effective on various types of germs. Check the following:

• Isopropyl alcohol
• Lysol, Clorox, etc. (disinfecting wipes)
• Purell, Clorox or Lysol Disinfectant sprays
• Hydrogen peroxide

Reminders: It is necessary to follow the proper techniques in disinfecting thoroughly to ensure germ-free surfaces. The EPA recommends letting the product sit and remain wet on surfaces or objects for 10 minutes to kill 99.9 percent of germs. Further, the CDC offers instructions on how to make a homemade bleach disinfectant spray if ever you don’t have any on hand. Be cautious in handling bleach to prevent damage or discoloration of sensitive surfaces.

10 Tips to Help Prevent COVID-19

Here are some tips to make sure you are properly cleaning and disinfecting your home and keeping your household as germ-free as possible.

1. Keep washing your hands. This is the best way to reduce your risk of getting COVID-19 and passing it to others. The CDC strongly recommends 20-second proper handwashing with soap and water.
2. Follow good practices before cleaning.
3. Clean with soap and water to lower the number of germs, dirt, and impurities on the surfaces. Do routine cleaning for high-touch surfaces.
4. Use diluted bleach as an alternative for sanitizing or 62-71% alcohol to disinfect surfaces. 
5. For DIY disinfectant: mix up to 3 teaspoons of bleach in a gallon of water, wipe it on the surface and leave it for 3 to 5 minutes. Rinse the area and air-dry.
6. Don‘t mix alcohol and bleach or vinegar with ammonia to avoid possible hazards.
7. Carefully read the labels and follow the instructions before using chemicals. 
8. Aside from wearing gloves and masks, use goggles to protect eyes from potential splash hazards. 
9. Never store chemicals or any cleaning products near your food storage and keep them out of reach of children. Label properly and store in the right place.
10.  If someone is sick in your home, use disinfectant sprays or wipes to clean and disinfect your home daily. This helps in preventing the spread of the virus.

Professional COVID-19 Disinfection Services

Disinfecting your home often is a necessary step to kill any pathogens of coronavirus that have entered your home. But if you need help, Superior Flood and Fire will respond quickly to disinfect your safe haven. We offer professional COVID-19 disinfection services. Our trained professionals are experienced in getting rid of germs and viruses such as COVID-19 and others. We will disinfect your home according to the protocols suggested by the CDC. You may call our local office today, Water Damage San Jacinto to learn more about our disinfecting services.