With hygiene and health being the main theme of 2020, people are looking for ways to keep their homes healthy and safe. We are seeing an increased interest in disinfectant products for that extra layer of protection against germs.
High-touch point cleans
While it is a good idea to kill germs around your home, less is actually more! Instead of doing a full house disinfectant clean a few times a week, focus on your the high-touch points.
If used correctly, disinfectants will kill 99.9% of germs they comes into contact with, however, not all germs around your house are bad. That’s where the high-touch point disinfecting comes in. These points around your home are more likely to carry harmful germs, bacteria and viruses as they are often touched with dirty hands that are carrying germs from being out and about for the day.
High-touch areas around your home you should be regularly disinfecting include:
- Doorknobs
- Light switches
- Remote controls
- Keys
- Mobile phones
- Faucets and taps
- Toilets
- Communal surfaces like tables and bench tops
How to clean your high-touch points
By cleaning these areas regularly – this will completely depend on how often you leave your home and what type of activities you engage in while out and about – will effectively stop the spread of germs in your home. It is also a great method as it will not require you to spend hours cleaning everyday.
Although we mentioned this needs to be done depending on your activity levels, it still needs to be done daily. People who go in and out multiple times a day, people who are auto-immune and or people in high risk jobs may want to do this multiple times a day to reduce the spread.
Most viruses are said to be able to survive on surfaces for hours and some bacteria for several days if the surfaces are dry! This is why it is important to keep on top of these areas that are touched frequently.
What to use
To effectively clean your high-touch points you will need to do a regular clean of them first e.g. spray and wipe down of the area, followed by a spray of disinfectant. Your disinfectant should contain at least 70% alcohol, a diluted bleach solution or household products registered with the EPA. It is important to follow the instructions for each product as they will all require different dwell time.
Don’t forget to keep your hands clean while cleaning your home as well as keeping hand sanitiser with you while you go about your day to minimise the germs you bring back into your home.