8 March Sanitizing Your Home the Correct Way March 8, 2021 By sma Cleaning Tips, Home Maintenance, Safety bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, living room 0 SANITIZING YOUR HOME THE CORRECT WAY March 8, 2021 | Cleaning Tips, Home Maintenance, Safety | bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, living room Spring is just around the corner! Saturday, March 20 marks the spring equinox, and the start of thawing out from winter’s cold grasp. While there’s still time before you have to fully dive into your spring cleaning list, it’s never too early to get a head start. Here’s what you can do to tidy up your home and also fight off germs in 2021. Stay Safe as You Clean Since you’ll be using different cleaners throughout your home, it’s essential that you guard yourself against any harmful chemicals. Wearing the correct protective equipment will keep you safe as you sterilize each room. Some basic items that you should wear and keep stocked in your house are: Safety goggles to block chemicals splashing in your eye. Rubber or latex gloves to avoid absorption through your skin. An apron to prevent your clothes from staining. Face masks to avoid inhaling harmful fumes. Remember to properly ventilate your house as you clean as well. Breathing in chemicals for a lengthy period of time can have severe side effects. Carefully follow each product’s instructions as well, and don’t ever mix substances together. When you’ve finished, store your cleaners in a secure place away from children and pets. Rugs, Carpets, Upholstery, and Curtains For softer surfaces, you’ll need to use a certain amount of care and take your time while cleaning to avoid ruining them. Begin by vacuuming off the dirt and grime so that the cleaner won’t soak it into the material. Set your vacuum at the right speed and height to ensure that you’re getting as much dust and dirt as possible. Then use either soap and water or another specified cleaner, and follow the directions. If you can, launder covers and fabrics for further sanitation, always first checking the tag for care instructions. Countertops and Floors Harder surfaces are a little easier to clean, but each surface requires its own unique care. First, wipe off the area with a microfiber rag or disinfecting cloth. Be sure to scrub away stuck on food particles and liquids. Some spots might require added elbow grease before they finally come clean, but don’t get carried away fighting a stain. Intense scrubbing and pouring on chemicals will damage the surface and you could compound the problem. For more information about cleaning specific materials, check out this article! Electronics Items like your TV, remote controls, consoles, game controllers, computer monitor, and keyboard all need to be included with your regular cleaning. Prior to cleaning, unplug or turn off your electronics. Use a microfiber cloth or feather duster to sweep off dust, and use an electronic-specific cleaner or isopropyl alcohol above 90%. Clear USB or HDMI ports with a cotton swab to help extend the life of your expensive items. How Often to Clean You’re likely to get a wide range of answers when it comes to how frequently you should clean your home. Germs can survive for different lengths of time on different surfaces, so stopping the spread early is vital. While most people only clean once a week, schedule about 30 minutes a day to tidy up. This will keep you on top of messes before they get big and cut down your weekend cleaning time. For deep-cleaning things like carpet, furniture, and flooring, you really only need to do it about once or twice each year. What’s the Dirtiest Certain components in your home get used more than others and are cleaned less than they should be. To block them from becoming a bacteria breeding ground, here are a few spots that call for extra sanitation: Shower Trash can Microwave Dishwasher Door handles Light switches Bathroom floor Washing machine It’s also a good idea to regularly wash and dry any cloths or sponges you use. Damp sponges encourage mold growth, and constantly using the same rags hinders their cleaning effectiveness. Although there’s ways to clean correctly, there are definitely ways to do it wrong. Follow these tips to keep you and your family healthy this year! Schedule an inspection with a trained NPI professional today to make sure home is good to go for 2021. Comments are closed.