It’s especially important to disinfect your apartment with coronavirus still around.
With little control over the situation, one way to feel better is knowing how to disinfect an apartment and keep it clean. Here is a list of things that you should keep clean and disinfect in your apartment and how often you should do it.
Choosing the right cleaning products for disinfecting an apartment
When picking a product to clean with, it’s a good idea to know some facts about the different options. The EPA has an approved list of disinfectants to use, and here are some suggestions for cleaning products.
Disinfectant cleaning products
These cleaning products are easy-to-use and you can purchase them in the form of wipes or sprays. When used to sanitize, they kill harmful pathogens on the surface, but they need to contain at least 70 percent alcohol to work properly.
Classic soap and hot water
Soap and water are some of the oldest cleaning products around. If you can use disinfecting products like Clorox or Lysol, that’s the preferred option. But soap and hot water will work to disinfect an apartment, too.
Bleach products
Bleach is a powerful chemical that can be used as a cleaning product when diluted. It can be used on a variety of surfaces or products and is potent enough to kill viruses, germs and bacteria. This is a great cleaning product to use when disinfecting your apartment and things. Also, it’s best to wear gloves and be in a well-ventilated area while using bleach.
How and when to disinfect an apartment
To keep your apartment safe and clean here’s what you should clean and disinfect and how often.
Countertops
Because countertops are used frequently, whether for cooking, setting your packages down or opening mail on them, it’s best to clean and disinfect them periodically throughout the week. You can use soap and water, disinfect sprays or bleach to clean your countertops.
Doorknobs and light switches
How often you leave your apartment will determine when you should disinfect your doorknobs and light switches. If you or anyone you live with leaves the apartment daily, it’s best to give them a wipe down every day. This can be part of your nightly routine as you lock up, turn off the lights and wipe them down with a Clorox wipe.
Remotes
Similar to light switches and doorknobs, disinfecting your remote controls can depend on how many people touch it and how often you’ve been out and about. It’s best practice to clean your remotes at the end of every week. However, if you share the remote with other people consider giving it a wipe down when you’re done so it’s ready for the next person.
Floors
Since most people aren’t touching the floor with their hands and then touching their face, you can clean your floors bi-weekly. When cleaning your floors, first start by vacuuming or sweeping and then mop them with hot water and soap or any product specifically made for floors. While you can clean your floors daily for that shiny-feel, a few times a week should do the trick.
Laundry
You could do laundry multiple times a week, but if you share a washer and dryer in your apartment complex, you may want to consider doing your laundry less frequently or when you run out of clean clothes.
However, if you’ve been around someone sick, it’s a good idea to wash those clothes as soon as possible. The CDC recommends that you wash your laundry in the hottest setting the clothing allows and then disinfect the laundry basket when you’re done.
Cleaning vs. sanitizing vs. disinfecting
It’s important to understand the difference between cleaning and sanitizing, or disinfecting. Cleaning removes clutter, germs and dust from a surface but doesn’t necessarily kill harmful germs.
Disinfecting or sanitizing, however, kills the harmful germs on items. To get the best results, you should always clean before disinfecting. The combination of both cleaning techniques helps better your odds to stay safe and healthy during coronavirus. And, it’s just general best practices when it comes to disinfecting an apartment.
Disinfecting best practices for apartment dwellers
It can be tricky to find effective ways of disinfecting an apartment. However, with these tips, you should have a clean apartment in no time. You can rest assured knowing that your apartment has been sanitized and disinfected, and you’re doing your part to stay safe.
