Coronavirus Cleaning - Tips For Prevention at Home and Work

Not to jump on the bandwagon, but we are just being responsible. We wanted to reach out to our customers about what we are doing here at NG1 City Cleaners to help protect against Coronavirus (COVID-19).

As the situation around Coronavirus continues to evolve, our cleaning teams are already doubling down on wiping door handles, handrails and other fixtures as a precaution for our customers.

According to the World Health Organisation, it is not yet certain how long the virus that causes COVID-19 survives on surfaces. It could be a few hours, up to several days. This is why stress the importance of keeping your home clean, particularly well-used rooms like your kitchen and bathroom.

Coronavirus Home Cleaning

As we said at the beginning of the post, we don't want to jump on the Coronavirus bandwagon or create a panic. But as a cleaning company, we feel it's our duty to provide a few practical tips on what you can do to keep your home clean. Being proactive in cleaning your home and practicing good hygiene may help to reduce the spread of Coronavirus, along with other nasty bugs, common at this time of year.

There are two key steps for effective germ removal. The first is cleaning and the second is disinfecting. Cleaning will remove most dirt, germs and impurities from surfaces and disinfecting afterwards will kill any remaining.

Clean frequently touched surfaces in the home

Germs can quickly spread from person to person by touching unclean equipment and surfaces. This is why it's essential to practice routine cleaning of items and surfaces that are touched and used a lot. For example:

• Tables
• Doorknobs
• Light switches
• Handles
• Desks
• Toilets
• Tap Faucets
• Sinks
• Phones
• Tablets
• Laptops
• Computers
• TV remotes

Use household cleaning products and disinfectants

Use soap and water or household cleaning products to remove dirt, germs and impurities from surfaces. We'd then suggest disinfecting them to kill any germs left on the surface, helping to further lower the risk of spreading infection. Diluted household bleach, alcohol solutions (made from at least 70% alcohol) and household disinfectants should all work effectively in killing germs on surfaces.

Use cleaning products safely

When using cleaning products and disinfectants, always read the labels and follow the instructions to ensure safe and effective use. We'd recommend wearing disposable gloves to protect your skin from abrasive cleaning products and opening windows, to ensure good ventilation while you are cleaning and disinfecting your home.

Dry the surfaces you've cleaned

It's very important to dry the surfaces you clean. Dampness can assist germs in surviving, even after cleaning. If there's enough moisture, they may even multiply.

Always keep children and pets away from disinfected items and surfaces until they're dry.

Make sure your cleaning aids are clean

It's no good trying to clean or disinfect your home with old, dirty cleaning aids, as they're likely to harbour germs and spread them about. Make sure your cleaning cloths, sponges, mops and dusters are clean and germ-free before you start.

Although we're conscious of the need to be eco-friendly, at these uncertain times, it might be best to use disposable cleaning aids (like paper towels and kitchen roll) particularly on surfaces or items that may be contaminated.

Throw disposable cleaning aids away after use. If you've opted for re-usable cleaning aids they should be washed at a high temperature (60C) to kill germs and bacteria.

You can put washing up brushes in your dishwasher to get rid of germs. Alternatively, clean them thoroughly with detergent and hot water. This will stop you spreading bacteria onto your cups, plates and kitchen utensils.

Clean and disinfect often

Germ hot spots should be cleaned frequently. Rather than doing a once-a-week deep clean of your home, we'd suggest more regular cleaning to reduce the chances of germs spreading. Once a day is recommended or more frequently for heavily used items and surfaces. It's also a good idea to give bedding, towels and other linen a hot wash.

Remember to wash your hands after deep cleaning.

Hand washing best practice

It's advised that you wash your hands frequently and encourage members of your household to do the same. Use soap and water to thoroughly wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. If unavailable, you can use a hand with an alcohol content of at least 60% instead.

Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands - it's easier said than done but can help to stop the spread of infection.

Make sure you wash your hands after the following:

• Using the toilet
• Touching a pet
• Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing
• Before preparing and eating food
• Before and after providing care for someone else i.e. a child

Coronavirus at work

Employers must also consider how best to protect office-based staff. For this we suggest implementing the following precautionary safety measures:

• Educating your staff on prevention - send out emails, put up posters in the workplace.
• Emphasising frequent and proper hand washing - display the GOV.UK hand washing techniques guidance
• Cleaning high contact points more frequently - doorhandles, keyboards, eating areas, telephones, toilets
• Providing clean places to wash hands with hot water and soap
• Providing hand sanitiser and tissues
• Providing bin bags and pedal-bins for safe rubbish disposal
• Ensuring emergency contact numbers are up to date

Useful Coronavirus resources:

NHS Coronavirus Health Advice - Call NHS 111 if you are worried about symptoms.

Coronavirus UK Government Guidance

COVID-19 Guidance for Employers

World Health Organisation Coronavirus Q&A

We hope you have found this information useful. If you have any questions about our deep cleaning services, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.