One of the cultural changes that has resulted from the Coronavirus pandemic has been our society’s increased emphasis on hygiene and cleanliness. Personal hygiene, cleanliness around the house, and for those of us that have had to resume work back in an office, that also means an increased emphasis on deep cleaning shared spaces.
While the science is still a little murky as to how much risk is associated with COVID-19 germs on surfaces and the ability to contract the virus from surfaces, residential property owners have incorporated regularly scheduled deep cleans to mitigate risk and instill peace of mind especially when they begin to resume socializing with others.
But how often should community spaces such as your kitchen and living room be deep cleaned, and how intense should those cleans be? Is a simple wipe down with a lysol wipe as effective as a residential cleaning service, clad in PPE from head to toe? We’ve compiled our best practices below.
How Clean is Clean Enough
Did you know there is a tangible difference between cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing? Cleaning is the most simple way to remove germs from a surface, but also the least effective of the three. Soap and water removes dirt and germs, but does not ‘kill’ germs.
Cleaning a surface is akin to sweeping a floor whereas disinfecting and sanitizing are like moping. To disinfect is to use stronger chemicals to kill bacteria and allow those chemicals to remain on a surface for 3-5 minutes so they can properly do their job. The truth of it is that a shared work space should not only be cleaned or disinfected or sanitized, but routinely get all three treatments.
The CDC recommends to clean any surface first with soap and water, and to follow up with a disinfectant. Additionally, when it comes to using a commercial disinfectant, either use the necessary PPE to eliminate any risk of getting chemicals on your skin or in your eyes or call in the professionals who have experience using them with safety and regularity.
Peace of Mind
One of the biggest hurdles that property home owners face when trying to resume normal socializing at home is making them feel safe and secure when they are around others. If people in your home are in constant fear or suffering from severe anxiety because everyone is shoulder-to-shoulder, or people are not wearing masks, it could potentially cause friction in your relationships.
That’s where homeowners can put their money where their mouth is and demonstrate how serious they are taking this issue by implementing proper safety precautions in place, chief among them should be regularly scheduled deep cleans. As much as it can be about reducing the number of potential contagions on surfaces, deep cleans can also be a signal that they are taking every available precaution to keep people safe. While these routine deep cleans can be costly, the peace of mind of feeling safe is priceless, and that’s where the priority should lay.
What Spots Should Receive the Most Attention
When several people are confined into a home, there are always going to be high traffic areas and dirty spots that need to be disinfected more intensely than others: living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms are three that immediately come to mind. If you are a homeowner that has hired a commercial cleaning service, you should compile a list of spots or furniture pieces that you want them to focus attention on.
Front door and handle
Living room couches and tables
The Kitchen: coffee pot, refrigerator, sink, trash can
Bathroom door and amenities
While some people think it might be beneficial to clean the floors, the truth is that because most people aren't putting their hands on the floor, it’s not as high of a priority as other areas. Instead, home owners should commit additional time and resources to ensuring that ventilation in the building meets a higher threshold so it is not recycling airborne bacteria.
