SB HOME | by seva may
HOW
TO
clean
& disinfect YOUR HOME
W
hen I was growing up, keeping the house clean and organized was a must. We had four kids (three brothers) and usually a couple of dogs and several cats so Mom kept things pretty tight. We were also a military family and most often lived in base housing. Growing up on an Air Force Base was always fun for us kids. For one thing, we were safe. With lots of other kids to play with, youth center activities and team sports, we stayed occupied and, for the most part, out of trouble. Life was good as long as we did our chores and kept our grades up. Until Dad got PCS orders. PCS is an acronym for Permanent Change of Station – relocating from one duty station to another. Back in those days (1960’s) this would happen about every two to three years. Not only did it mean leaving your friends and your school, it meant getting your house ready for the dreaded “Military Housing Inspection.” Those were stressful times for my parents to be sure but certainly a walk in the park compared to cleaning and disinfecting your home during a pandemic. According to the Center for Disease Control the Covid-19 virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Being in close contact with one another, being the recipient of a cough or a sneeze, simply talking with another person increases the risk of inhaling the virus. Even being around people who show no symptoms but who may carry the virus is a danger. Digging deeper into the CDC website, I found a 15-page spread sheet with every EPA-registered disinfectant that meets the criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Most of the cleaners we use in our homes will be marked as EPA-registered to save you the
16
MAY 2020
| SBMAG.NET
time of working your way through the CDC website. But, if you’re curious, the address is https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/preventgetting-sick/cleaning-disinfection.html Be sure to understand that there is a difference between cleaning your home and disinfecting it. According to the CDC, cleaning refers to the removal of germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. It does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection. Disinfecting refers to using chemicals, for example, EPA-registered disinfectants, to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection. There’s no better time than now to roll up your sleeves, put on disposable gloves and get started. Clean surfaces using soap and water. Any surface that is used and touched frequently should get a thorough cleaning every day. High touch surfaces include: Tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, sinks, etc.
