Step by Step Guide to Disinfect your Office and Home

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Step by Step Guide to Disinfect your Office/Home

Years have passed since the outbreak of the novel Coronavirus disease. While all of us are still adjusting to the new lifestyle it has brought, we should agree that each of us plays an important role in controlling the further spread of this virus. The use of masks and hand sanitizers is recommended to prevent getting infected. But there is not much information provided on the after-care that is required for contaminated spaces.

As offices, malls, restaurants are beginning to open here in Pakistan, the spread of the virus is picking up its pace again. But, we can all stop the spread of the virus by protecting ourselves and everyone around us. This will require an individual effort that we will be explaining to you shortly.

As we try and get back to our normal lives, maintaining a regular cleaning routine will be extremely useful. If you or any of your family members/colleagues have come into contact with a person or a space that is infected, this article is for you. You’ll get to learn more about proper office cleaning and house cleaning practices that will help keep the virus at bay.

Transmission of the virus is said to be common through contaminated surfaces. One way to avoid getting infected is through regular cleaning. Keeping your home and office spaces coronavirus-free only requires a few basic pieces of equipment that are always readily available. For starters, you will need the following equipment for your cleaning regiment:

  • An assigned area where the cleaning equipment can be stored
  • Disposable masks, gloves, and trash bags
  • Disposable cloths or rags for cleaning
  • Surface cleaner, bleach, cleaning wipes (with alcohol), or disinfecting solution in a spray bottle
  • Basic cleaning equipment (mops, buckets, cleaning cloth, etc.)

Do you have all the supplies mentioned above? If yes, then let’s get started! If no, you can find all of this stuff quite easily in the market. Alternatively, you can hire a cleaning company to provide disinfection and janitorial services, especially where moderate to heavy contamination is suspected.

Step 1 – Identify Highly Touched Areas

House Cleaning Hotspots

  • Surfaces of tables
  • Arms, back, the seat of hard dining chairs
  • Carpets that are used on a daily basis
  • Counters of kitchens
  • All the commonly touched areas of bathrooms e.g. counters, shower handles, etc.
  • The entire Faucets including faucet knobs
  • Handles and seat of toilets
  • Switches of lights
  • Remote controls for TV, AC, etc.
  • Game Controllers

Office Cleaning Hotspots

  • Door handles
  • Tabletops
  • Light switches
  • Cupboards
  • Kitchen surfaces
  • Work stations
  • Toilet surfaces
  • Elevator buttons
  • Railings

Step 2 – Wear Personal Protective Equipment

  • Put on your mask and gloves so that your hands and face are adequately covered
  • Avoid touching your face any further while you are cleaning
  • Make sure your home or office is properly ventilated. Keeping windows and doors open while cleaning is recommended

Step 3 – Disinfection Solution

  • Prepare your disinfectant solution if you are using products such as diluted household bleach-based solutions
  • In case of cleaning wipes or disinfecting solutions, preferably go for the ones that have at least 70% alcohol in them.
  • Keep your cleaning cloth, rag, and mops ready

Step 4 – Carry Out Cleaning and Disinfection

  • This step involves cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, floors, and other frequently touched surfaces by using a disinfectant. If you are outsourcing sanitization to a company then make sure they are using a WHO-approved COVID 19 disinfectant spray.
  • Here comes the cleaning part. If the surface you are going to clean is dirty, clean it with soap, detergent or water first
  • When it comes to disinfecting surfaces, use the disinfectant directly on the places that require cleaning. For effective results, let the solution stay on the surface for several minutes before wiping it out
  • Mop the floor with a bleach solution or your preferred disinfectant from one end to another
  • Wipes are better to use when it comes to cleaning electronic products such as the screens of laptops, keyboards, etc.

Step 5 – After the Cleaning and Disinfection

Now that you have cleaned and disinfected your home and office space, properly disposing off your waste is very important.

  • Start off by washing your hands
  • Take a plastic or a trash bag and throw away the gloves and masks that you were using while carrying out your cleaning activities. Make sure to wash your clothes or if possible, wear clothes that can be disposed of as well
  • Clean all your reusable materials and let it dry before putting it back in the storage
  • Wash the cleaning cloths or rags with detergent

Important Considerations

Should Your Laundry be handled differently?

If you suspect coming in contact with the virus or are taking care of an infected person, then your laundry does require handling differently. The clothes of a person who has contracted the virus should be kept and washed separately with a detergent. While washing the clothes, make sure you are wearing a mask and gloves. Once you are done with the laundry, don’t forget to use a plastic or a trash bag to put the mask and gloves in before throwing them away.

Should laptops, screens, and mobiles be cleaned?

Yes! If your office reports a confirmed case, it becomes extremely necessary that the entire office space is disinfected thoroughly. In situations like these, your building should be disinfected by a professional cleaning company.

Electronic devices require sensitive handling while being disinfected. Cleaning wipes that have at least 70% alcohol in them should be used when it comes to cleaning them. Keyboards, screens, laptops, mobile devices, meeting rooms, or any other frequently used space or surface should be disinfected following the steps mentioned above.

Conclusion 

Daily household tasks and errands have turned into a source of anxiety as we continue to get used to a life with COVID. Maintaining regular office and house cleaning will help all of us to keep our loved ones safe and healthy. All the post-Covid panic has resulted in widespread misinformation that has only caused an increase in stress.

While the research is still ongoing, the use of masks and basic SOPs should be followed in order to minimize the spread of the virus. Protecting yourself and your loved ones require special attention and care. As the government still decides whether to pursue a lockdown or not, an effort from each one of us is required now more than ever. Regular cleaning activities should be carried out to further keep the virus at bay. As long as you have the basic equipment available and basic cleaning training, your home and office space will remain covid-free.

 

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