The best cleaning products to buy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic has changed society in many ways, including altering the best
cleaning products to buy. If you are aiming to keep the virus at bay
in your home or office space while still being able to maintain as much normality as possible,
you will need the right cleaning products to assist you in your efforts. While person-to-person
transmission of COVID-19 poses a much greater risk than transmission via surfaces; the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends cleaning and disinfecting high-touch
surfaces at least once a day, even if you are not leaving the house or office. That’s because
anytime items or people come in and out of your home, there’s some possibility of exposure
and infection.
According to the World Health Organization, regular household cleaning and disinfection
products will effectively eliminate the virus from household surfaces. Cleaning and
disinfecting households, offices and schools with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 surface
virucidal disinfectants, such as 0.05% sodium hypochlorite (NaCIO) and products based on
ethanol (at least 70%), should be used.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has registered disinfectants, to kill germs on
surfaces which further reduces the risk of spreading infection. We will further look into these
products.
Hand wash and sanitizer are some of the best cleaning products to buy
Firstly, we need to know and never forget about hand hygiene as hand hygiene is one of the
pillars of infection control. It was recognised as far back as the nineteenth century as
essential to prevent spread of infections in hospitals – even before it was understood that
microorganisms were responsible for causing diseases. Today, after a year of the COVID-19
pandemic, virtually everyone in the world is aware of the need for hand hygiene to help
prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. The WHO (World Health Organization) and
governments have heavily promoted the need for regularly cleaning hands to prevent
transmission to surfaces by infected people and from contaminated surfaces.
Washing with soap and water using the correct technique for 20 seconds is still the preferred
method of cleaning hands. This is recommended by WHO (World Health Organization) and
national health authorities. The action of the soap, water and rubbing every part of your hand
for 20 seconds loosens any dirt and captures it along with any transient skin microorganisms
in the foam. Then rinsing removes the dirt with the microorganisms and flushes them down
the sink.
Hand sanitizer has a chemical called Isoprophyl which can provide an effective and
convenient product for killing or inactivating microorganisms as long as they are used
properly, because hand sanitizer has a high percentage of alcohol – which means using the
right quantity, covering the hands properly and with the right length of time on the skin for
alcohol-based formulae. Here at Effective Cleaning Services, we make sure we sanitize our
hands before entering the building and having hand sanitizers on every workable desk.
Bleach
Bleach is one of the best household cleaners to use with any virus as it has a chemical
called Hydrogen peroxide. Most households and cleaning companies already have and use
this extremely common item, even me myself I use it on a day-to-day basis. When cleaning,
mix half a cup of bleach with a gallon of hot water. Wipe down surfaces like tables, hard-
backed chairs, doorknobs, light switches, remote handles, desks, toilets and sinks.
Remember its safer to keep this mixture away from fabric as it may discolour the fabric. This
includes rugs, couches and curtains.
Products that I recommend you may use that are also approved by the EPA are Clorox
Clean-Up All Purpose Cleaner with Bleach and Clorox Regular Liquid Bleach – Clorox is on
EPA’s approved list of cleaning products. It is meant to be used on non-porous surfaces.
When used well, bleach is one of the best cleaning products to buy during this pandemic.
Disinfecting Sprays
Cleaning items labelled as a “disinfectant” are designed to kill a range of bacteria and
viruses. The product label will tell you if your disinfectant kills cold and flu viruses. When
dealing with disinfectant you need to look and find out if the CDC recommends you search
for products with the EPA-approved emerging viral pathogens claims for killing COVID-19.
Spray disinfectants like Lysol Disinfecting Spray, kills up to 99.9% of fungi, viruses and
bacteria. Simply spray the possibly infected areas, like doorknobs and furniture, and let the
spray do its work, making cleaning easier.
Disinfecting wipes
Disinfectant wipes have a few perks, like how they can be used on electronics including
smartphones, tablets and remote controls that are magnets for germs and bacteria. They are
also easy-to-use, making them perfect for use in your home and office, as well as on the go.
Pre-wetted disposable wipes do not require users to dilute concentrated disinfectants or
determine how much solution needs to be applied to a surface. Remember not to follow a
disinfectant wipe with a dry paper towel in an effort to dry the surface quicker. That leftover
residue from the wipe continues disinfecting as you walk away and will dry on its own.
Simple procedures that specify when to use a new disposable wipe can be implemented to
reduce risk that a reusable wipe would be used in multiple rooms, which can increase risk of
cross-contamination. Like many cleaning products like Lysol Disinfecting Wipes can be
saved in your cart but purchased in store only, which is recommended and approved by the
EPA.
A while after using effective virus-killing products, it’s important to follow the proper
techniques to thoroughly disinfect surfaces. The EPA advises letting the product sit and
remain wet on surfaces or objects for 10 minutes, and that will kill 99.9 percent of germs.
The types of cleaning products you decide to use are purely an issue of your preference as it
all comes down to what works for you and what’s easiest to use. As we’re cleaning more and
kids are around more due to quarantine, pay attention to the safety aspect and make sure
that they’re stored out of sight and out of reach as it may be extremely dangerous and
seriously harm people.