Scientists estimate that there are five million trillion trillion bacteria in the world. That’s not a typo: that’s really a five, followed by 30 zeroes. While many of these are the good kind (like Lactobacillus), some can infect humans and animals.
Fortunately, proper cleaning and disinfecting practices can kill many of these disease-causing germs.
To that end, we created this guide listing the top cleaning tips and tricks you can employ at home. Read on to discover what they are, and why cleaning your home so important.
Why You Should Regularly Clean and Disinfect Your Home
Aside from bacteria, some 10 nonillion individual viruses also exist on earth. That’s 10, followed by 31 zeroes. Over 200 species of these viruses can cause diseases in humans.
On top of those are all the other fungi, protozoans, and worms that you and your pets can track all the way into your home.
Pathogen transmission can occur through skin contact or airborne particles. They can also spread if you touch an infected object or if your furry pal steps on contaminated grounds. Germs can even transfer to clothes and fabrics, and from there, spread to other surfaces.
All that should be enough reason to deep clean your home and disinfect high-touch items. The latter includes doorknobs, light switches, countertops, and floors, to name a few.
Cleaning Should Always Come First
To clean means to remove physical contaminants, such as dirt, debris, and grime on surfaces. Cleaning doesn’t always kill germs, but it helps lower their populations. Moreover, scientists say that dirt and debris can reduce the effectiveness of disinfectants.
That’s why it’s vital to clean surfaces first before you disinfect your home.
Sweeping, brushing, and vacuuming are the first key steps to cleaning your home. Then, rinse or wipe high-touch surfaces. After the first rinse, you can use some soap and water to wipe or brush non-porous surfaces.
Give those areas a final rinse, and be sure to wipe them dry.
Use EPA-Approved Disinfectants
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), disinfectants destroy more germs than sanitizers. In fact, these chemicals should kill 99.999% of germs on contact if used properly.
The EPA uses more stringent testing methods for disinfectants than sanitizers. Products that pass these tests then get included in the EPA’s List N of disinfectants. Items on this list have EPA-approved virus claims, such as against coronaviruses.
The good news is that you can find EPA-approved products, such as alcohol and bleach, at grocery stores. Each disinfectant has specific instructions, though, so be sure to always follow those. This is especially true for the contact time, which refers to how long you should let the product sit on a surface.
If you have a larger home, you might want to use a device like the Protexus electrostatic sprayer. Electrostatic sprayers are machines that charge cleaning solutions like disinfectants. They produce a stream of charged droplets that spread throughout all exposed surfaces.
Keep Germs at Bay With These Cleaning Tips and Tricks
There you have it, your straightforward guide to proper cleaning tips and tricks. Always remember that cleaning comes before disinfecting. It’s also a smart idea to employ these steps on high-touch areas as much as possible.
Ready for more guides to help keep your pets and the home you share with them healthy and safe? Feel free to stick around then to check out our informative blog posts!