As a rule of thumb, when someone is sick in your household, you should clean more often in order to avoid cross contamination in your household.
Traditionally, store-bought disinfecting solution or a bleach spray is used to disinfect. Although it’s effectiveness, bleach and other chemicals in a disinfecting spray will slowly release toxic fumes in your home, thus making daily uses harmful to your family members and pets.
On the other hand, 3% hydrogen peroxide is as efficient in killing germs, without all the toxic fumes and money wasted. If you buy it in a spray bottle, you can spray it directly on the surface, and wait for it to air dry before going over it again with a clean cloth. If you are planning to use it to disinfect containers or toys, you can also soak them in a 50/50 mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water for a few minutes before rinsing it off.
Read more about cleaning with hydrogen peroxide here: https://healthstartsinthekitchen.com/all-natural-cleaning-and-disinfecting-with-peroxide/
How often should you clean…?
Doorknobs and light switches - You should clean them at least twice a week! These areas can accumulate dirt and build up on the surface, which should be cleaned first, then sprayed, and wiped off a few minutes later.
Kitchen sink – Do you know that a sink can easily be filthier than a toilet? Clean and disinfect your sink every day to avoid germs like salmonella and E. Coli that live in your house. Use hydrogen peroxide spray and wait a few minutes before rinsing it off.
Cutting board – This should be cleaned after every use. Similar with the kitchen sink, raw food can often contain dangerous bacteria, so clean and disinfect it to avoid bacteria from growing.
Dish sponges – Use the soak method with hydrogen peroxide to disinfect it weekly if it’s used frequently. Replace the sponge every month.
Kitchen appliances – Surfaces should be wiped down weekly. Deep cleaning of these products really depends on your use. Microwaves should be cleaned bi-weekly for a typical household while the refrigerator should be cleaned twice per year.
Trash cans – Use a trash can liner to avoid having to clean it frequently. However, you should try to clean it at least twice per year.
Toilet, shower, and bathtubs – The higher traffic areas should be cleaned twice in a week, but bathtubs and shower should be cleaned bi-weekly.
Electric League of Arizona is a non-profit organization that offers free referral services for consumers. Call 800-368-7767 or visit www.elahomerepairs.org for a free referral to a licensed, bonded, and insured contractor.
Comments
Post a Comment