The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has shrouded our daily lives with uncertainty and anxiety. The respiratory infection-causing virus is highly contagious and transmits via droplets in the air when people come in close contact with an infected person.
As of now, 1678 positive cases have been confirmed in Victoria and have led to panic buying and social distancing in Melbourne. The lockdown imposed by the government has now been eased with new rules and restrictions in place to revive the struggling economy.
However, this doesn’t mean that the worst is over. Experts suggest that the virus will not be eliminated for several months until a vaccine is developed and distributed through proper channels.
Thus it becomes the responsibility of every citizen to
maintain physical distancing and personal hygiene to keep the infection at bay. Many people are hiring professional end of lease cleaning in Melbourne to make sure their homes are sanitised and disinfected adequately.
If you too are worried about catching the virus, then you must take all the necessary precautions and keep your surroundings clean as disinfectants are highly effective in eliminating germs from surfaces. Let us take a look at the precautions and house cleaning guidelines that will help you to protect yourself and others from the lethal disease.
Basic Precautions and Personal Hygiene
Now that people are going out for walks and to socialise in restaurants and bars while maintaining physical distance, it has become imperative to follow precautionary measures. Here is what you should do to stay safe.
Keep Yourself Protected
You should wear a mask when you are going out. If you are unable to purchase one, then you can rely on a homemade cloth mask to cover your mouth and nose.
However, if you are running or indulging in strenuous exercise, then you must pull it down as it can affect your breathing and lungs. You must stay at least 1.5 meters away from other people, and if you are feeling unwell, then it is better to stay at home and self-isolate.
If you notice
symptoms of COVID-19, then you must call the National Coronavirus Helpline 1800 020 080 for further assistance.
Avoid Touching Surfaces and Your Face
Although it is unavoidable not to touch any surfaces, you must do your best to keep your hands away from the railings, walls, metal surfaces, etc. You should use gloves while venturing out for groceries to the supermarket as you will have to touch various surfaces.
If you can’t do that, then keep an alcohol-based sanitiser handy to clean your hands. Also, do not touch your face even if you have an itch without washing your hands thoroughly.
Wash Your Hands Often
Maintaining hand hygiene is of the utmost importance in curtailing the spread of the disease. Thus you must wash your hands frequently with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds. You should be washing your hands before cooking, eating food, using contact lenses and doing makeup.
You should also wash them after sneezing into a tissue, going to the toilet, and when you come back home from outside. You should cough or sneeze into a tissue and dispose it off instantly. If you don’t have a tissue close by, then sneeze in your elbow.
House Cleaning Guidelines to Prevent the Spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Since a lot of people are working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is mandatory to make sure that home is clean and sanitised at all times. You can bring the virus home after grocery shopping or going for a walk, and it can survive for hours on various surfaces. Thus it is essential to deactivate the virus by cleaning your home regularly. Here is what you should do.
Cleaning Common Touch Areas
The surfaces in your house that are touched often by the family members should be frequently cleaned and disinfected, such as doorknobs, handles, tables, chairs, light switches, toilets, sinks, study tables, etc.
You should use a solution of detergent and water for cleaning by following the dilution instructions provided by the manufacturer. You can utilise a disinfectant wipe or 1000ppm bleach solution for sanitisation. You should wear disposable gloves while cleaning these areas.
The detergent solution removes the dirt and dust, and the bleach solution helps in killing the germs. Most of the
end of lease cleaners in Melbourne use these cleaning agents for house cleaning.
Sanitising Least Touched Areas
The floors, ceilings, walls and blinds can be cleaned with the help of the same detergent solution. You should mop the floors with cleaning agents, and the walls and blinds should be cleaned when they appear dirty and unclean. The curtains and bed sheets should be washed frequently.
You can also use a combination of 1000ppm bleach and detergent solution which can be made at home by following the instructions on the containers. Make sure that you make bleach solutions after protecting your hands with gloves and prepare a fresh solution every day.
The mops and cleaning cloths should be washed with hot water and detergent and then dried in sunlight. The buckets should be cleaned with the bleach solution and left for drying in an open area.
Kitchen Cleaning and Hygiene Assurance
Cleaning and sanitising the kitchen is vital for maintaining the health and hygiene of your family. Keep the kitchen countertops disinfected using household items, such as baking soda and vinegar. These are edible items which can be safely used to clean the surfaces. Make sure that you clean the dishes with hot water and dish cleaning soap or in the dishwasher.
Keep the cabinets, drawers, sink and oven clean. Also, the garbage disposal should be cleaned frequently, and if it is still filling the kitchen with bad odour, then you must hire expert end of lease cleaners in Melbourne to get it sanitised and disinfected. Dispose of food waste and packaging in an appropriate manner to avoid the infestation of bacteria and pests in the house.
Clean the Electronics Frequently
The delicate electronic items, such as mobile phones, keyboards, TV remote controls, gaming remotes and laptops, should be cleaned with the help of an alcohol-based wipe or the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
After wiping, pat dry them immediately to restrict water retention. If you think that using wipes will damage the products, then you can put them in transparent covers to avoid the accumulation of dust and germs. The cover can be cleaned easily with a wipe.
Cleaning Soft and Porous Items
The carpets, rugs and curtains can accumulate a lot of dust and germs and must be cleaned as often as possible. Use vacuum cleaner every day to get rid of the dust on the surface of the sofa, cushioned chairs, and other upholstered items as well as the carpets and rugs.
The washable items, including clothes, should be laundered at high-temperature settings and then dried in sunlight to minimise infections. If you think the carpets in your home have deep-seated layers of dust which cannot be removed with regular vacuuming, then you must consider professional end of lease cleaning in Melbourne to maintain appropriate hygiene levels in your home.
Garbage And Waste Handling
The used masks, disinfectant wipes, tissues and other cleaning supplies that need to be thrown away must be disposed of in the general rubbish bags and not the recycling bags. They should be kept with normal rubbish to be picked up every day.
The bins inside your homes should be emptied daily and cleaned from inside with a disinfectant to ensure minimal bacterial growth. You can make use of bin liners to keep the bins clean and put the garbage out effortlessly.
Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we lived our lives. If you are feeling concerned about the spread of the virus, then you should relax as personal hygiene and disinfection can help in eliminating the virus. So make use of the tips mentioned above and stay safe.
