All of us are doing our part during the Corona crisis by staying at home and maintaining “social distance” with our friends to stop the spread of the virus. The importance of good hygiene plays a decisive role in this. Although there is currently less public contact, there is closer and more intensive contact at home, where we live, work, play sports with our families or in our shared flats – where we spend almost all our time. As a result, we need to clean more often. However, many people ask themselves: What else should I be aware of?
A household doesn’t have to be and cannot be sterile. However, there are some tips that you can follow in addition to your usual cleaning routine. Especially if high-risk patients live in the same household. Basically, you should increase the regularity of your cleaning routine:
- Wash hands regularly and thoroughly
- Ventilate several times a day for a few minutes with windows wide open
- Change towels, dishwashing cloths and cleaning and rinsing cloths frequently and wash at 60 degrees
- Wash bed linen regularly
- Dispose of paper tissues after a single use
The number of viruses in the air can increase rapidly in closed rooms. In addition, the heating air can quickly dry out our mucous membranes, making them very vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. To ensure that regular hand washing works effectively, we must not forget the things before and after – the tap and the towel to dry off. The latter is the ideal habitat for germs of all kinds due to its moisture, which is why it should be changed regularly. Especially if the same towel is used by several people. The water tap is one of a number of places in the house to which special attention should be paid.
Often used but rarely cleaned
There are certain parts of the house that we touch particularly often with dirty hands, and therefore they should be cleaned regularly. Besides the tap, the following places in the house should be mentioned:
- Light switch
- Door handles
- Toilet flush button
- Remote control
- Stair handrail
- Fridge doors
- Dining and office tables and other surfaces that you touch a lot
It is best to clean these places at least once a week with a damp cleaning cloth and a dash of vinegar. The mobile phone is also a real bacteria catcher and should definitely be cleaned regularly.
The handling of food products
So far there is no evidence that the virus can be transmitted through food or drinking water. However, the corona viruses can survive on surfaces such as plastic or cardboard. That’s why you should wash your hands thoroughly once again after you’ve finished shopping. Furthermore, open fruit and vegetables in particular should be washed thoroughly before preparation and eating. To prevent dehydration, it is best to use gloves when cleaning and to apply cream to your hands afterwards. The intensity of the cleaning instructions for the household varies from person to person and also depends on whether risk patients live in the household and whether there is regular contact with the public, for example if someone cannot do a home office and goes to his office every day to work. On the official website of the Swiss Confederation you will find all the latest information and recommendations on the current situation and hygiene standards.
