December 07, 2020
Before 2020, we could give that counter a wipe with the kitchen cloth, run the broom over the floor and call it a day! If you are like most people, our awareness about germs and in particular viruses, has become heightened with the onset of COVID-19 the Coronavirus. While most evidence of transmission of COVID-19 is traced to close contact with another person, there have been studies showing that it can transmit via surface contact much like any other virus or bacteria.
Health Canada recommends regular cleaning and disinfection of any frequently touched surfaces to reduce the chances of spreading viruses and/or bacteria in our indoor spaces. While no product can make a claim to kill a microorganism with 100% effectiveness, many disinfecting products available on the market are 99.999% effective at reducing or eliminating harmful bacteria and/or viruses. By reducing the germs on surfaces, we reduce the chances of spreading those germs to humans.
When you think of frequently touched areas, what comes to mind for you? Countertops, door knobs, cabinet knobs and light switches are the most common areas that people remember to clean and disinfect. But there are areas within your home that many people don’t think of as high-touch areas which are often neglected.
Here are 5 Common Areas you Should Not Forget to Clean/Disinfect:
1. Door Bell. Because it’s on the outside of your home, most people often forget that the doorbell is touched by many people, even those that don’t enter your home such as the delivery person who just dropped off your Amazon purchase on your front porch. Also remember to clean and disinfect the knob on the outside of your entry doors.
2. Toilet Handle. One person uses the bathroom facilities on average of 6-8 times per day. Multiply that by the number of people in your household, add any guests who may have visited, and you can see how easily this little handle is touched multiple times per day.
3. Refrigerator Door Handle. The average person opens the fridge door 15-20 times per day. With more people working and studying from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this number might even be several times higher as we tend to eat more when it’s easily accessible to us.
4. Remote Controls. The whole family touches remote control devices for the television or other media. This is an item that is often forgotten in our regular daily or weekly cleaning outine, and as a result many microorganisms can accumulate on the remote controls over a period of time.
5. Hand Railings. In a home with more than one level you will have at least one or two sets of railings leading up and down the staircases. We frequently travel up and down between floors on a daily basis, and as we do, the hand rails are touched in many spots along the way without us even realizing it.
While the homes we live in will never be a sterile environment free from bacteria and viruses, remembering to clean and disinfect some of the high-touch spots in your home that you might not normally think of can help you reduce the transmission of germs throughout your home. By reducing germs on the surfaces you inevitably reduce the chances of transmitting disease to your friends and family.
Healthy Indoors proudly serves the KW and GTA regions creating healthier indoor living environments with our Health Canada registered Hospital Grade Disinfectant. If you would like more information about disinfecting your indoor space, please feel free to contact us at 519-749-9494 and be sure to visit our website for more information www.healthyindoors.ca.
Healthy Indoors provides a variety of disinfection and sanitization services for commercial business and residential customers in the Kitchener – Waterloo, Mississauga, St. Catharines, Toronto and surrounding regions.
Contact us for all of your commercial office and home residential sanitization needs.