As we transition into Alert Level 2, it is a good time to understand how cleaning can help prevent this disease from spreading again, and what you can do to reduce the risk of infection in your home.

Coronavirus is mainly transmitted from person to person via droplets of bodily fluids, such as saliva passing through the air after sneezing or coughing, and it has the ability to survive from hours to several days on a variety of common household objects and surfaces.

It is therefore vital that we are extremely vigilant with our regular cleaning routines while we are still at risk of another potential coronavirus breakout and spread.

Coronavirus is a delicate structure, vulnerable in its environment.

Following these simple cleaning tips will ensure you are keeping your home in the most sterile condition possible:

• clean all highly touched areas (light switches, remotes, fridge, cupboard and door handles, taps, alarm or other control keypads, keyboards, phones etc) regularly with a common household disinfectant or alcohol based wipe/spray
• avoid 'recontamination' by working from one side of a surface to the other using an 'S' shape to clean
• dispose of used cloths immediately, or alternatively put them through a hot wash cycle followed by thorough drying
• launder clothing and linen with normal detergent or powder, preferably on the hottest setting possible; ensure laundry is then completely dried
• washing dishes with hot water and detergent is fine, however a dishwasher cycle is more effective as the water temperature is way higher than hands can tolerate 
• use correct hand washing techniques regularly, particularly after cleaning, as well as using a hand sanitizer 

Prevention is best...

Remember that surfaces play a role in the transmission of pathogens, so preventing contamination in the first instance is just as important as cleaning.  

Things you can do to reduce amount of surface contamination in your household include:

• covering your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze, ideally with a tissue, otherwise into your elbow, followed by immediate hand washing
• practice regular hand washing, particularly before eating or after using the bathroom
• if someone in the home is unwell, prevent spread of contamination throughout the house by separating them from other parts of the house, ideally confined to one bedroom and, if possible, have them use a different bathroom to other family members
  

Happy and safe surface sanitizing everyone!