
Fun fact: Housecleaners and plumbers have saved more people than doctors. This fact may seem counter-intuitive, as we rightfully associate healthcare professionals with health. Yet, as is the case with any issue, prevention is always a better cure than the cure itself.
The realization that lifeforms can get smaller than the eye can see and that many of these organisms can cause disease has revolutionized human health.
Keeping a clean home and running a tight ship also has a tremendous phycological effect. During the pandemic, many of us feel that the control has been taken out of our hands. This indiscriminate force of nature has shattered our dominion of the outside world.
Still, our homes remain our own, and at least we can control the environment in which we spend the most time.
Given the mandatory precautions imposed in business settings, odds are you will get infected inside, not outside. This article will go through common-sense cleaning methods that we should all implement.
Traffic means risk
What is more likely to house the new Coronavirus, your doorknob, or the space behind your bed? Of course, the doorknob. The virus will most likely hitch a ride on your clothes, your skin, or on your pet’s fur. Then, as we touch surfaces inside our homes, it will linger. To make matters worse, the virus is swiftly killed by UV light, and there is no UV in household light.
So, except for those who live in tanning salons, what can we do to mitigate risk?
The answer is to clean high-traffic surfaces regularly, more often than you would regularly do so. The list includes phone screens, computer mice and keyboards, almost everything in your bathroom and kitchen, remote controls, etc.
Solutions
To understand which solutions work against COVID, we must first know what protects it. Although a virus is a very fragile strand of protein, it is covered by a lipoprotein membrane. Lipoprotein is just a fancy way of saying: a mixture of protein and fat. Thus, any substance that works well against fat should dissolve the membrane.
First, we have Old Faithful: soap and water. Simply mix the two and wash down any surface exposed to regular contact. Yet, do not rely entirely on soapy water to get the job done.
To be sure, use an alcohol-based ( 70% concentration is ideal) or bleach to wipe down the area further.
By doing this simple act, you are vastly reducing the chances of infection. Still, it can be easier said than done, as our modern lives often cannot accommodate dozens of daily scrubs, in addition to constant hand washing.
Be sure to let the solutions soak and linger for a while before wiping them off. Some of them need a few moments to be maximally effective.
Carpets and laundry also need to be handled with care. As far as the virus is concerned, each woven fabric is an apartment complex with countless nooks and crannies. While doing laundry, try to wear gloves and avoid shaking the clothes. Also, ignore the label recommendations and wash clothes at the highest possible temperature.
Carpets must be shampooed more often, but the most effective method is cleaning your soles each time you walk into your home. Take care to wash the pet’s paws with soap and water as well.
Conclusion
The fact that you are most likely to be infected indoors should be a source of consolation. This is your domain, and you can control it. Taking the reins of your own safety makes everything seem less random and chaotic, and it also has the benefit of being true.
Emily’s Maids has taken measures to mitigate the risk of catching coronavirus. To learn more, view our Covid-19 policies and procedures and our disinfecting services, free for the duration of the pandemic.

