A quick guide to disinfect your home

In this time and age, the only thing all of us keep hearing about is staying safe and healthy. There are a lot of sources out there, so trying to find trustworthy information can quickly get confusing.

That’s why we asked the folks at IKEA to give us their top tips on how to keep our homes safe from germs and dirt.

Cleaning vs disinfecting

Cleaning and disinfecting are two different things. Your house might look clean, and yet be full of germs. Disinfecting means killing all the germs and making sure you take steps to avoid bringing more of them into your house.

Here are a few simple tips for that:

Isolate outdoor shoes

Studies show that a lot of germs enter homes on the soles of our shoes. So, keep your outdoor footwear in an isolated area or shoe cabinet.

If possible, keep a set of indoor footwear, which you store in a totally separate area or cupboard.

Keep sanitizer handy

Keep sanitisers available near the entrance of your house and make it a habit to sanitise your hands as soon as you enter.

Floor cleaners

Make sure you use a floor cleaner that kills bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Read the small print on the product for full information on what it is effective for and how to use it efficiently.

Regularly clean high-touch surfaces

This list includes doorknobs, light switches, toilet (seats and handle), water faucets, bathroom counters, kitchen counter, table surfaces, devices, remote controls, etc.

First, clean the surface of visible dirt or dust by wiping them with soap water or with a clean towel, as required. Then use an appropriate cleaner for the disinfection.

For large surfaces, don’t just dip your cleaning cloth or sponge once in the solution and use it for the entire area. Instead, repeatedly rinse and dip the cleaning cloth in the solution and clean small areas one by one.

For surfaces and essentials that you actually use in food preparation, such as chopping boards, knives, etc., remember that you need to thoroughly rinse them after using the wipes as disinfecting products are frequently not safe to use in food-preparation areas.

Wash your hands

Finally, wash your hands frequently and thoroughly. This is one of the most basic points when we are talking of health and safety.

If you follow all these steps, you’re sure to have a clean and germ-free house!