This past year, we’ve all recognized the importance of proper handwashing and social distancing to help combat COVID-19. With the new year approaching, many of us are already planning resolutions to organize or redecorate our living spaces. This is a particularly ideal time to thoroughly deep clean and disinfect your home. Follow these tips for cleaning your home as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021: 

Choose the Right Cleaning Routine — and Cleaner

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends cleaning objects and surfaces with simple soap and water before following up with a disinfectant. You could also use a basic cleaner instead of soap and water. Once your surface or item is clean, you can then continue with a disinfectant. Make sure that you closely read the labels on all of your cleaning supplies. Often, the instructions will direct you to let the solution set for several minutes before wiping it away. 

When disinfecting specifically for COVID-19, you should use a CDC-recommended disinfectant. This list of EPA-registered household disinfectants, suggested by the CDC,  includes familiar cleaning brands like Oxiclean, Clorox, and Lysol.

If you’d prefer to make your own bleach solution for disinfecting, you can mix 5 tablespoons of bleach with one gallon of water. 

Focus on the High-Contact Areas in Your Home

Throughout the year, there has been a great deal of debate over how long the virus lasts on surfaces. While the answer still isn’t entirely clear, paying attention to the surfaces and objects in your home that are used the most makes a lot of sense. 

What are the high-contact surfaces in your home? The CDC recommends wiping down door knobs, water faucets, toilets, light switches, television remotes, keyboards, counters, tables, and other frequently touched surfaces. You also want to remember to regularly clean everyday items, like purses and reusable face masks, as well as your cell phone. When cleaning electronics, make sure that you’re using a product that is safe for your device.

Tend to the Floors

According to the CDC, regularly sweeping, vacuuming, or mopping your floors might help to limit the virus inside of your home. As with your electronic devices, make sure that whatever you use to clean your floors is safe for your floor type. 

While many families already had a “no shoes in the house” rule before the pandemic, leaving shoes at the door has become even more of a trend since the spread of COVID-19 began. Leaving your shoes at the door when you enter your home could help keep you from tracking this virus, as well as other germs, into your house.  

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