Even if you aren’t typically a Tidy Tina, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought hygiene and cleanliness to the forefront of the collective consciousness. What measures should you take to safeguard your health and that of your family? What products should you use, and how often do you need to disinfect? How on earth do you keep on top of it all with the entire crew home — and making messes?
The following tips will help you devise a system to keep your home sanitary during coronavirus and always.
Make a Plan
When toys lie scattered from the living room to the bedroom and dishes overflow your sink, it’s tempting to throw up your hands and say, “It’s too much to handle.” Don’t worry. A systematic approach will help you stay on top of all your chores.
During a pandemic, you need to take extra sanitizing steps, so the first item on your weekly chore list should include a daily wiping down of frequently touched surfaces. These include things like doorknobs, light switches, toilet handles, computer mice and TV remotes. If someone in your household is sick, do your best to separate them from the rest of your clan and provide them with a set of supplies. If you share bathrooms and kitchen areas with an infected person, you will need to use a sanitizing wipe after each use.
Then, make a schedule for in-depth cleaning tasks like laundry and vacuuming. It doesn’t matter if you do one chore or room per day or tackle everything on the weekend, as long as the job gets done.
Enlist the Troops
If you live alone, this advice won’t work — but you have fewer folks to clean up after, anyway. If you have a full house, enlist the troops. Your spouse needs to remember that cohabiting is a partnership, and even small children can sort their socks and put toys away in bins. Avoid resentment by assigning specific tasks to each family member. Hang a whiteboard on your fridge where everyone can check off their duties as they complete them.
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Gather the Right Supplies
If you usually use natural cleaners, you’ll need to put the vinegar down until the pandemic passes. The EPA released a list of disinfectants that kill the virus, and this holistic staple doesn’t appear on it. However, hydrogen peroxide and bleach solutions do a thorough job of killing germs.
If the smell of chemical cleaners triggers migraines or allergies, wear a mask and gloves while you do the dirty work. Yes, you’re tired of covering your face — but it’s better than ending up on your couch with an ice pack and a pounding headache.
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Keep Sanitizers Handy in Kitchens and Bathrooms
Even if you keep your house pin-drop neat, you can still get sick if an infected person touches things after you sanitize them. Kitchens and bathrooms are the worst offenders. Keep disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizers available in both areas for quick and effective disinfection. Stock them with soap for handwashing, too.
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Create a Game
While cleaning the toilet is downright unpleasant, you can make many cleaning tasks fun. Make your kids a pair of mop socks and let them skate around your kitchen floor. Write chores on Jenga pieces — the one who topples the tower does the work.
Keep Your Home Clean During COVID-19
During a pandemic, it’s more crucial than ever to keep your home clean. Make doing so less of a burden with these tips.
Kacey Bradley is the lifestyle and travel blogger for The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, all while portraying her love for the world around her through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts. Along with writing for her blog, she frequently writes for sites like US Travel News, Thought Catalog, Style Me Pretty, Tripping.com and more! Follow Kacey on Twitter and subscribe to her blog to keep up with her travels and inspiring posts!
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