One of the doctor’s orders that is important to follow after you or a family member has dealt with an illness is to get a new toothbrush. This is because it is quite likely that your old toothbrush will contain germs and bacteria from your illness that may lead to reinfection. Complementing that particular instruction is to carry out a deep cleaning of your home.
A thorough tidying up after a family member was struck down by a bad viral or bacterial infection is crucial in the prevention of a relapse or the passing off of the sickness. Germs and bacteria attach to everything, even air particles. So, get ready to set aside a full day for cleaning because hardcore disinfecting is a total must.
To streamline the process and make sure that you cover everything in order to banish disease-carrying germs, here are tidying up tactics from professional home cleaning services.
1. Chuck all clothing used while a family member was sick in the laundry.
Seat covers, bedding, curtains, towels, and all the clothes in the hamper should be washed. You better chuck in the laundry bags as well. Use hot water for washing and make sure that your dryer is set on the highest heat setting to kill any lingering germs.
While all of those cloth items are washing, you may also want to disinfect the laundry room. Spray a disinfecting agent around the room or air it out.
2. Dust or vacuum rugs, carpets, and mattresses before placing them under the sun.
It’s important to get rid of allergens especially when there’s someone at home who has a weakened immune system. Dusting and vacuuming are two of the most effective ways to banish allergens that are commonly found in rugs, carpets, and mattresses.
To further clean them, harness the power of the sun. Place your rugs, carpets, and mattresses under the heat of the sun to get rid of moisture and kill off germs and bacteria.
3. Use a solution of vinegar, water, and lemon to disinfect surfaces, or just water and detergent.
After sweeping and dusting everywhere, it’s time for wiping everything down. Use a vinegar solution for the job.
The acidity of vinegar can annihilate bacteria and you can use a vinegar solution to clean everything from floors to walls, tabletops, and even furniture. Vinegar also provides a side advantage of polishing metals to a shine.
Meanwhile, water and detergent are effective too and they are what medical or health facilities prefer to use in maintaining a sterile environment.
4. Don’t forget to clean the doorknobs and remote controls.
Anything that the sick person touched or has come in contact with should be disinfected. Some people like to use alcohol, which you can also use, but vinegar and Clorox wipes are just as effective for the same disinfecting purpose.
5. Clean the air.
Invest in a small bottle of tea tree oil which you can dilute in water and spray around the house. Tea tree oil has antibacterial and antifungal properties, so it’s a reliable “air cleaner.”
6. Clean the filter of your air conditioner.
The AC filter may contain disease-carrying bacteria and other allergens that may trigger a relapse. So, take it out and wash it using water and soap and put it back into your AC. Doing this will further improve the air quality around your home.
7. Get pest control services.
If the members of your family frequently get sick, one of the possible reasons behind that is a pest infestation in your home. The presence of cockroaches, mice and other creepy crawlies in your home compromise air quality and, at the same time, the activities of these pests can spread harmful germs around your house.
Include pest management in your thorough home cleaning initiative because your house will not be entirely clean as long as you have pests sharing in your abode.
8. Empty all the rubbish bins.
Get rid of tissues and other disposable products that the sick member of the family used. Afterward, disinfect the bins before putting them back in the rooms. You can use a disinfecting spray or simply wash the bins with detergent and water.
9. Steam clean all upholstered furniture.
Conducting steam cleaning will not only kill off bacteria but it can also help get rid of stains on your upholstered furniture.
Apparently, there are a lot of bases to cover for deep cleaning after a bout with infectious sickness at home. It’s a lot of work, but you do not have to do it all yourself.
Consider Airbnb turnaround service to help out. Professional cleaners possess the right techniques and tools and, with their help, your home will be a clean and healthy space for the family in no time.
Mohamed Samad is the Founder & CEO of Matic Services. He started the company in 2016 after a series of small start-ups within the home services sector. Prior to that, Mohamed was Vice President at Greenstone Equity Partners, where he spent 24 months building the UAE business from 2011-2013 with its founder.