Sometimes we find ourselves rather neglecting the everyday life tasks. This causes us problems further down the line. Coming back to a grubby and untidy home is depressing and can disturb the mind considerably. The only way to get back in charge and on top of the backlog is to take it a step at a time. Firstly sit for a little while and do absolutely nothing whilst deciding which areas upset you most. Take one room at a time, open a window or two; stand in the doorway and look round in a left to right sweep, noting everything visible, signs of dirt, things that don’t belong there, things needing repair . . . Taking 2 carrier bags, pop everything in that belongs elsewhere, one each for upstairs and down. Hang the upper one on the stairs to go up. Dust the room, put all rubbish in the bin and put out to empty . .wipe off dirty marks, plump up cushions, or make the bed whatever, and then vacuum well. Just this first go will fire your energies to tackle the other rooms.
Category: Basic Cleaning
The Importance of Regular Hand Washing
A number of infectious diseases can be spread from one person to another by contaminated hands. These diseases include gastrointestinal infections, such as Salmonella, and respiratory infections, such as influenza. Washing your hands properly can help prevent the spread of the germs (like bacteria and viruses) that cause these diseases.
Some forms of gastrointestinal and respiratory infections can cause serious complications, especially for young children, the elderly, or those with a weakened immune system.
When to wash your hands
You should wash your hands thoroughly:
- after using the toilet or changing nappies
- before, during and after preparing food
- between handling raw and cooked or ready-to-eat food
- before eating
- after using a tissue or handkerchief
- before and after attending to sick children or other family members.
- after smoking
- after handling rubbish or working in the garden
- after handling animals
How to wash your hands properly
To wash hands properly:
- Wet your hands with clean, running water, turn off the tap.
- Apply soap and lather well for 20 seconds (or longer if the dirt is ingrained).
- Rub hands together rapidly across all surfaces of your hands and wrists.
- Don’t forget the backs of your hands, your wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
- If possible, remove rings and watches before you wash your hands, or ensure you move the rings to wash under them, as microorganisms can exist under them.
- Rinse well under running water and make sure all traces of soap are removed.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them
- It is best to use paper towels (or single-use cloth towel).
- Dry under any rings, as they can be a source of future contamination if they remain moist.
- Hot air driers can be used.
An idea at home: give each family member their towel and wash the towels often.
Tips to Avoid Cross Contamination When Cleaning
What is Cross-Contamination?
Cross-contamination is the act of moving bacteria or soils to areas that could be exposed to humans which could potentially harm the individual(s) involved. In the case of cleaning- cross-contamination can happen when cleaning around a toilet, followed by cleaning the restroom countertop with the same cloth.
Use of Microfiber Cleaning Utensils
Microfiber is a material that is made of synthetic fibers that attract dirt, bacteria, and other pathogens like a magnet. Microfiber tools are made to attract and capture up to 99% of dirt, bacteria and other pathogens, while cotton fiber tools are made to attract 33%- moving bacteria from surface to surface. Therefore, the use of microfiber cloths, mops, and other microfiber tools allows for the removal of bacteria, dirt, and allergens, because microfiber is designed to attract and hold these elements. The image on the right shows the microfiber structure under a microscope in the top image. The bottom image is a regular cotton structure that ultimately pushes dirt & bacteria around, rather than collecting it.
Implementation of a Color Coding System
When several people are responsible for the cleaning, it can become very difficult and almost impossible to ensure everyone knows which microfiber cloth is used for the restroom and which one is used for the lunchroom! Colour coding is a great way to ensure that everyone on the team knows which ones to use for the toilets and which to use for the countertop. Just be sure that everyone knows the color system which leads us into the next tip- training.
How to Use Bleach Properly
The heavy scent of bleach in the air must mean that something is really clean, right? Not necessarily. Bleach may be great for a lot of things, but cleaning is, technically, not one of them. Should you try cleaning with bleach, and can bleach have other benefits in your home?
First, bleach is a disinfectant, not a cleaner. Bleach does a fantastic job of killing germs; it removes tough stains and whitens clothing.
Bleach doesn’t really clean dirt and residue from surfaces. To do that, you’d need to scrub and rinse the surfaces first, and then apply a bleach solution.
Most of us smell bleach and think that it is cleaning a surface, but really, it is probably being used to disinfect the surface instead. For example, many people use bleach in their bathrooms to wipe down their toilets and bathtubs. Those are areas that are prone to germs. If there was a stain on a sink, the bleach may not remove it but it would kill any germs on the surface.
For many household cleaning jobs, bleach just isn’t the right cleaning solution. It has heavy fumes that can make you sick. Contact with bleach on your skin is irritating and can be very harmful. Mixing it with many other cleaners can produce toxic results. Bleach can also damage surfaces and remove color.
Bleach is a good disinfectant and stain remover but not a great general cleanser.