Clean & Disinfect

The first thing you’ll want to know is that cleaning and disinfecting are two very different things. It is good to do a bit of both, even if nobody in your home is sick.

Cleaning is about removing contaminants from a surface.
Disinfecting is about killing pathogens.
Do both daily if anything or anyone has entered or exited your home.

In normal times you would want to clean and sanitise every few days, but these are anything but normal times. Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in our homes at least once daily just to be safe, assuming we have had contact with the outside world in some way, either a person leaving and returning, or goods coming in.

Target Your Home’s Frequently Touched Surfaces

Researchers have found that the novel coronavirus is capable of living on surfaces such as cardboard, plastic, and stainless steel for two to three days. So disinfecting high-touch surfaces is a step we should all take.

Frequently Touched Surfaces to Clean & Disinfect Daily

Doorknobs & light switches
Table surfaces
Dining chairs (seat, back and arms)
Kitchen & bathroom tops
Toilets (seat and handle)
TV remote controls & game controllers
Mobile phones & laptops

Everyone’s home is a little different, so just think about the surfaces you interact with most. Now that you know what you’re cleaning, here’s how you should do it.

First Clean, Then Disinfect

First, clean the surfaces, removing any contaminants, dust or debris. You can do this by wiping them down with warm soapy water (or a cleaning spray) and a hand towel.

Then, apply a surface-appropriate disinfectant. The quickest and easiest way to do this is with disinfecting wipes, or disinfectant spray. Leave the disinfectant untouched on surfaces for around 30 seconds before wiping.