Doctor-recommended tips to keep your home germ-free

Living in a clean, hygienic home is vital now, more than ever. Here’s how you can ensure that your space is spick and span

Kriti Saraswat-SatpathyPublished: Mar 23, 2020 | 06:00:53 IST

Staying indoors is the best way to keep yourself safe and healthy amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. Photo courtesy: Fabien Charuau/ABM Architects

With Coronavirus or COVID-19 crisis gripping the world, the safest place to be, is inside the comforts of your home. But ensuring that your home is clean is of paramount importance. Even basic hygiene rituals like dusting and sweeping cannot be overlooked. So, to stay safe inside your cocoon, here are some cleanliness tips recommended by Dr Anita Mathew, Senior Consultant, Physician & Infectious Disease Specialist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund.

Before Entering the House

Dr Mathew suggests removing your footwear outside, before you enter the home. It is a good idea to have a different pair of flip-flops to wear inside, than bringing all the germs you’ve probably carried along inside the house. Placing a shoe rack in the lobby or near the door is one way to follow this tip easily.

A shoe rack near the door is a good way to keep germs at bay. Photo courtesy: Chanakya Patel/Neha Rajora

After Entering the House

As soon as you enter the home, make sure you head to the bathroom to wash off the germs from your hands, face and feet. She suggests taking a bath if you’ve spent long hours outside or taken public transport, to ensure better hygiene. Make sure you use a soap or cleanser to remove all dirt. Changing into fresh, new clothes is recommended.

Regular Hygiene Tips

If your home is prone to dust, make sure you dust tabletops and shelves regularly, and sweep and mop the floor daily. Your kitchen needs to be pristine and clean so keep ingredients away after use, and clean the countertop after cooking. Consider adding a disinfectant solution to water and wiping all floors with it.

Ensure your kitchen counter is clean after cooking every meal. Photo courtesy: Inclined Studio (Maulik Patel)/Designer’s Circle

When your bed is not in use, cover it using a bedspread to avoid dust particles from accumulating on the bedsheet and pillows. And change your sheets once every three-four days to maintain hygiene.

Allow cross-ventilation in all rooms, and air them out by keeping windows and doors open for sometime during the day, preferably in the morning. Add air purifying plants to the set up.

Indoor plants can help purify the air inside your home. Photo courtesy: Kunal Bhatia/ The Drawing Studio

Tips for Home Office

If you have a home office, study or work desk where you spend long hours during the day, it is important to keep that area clean as well. Again, cross-ventilation is essential. Make sure you have a hand sanitiser and there isn’t much clutter around. The more organised the space, the easier it is to clean. Use cleaning wipes to clean your laptop, keyboard and mouse, and dust other gadgets regularly.

Note: Do not wipe your keyboard, mouse or any other gadget with a hand sanitiser, as these are mostly water-based. Use sanitary wipes specially made for gadgets.

Keep your work desk organised and free of clutter. Photo courtesy: Pulkit Seghal/Wadhwani Design Studio

It is a good idea to keep your books inside a shelf to avoid them collecting dust, and keep electronics covered with a cloth when they are not in use.

If Someone is Unwell at Home

If you don’t live alone, and have someone who is unwell, ensure that they follow necessary protocol like checking for symptoms, getting tested, self-isolation.

The doorknobs and sanitaryware of their room should be cleaned, wiped-down or disinfected at least a few times in a day. They should also wear a mask to prevent passing on the infection to others.

Staying Healthy at Home

A dose of exercise or yoga will help keep your mind and body healthy. Make some space in any room to work out at your convenience. Eat a balanced, nutritious diet to stay fit, keep yourself hydrated, and don’t forget to wash your hands every few hours, even when indoors all day.