How to Disinfect Common Household Products

December 1, 2020 by Mulberry Maids


disinfecting a home using a spray bottle and rubber gloves

Now that we are entering into the flu season in Colorado, in addition to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it is a good time to get in the habit of disinfecting your common household products and surfaces.  While we should always strive to disinfect much of our households, this season it is especially crucial to do, and the best house cleaning services in Loveland Colorado is here to help!

Using the following guidance, you should be able to keep common household areas like kitchen countertops and electronics disinfected, to keep your home safe throughout the coming winter and flu season.  Read on for more information!

What areas or items should be disinfected regularly?

All homes are a bit different, but there are some areas and items that should not be neglected:

  • Doorknobs
  • Countertops
  • Light Switches
  • Toilets
  • Faucet 
  • Sinks
  • Electronics
  • Appliance Exteriors
  • Sponges

It is important to remember that disinfecting is not necessarily cleaning – some disinfectant cleaners also work as an all purpose, but other times you will need to clean the area with an all purpose spray, and then use the disinfect on the surface afterwards.  

Does a normal deep cleaning disinfect these areas?

A deep cleaning is a thorough and comprehensive house cleaning, that addresses all the areas in a home in more detail than a quick superficial cleaning.  That being said, a deep cleaning will only disinfect these areas if a disinfectant is used on the area after it has been cleaned. 

Be sure to not only use your standard all purpose on these areas when performing a deep house cleaning, but also follow up on the areas with your disinfectant spray. 

How often should I disinfect these areas?

You should aim to disinfect high touch areas once per day, and lesser used areas every other day.  This of course will depend on how active your home is – with children around you should be on the high side for disinfecting, but if you live alone, you can wait a little more time in between disinfecting areas. 

How do I disinfect areas in the home?

For most of the surfaces listed, such as light switches, doorknobs, and faucets, you should first make sure that the area is clean.  If it is not clean, use an all purpose cleaner with a microfiber cloth to get any dirt and dust off of it.  Once the area is clean, you should spray your disinfectant on the surface.  Typically you will need to let it sit for up to a minute on the surface before you wipe it off.  Refer to the directions on your specific disinfectant for more information. 

Once it is time to wipe the disinfectant away, use either a paper towel or microfiber cloth, and wipe it away in one motion, as not to smear it and re-contaminate an area of the surface.  Do not reuse the microfiber cloth until it has been washed and dried using high heat settings. 

For electronics without specific instructions on how to disinfect them, you can use alcohol-based sprays or wipes containing at least 70% alcohol, and dry the surface completely.

Kitchen sponges can be microwaved for a minute to help kill any lingering germs, or better yet, should be tossed out frequently to ensure you are cleaning dishes with sanitized and germ free sponges. 

What about natural disinfectants?

Natural disinfectants can be very effective in killing germs and viruses throughout your home, and are much more gentle on your home surfaces, skin, and for air quality.  

Alcohol is an easy and safe natural disinfect and can be created in your home by combining 2 parts rubbing alcohol to 1 part water in a spray bottle.  Let this solution sit on the surface that is being disinfected for about 30 seconds before wiping it away. 

While not as strong as alcohol, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide can both be used as natural disinfectants as well.  Typical distilled white vinegar from the store can be mixed with equal parts water, to be used on surfaces for 30 seconds.  Hydrogen peroxide is usually sold as a 3% concentrated solution, that can be used directly on surfaces for a minute as a disinfectant. 

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Set up your home cleaning today by calling us or booking directly online!  We are always here to help you with all of your cleaning needs.