The classic “white glove test” to detect dust doesn’t have such a high profile these days. (Who routinely wears gloves anymore, anyway?) You can’t see the germs, viruses, and other microorganisms that can cause disease. But it isn’t necessary to disinfect your entire home for it to be a healthy place to live. The right question might be, how clean should it be?
The key is to consider your household members and needs. If you have a sick person in your home, very young children, or someone who’s immunocompromised, your house might need more attention. This means going deeper with disinfecting – which kills germs – and sanitizing, which reduces germs. Both cut down the spread of disease.
In general, keeping on top of high-traffic surfaces to remove pathogens and dirt is usually enough to keep a healthy home.
Clean less traveled and used areas when they’re dirty. This might include vacuuming rugs and carpets or wiping down windowsills or floorboards with soap and water. “These items generally do not require disinfection each time they are cleaned,” says Alexandra Seguin, She’s a certified infection preventionist and high consequence infectious disease lead at RUSH University Medical Center in Chicago.
On the Daily
“People are busy,” acknowledges Deirdre Kent, who owns and operates Good Woman Cleaning Services in Mountain View, HI. She’s an all-purpose pro cleaner, from her steady “bread and butter” clients to moving-out scourings to headier jobs like mold removal. “I’m not a fanatic regarding disinfecting everything.”
Instead, break it down. Take pen to paper — or finger to touchscreen — and list key daily maintenance tasks. For example:
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