Six things you need to clean when you come from outside during coronavirus pandemic

We’re all taking extra precautions in terms of hygiene as we try to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. As such, we’re cleaning and disinfecting our homes, kitchens, food and hands more. We’re also spending most of our time at home and only going out for essentials. 

If you do come into contact with an infected person on your trips to the outside world, you can not only get infected but carry the virus with you to your home. Even as you take care to disinfect your hands and put on a mask to protect yourself, you want to make sure that nothing you bring from the outside has the virus on it.

Below are some things you should clean when you come from outside during the coronavirus pandemic.

1. Shoes

During the pandemic, and after it, make a rule that no shoes should be brought into the house until after they have been cleaned. When you go out, you step on dirt be it rubbish, sewage, etc. That means that your shoes can easily transport germs from outside into your otherwise clean home. When you come from outside, leave your shoes outside and use a disinfectant diluted in water or soapy water to wipe them down. 

2. Shopping bags and wallets 

Most of us now carry our own shopping bags whenever we go to the supermarket or grocers. We place these bags on the ground, in the shopping trolley, pass them to the attendant to pack our shopping, carry our shopping in them, etc. As such, your shopping bags can be the biggest petri dish for germs. Make it a habit to wash your shopping bags every time you use them.

If you carried your wallet or handbag to the shops, disinfect them as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

3. Food shop

Your foodstuffs also need to be cleaned when you bring them from outside. Reader’s Digest suggests having a dirty and clean counter in your kitchen to reduce chances of contaminating your whole kitchen. When you come from the shops, place your shopping on the dirty counter. Clean cans and packaging with disinfecting wipes and wash produce and then place them on the clean counter. Once you have finished, disinfect the dirty counter. 

4. Door handles, light switches and keys

Disinfect anything you touched when you got back from outside. These include door handles, light switches, keys and padlocks.

Be sure to do the same for your car particularly the door handles, steering wheel, gears, anything you touched.

5. Clothes

Just as you would have to clean your shoes, don’t forget to change your clothes and wash the dirty ones. Avoid storing the dirty clothes in the laundry basket and instead wash them immediately. Storing them to be washed at a later date will contaminate other clothes that are already in the hamper.

6. Phone

Our phones are always in our hands meaning that they carry many germs. When you go outside, try and keep your phone in your pocket and avoid placing it on shelves, tables or on the till at the supermarket. And when you get home, disinfect it properly paying special attention to the screen. 

After you’ve disinfected the above, be sure to wash your hands properly.