Disinfection as a way of life

Disinfection has become a way of life, and life starts at home! 

Since we are born, the concepts of personal care like brushing teeth and bathing and home care, including sweeping and cleaning, are conditioned as our daily activities. Uniquely, these are few tasks we do every day without typically becoming a victim of ‘monotonous’ fatigue. On similar lines, inducing disinfection as part of our routine is now the need of the hour.

Let’s figure out the Whys and Wheres before getting into the Whats and Hows.

Infections hover around us all the time; it’s just when the impact becomes severe or widespread, we realize it.

• The main WHY to adopt disinfection is Responsibility. We all have complete responsibility towards ourselves, primary responsibility towards our family, and basic responsibility towards our country and world at large. Keeping ourselves disinfected ensures not only our safety but also our concern for other people’s safety. 
• The primary WHEREs we need to adopt disinfection are for ourselves and our homes (more to be covered in the HOW section) and educating our family members, specifically children, about the need and way of disinfection. Parents work ardently to inculcate ‘good’ habits in their offspring. It’s time to include ‘sanitization and disinfection’ in that list.

WHAT & HOW

We already covered the difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting in one of our earlier posts. Furthermore, we all know the ins and outs of cleaning ourselves and our houses. Hence, we’ll focus on what needs to be sanitized and disinfected on a daily (or routine) basis and how it should be done.

• We  – Disinfect/sanitize yourself before leaving and entering the house. Carry a hand sanitizer so you may use it when required.
• Kitchen – A kitchen completes your house and you. The stuff from this part of the home directly reaches your body. Hence, disinfecting the kitchen, cupboards, shelves, chimneys, utensils, baskets, chopping boards, and vegetables with a chemical-free non-toxic sanitizer is paramount.
• Floor – Sanitizing floor is chiefly essential if you have infants or small kids at your home. Restricting them from rolling on the floor would be an injustice! Better make your floors safe enough for them to toss and turn freely.
• Washroom – Well, the majority of us are already cautious enough about the cleaning of this part. However, if while cleaning, it is disinfected as well, it could take away most of our worries about the spread of infection.
• Various objects and things around the home – Our home is full of stuff we don’t realize unless we start cleaning ☺. All should be disinfected using a safe non-corrosive disinfectant. Such items could include almirahs, cupboards, tables, chairs, other furniture, switches, doorknobs, hangers and rods, showpieces, glass pieces, etc. 
• Vehicles – Your vehicles travel the most. Ensure to disinfect their high-touch surfaces like handles, seats, key insertion points for two-wheelers, and doors, doorknobs, dashboards, glasses, mirror, gear, steering, etc., for four-wheelers. 
• Trash can – The poor thing keeps your home clean by taking in all the unwanted garbage. Make a point to clean, sanitize, and disinfect it at least once every week. Also, wash your hands every time after disposing of the trash. 
• Visitors – Keep a small sanitizer bottle handy and politely ask anyone entering your home to use it once. 
• Use – Use the disinfectant as per the instructions provided on the bottle’s label. 

All these measures become even more critical if you have a sick family member.

Things to keep in mind

While all the above points are significant, please keep in mind:

• We need to be cautious but not crazy about things. Inclusion of anything as part of a lifestyle takes time and can get missed at times. Don’t freak out if one day you forget to sanitize your hands before leaving home. Just do it once you remember. 
• Doing all of these things daily could unnecessarily exhaust you. Hence, include the must areas like kitchen, washroom, and floor as part of the daily cleaning process, and the others like almirahs, vehicles, furniture, etc., as part of once every week routine (similar to the schedule you dedicate to the dusting or organizing of these things).
• You may use a spray-type disinfectant bottle for the quickness and effectiveness of the task. 

Stay disinfected, stay safe, stay happy!

Avani Raj Arora