A guide to disinfection around the home
Many bacteria and viruses can survive in the environment and on surfaces for days at a time. But don’t worry, Dettol disinfectant products have you covered with ways to get rid of those nasty germs and not spread them to your family and friends.
How do we kill viruses?
What's a virus's main goal? Simple: to replicate. But it can't do it on its own. It needs to find a way to sneak inside our bodies and infect our healthy cells. And one of its favourite access points? A dirty surface.
Most surfaces in the home can easily become contaminated – especially when visitors drop by. These surfaces then provide temporary homes for the virus, allowing it to transfer to the hands of those who touch it. Once hands get contaminated, they can then transfer some viruses to our nose and mouth, providing it with a route to enter our bodies.
This is where Dettol products come in. They can help to remove viruses on surfaces or on our hands, to help prevent them getting into the body in the first place.
How do we kill bacteria?
Killing bacteria is a different task altogether and we do this by damaging the outer layers of the bacterial cell, causing it to split open and die. Learn more in the video below.
What areas in your home need disinfecting?
Now we’ve covered how to kill these germs, the next step is knowing which areas to focus our attention on.
Kitchen
As the hub of the home, your kitchen is a place where hygiene should come first. It’s often the room where you and your loved ones gather, spending wholesome moments together. And you want to be able to keep spreading the love, welcoming everyone in and not worrying about the germs.
It’s also the space where you prepare food meaning it’s where some food-borne bacteria can be found, including those that can cause food poisoning. E. Coli bacteria come from raw meat, listeria from cheeses, and salmonella from chicken and raw eggs.
Help stop the spread of bacteria and viruses by disinfecting work surfaces after each food preparation with a disinfectant spray such as Dettol Surface Cleanser Spray, and regular use of an antibacterial soap after touching any raw meat or eggs. It’s also a good idea to clean fridges and cupboard handles on a weekly basis – easily done with an antibacterial wipe.
Bathroom
Bathrooms see a lot of usage in their time, meaning they can be bacteria and virus hotspots. This is mostly down to the toilets as it’s here that faeces particles in the air can land on surfaces, which if touched can be passed around the home and onto your family and friends. Get into the habit of using a disinfectant spray or Dettol Cleansing Surface Wipes to kill and remove 99.9% bacteria and viruses* from surfaces.
Floors
Having guests over or regularly welcoming unexpected visitors means your floors could be another bacteria hotspot. Check out these easy tips you can follow for guidance on how to disinfect your floors, including which products to use and top techniques to leave your floors clean and hygienic for your next visitors.
Utility room
Some homes have a utility room or storage space for keeping items like pet food, cleaning products and other various items. These are good places to disinfect every now and then as they can harbour germs which can then spread around the house. These items could come into contact with various people and animals, becoming a home for bacteria when not kept clean and disinfected.
Are there items in your home that need disinfecting too?
When thinking about disinfecting, it’s easy just to think big and cover the obvious, larger spots. But don’t neglect the smaller items in your home that can easily hold onto germs which could spread to you and your family. Add disinfecting high-touch-point items to your routine. These can be things such as phones, keys, TV remotes, laptops, light switches, doorknobs and any other items that you, or others, are constantly coming into contact with. Dettol Surface Cleanser Spray is suitable for many of these items and can also be used on electronics, only when sprayed onto a cloth before wiping and should always be used with care.
We also know that children have no boundaries when it comes to hygiene and germs, so be aware of them bringing random items into the home when they’ve been outside. Make sure to disinfect their games consoles and other devices and toys too, allowing them to carry on playing, and letting you worry less.
Find out how you can keep the rest of your home clean here. Always remember, disinfectants are chemical substances and need to be treated with care.
*Enveloped viruses. Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
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