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We previously covered The Difference Between Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting, but knowing what things to disinfect around your home can also be a good way to get a headstart on staying safe and healthy year-round. Check out these 6 important things to disinfect around the home.
1. Kitchen
The kitchen is usually at the top of most people’s lists of things to disinfect around the home—especially since it also tends to be one of the most germ-riddled areas.
Fortunately, it’s also one of the easier places to keep clean and sanitized, even just by using disinfectant wipes, steam, sprays, or just plain soap and water on areas like the following:
Kitchen Items to Disinfect
2. Bathroom
The bathroom is yet another germ-riddled hotspot within the home.
It’s also generally the first place people think about when it comes to germs.
Bathroom Items to Disinfect
3. Fabrics & Bedding
Items such as towels, bedding, furniture, and other fabric-type items can be a hotbed for germs, thanks to often porous materials.
Some items may even need to be cleaned more frequently, depending on their use.
Steam & Traditional Washing
Luckily, washing them in the laundry, whenever applicable, or even using a cloth with soap and hot water, can often do the trick of killing germs.
Using steam, a disinfecting spray, or a carpet or upholstery cleaner may be a more suitable option for more delicate items or ones that are harder to clean the traditional way, like carpets, rugs, delicate blankets, sofas, etc.
Kids and Pets
Treatments may also depend on what the item is used for, who might be using it, and whether non-toxic or child/pet-safe alternatives may be necessary, like a child’s or pet’s toys. When in doubt, read the item’s care instructions first.
Potential Items to Wash or Steam
4. Electronics & Other Gadgets
If there’s one thing we use often that could use regular sanitizing, if not flat-out disinfecting, it would be our electronic devices and their peripherals.
Due to this, it’s always a good idea to be in the habit of sanitizing or disinfecting items gadgets, and electronics that we commonly come into contact with or take out into public.
Gadgets to Consider Disinfecting
5. Odds & Ends
Some areas and items to disinfect around your home might involve commonly used objects that we often forget about.
These can often be cleaned and sanitized using a disinfecting wipe or just soap and hot water.
However, some materials may require special treatment, such as leather or fabric-type materials.
Items to Disinfect at Home
6. Pets
Of course, we can’t forget our beloved animals.
While indoor cats generally won’t have anything to worry about, animals that go outdoors may bring something in with them, whether human-related viruses and germs or pet-related ones.
Using a microfiber cloth or pet-safe wipes can be a great way to clean their paws or fur as they come back inside, and will even help to keep your floors cleaner as a bonus.
Pet Items to Disinfect or Wash
Psst… Want more pet-related cleaning tips? Check out our 14 Ultimate Pet-Related Spring Cleaning Chores & Helpful Tips and 11 Easy Tips On How To Control Pet Fur At Home next (new tabs).
Other Items and Steps to Consider
If you are concerned about contagious viruses, such as Covid-19, or other germs, it’s also good to consider the following steps:
- Clean off items like purses, wallets, or any credit cards used if you’ve been out in public.
- Cleaning floors regularly, especially with children, and/or if shoes are worn inside.
- Consider using disposable gloves to protect yourself and others, and when touching items like shopping carts.
- Keep travel packs of disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizing wipes on hand, which can be used to clean, items, you may need to come in contact with, like shopping carts, your car, doors, and so forth.
- Have disposable masks ready in your car, purse, briefcase, or backpack.
Psst… For tips on how to clean, sanitize and disinfect, as well as how to know the difference, click here.
Conclusion
Regardless of what you decide are the best things to disinfect around your home, it wise to make sure that you read proper care instructions for any items that you’re unsure about.
In most cases, depending on what the item is and who will be using it, regular disinfecting products will usually do the trick.
However when in doubt, take some time to research items that may be more delicate or harder to clean, or that may even be used for kids or pets, before doing so.
In some situations, some items may only need sanitizing or cleaning. You can also check out the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention for more insight.
