I think I talk about this a lot, but I thought it would be nice to put it all in one place.
Let's talk cleaning. This isn't special cleaning because of a global health crisis, these are the cleaning rules that you should always be following and I think a few of these may surprise some people.
1) Bleach is not a cleaner. You need to clean and then disinfect in order to have what most people consider a "clean" surface. If you disinfect first (use bleach without a cleaner), most of the time, you will have wasted your time. Most disinfectants become inactive when they touch organic material (saliva, feces, urine, dirt, sweat). So if someone is sick and sneezes, their mucus (carrying a virus) lands on your table, and if you JUST USE a disinfectant, the mucus and virus are STILL on your table. When the bleach touched the mucus (organic) it stopped working. Clean first. Then disinfect.
2) Contact time matters. All disinfectants have a contact time. This is the amount of time that the product has to be visibly wet. If the product dries before the end of the contact time, it has not reached its maximum effectiveness. Wiping something down with a disinfectant and then drying it or letting it dry too soon can hinder your cleaning efforts. You may need to reapply the product to keep it wet for it to work its magic. Read the label.
3) You need to clean first, then disinfect! Clean surfaces with a cleaner and then apply a disinfectant for the correct contact time. This is all of the time. This is how you clean. This is how we clean every day at Arch City Dog Boarding. Read labels, do your research, and make sure you're using products that are doing the things that you think they're doing!
The CDC says:
"These guidelines are focused on household settings and are meant for the general public.
Cleaning refers to the removal of germs, dirt, and impurities from surfaces. Cleaning does not kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection.
Disinfecting refers to using chemicals to kill germs on surfaces. This process does not necessarily clean dirty surfaces or remove germs, but by killing germs on a surface after cleaning, it can further lower the risk of spreading infection. "
I hope this helps everyone keep their spaces clean and relatively germ free!