To stop the spread of an illness, you need to clean your apartment when you or a roommate are sick or just got over a sickness. While proper handwashing is most effective to prevent the spread of a disease, keeping your space clean and sanitized is just as important. There are viruses that can live on surfaces for up to two weeks, which means your apartment is still contaminated even though you may have already beat an illness. This is why you need to clean and sanitize your apartment if you or a roommate is sick.
Needed Supplies
To correctly clean your space after an illness will require the proper disinfectant cleaners. If you do not have a disinfectant, make your own with chlorine bleach by adding two tablespoons of bleach to four cups of water. Always mix this solution fresh as bleach loses its cleaning properties when exposed to oxygen for too long.
Proper Disinfectant Cleaner Uses
Always follow the instructions found on the label of a store-bought disinfectant. Should you find yourself using a homemade disinfecting solution, such as the bleach and water one provided above, use a cloth dipped in the solution and apply it to the areas you want to clean. Allow the solution to sit for a minimum of three minutes before rinsing the surface with water. Dispersing the solution with a spray bottle is also an efficient technique. You do not want to use sponges as bacteria will get lodged in the crevices; instead, use disposable paper towels or a washable cotton rag. Dip a cotton swab in the disinfectant for hard-to-reach areas, like in-between the keys on your keyboard.
The Bedroom
Ample rest is one of the most important parts to overcoming a sickness. As a result, the sheets and comforter of your bed will be crawling with sickness. All bedding and pillowcases need to be washed as soon as possible on a “sanitize” cycle in your washer. As there are likely a ton of germs on the bedding, wearing gloves when doing laundry and changing the bedding is recommended. All clothing, including the hamper, should be disinfected as well. Disinfect high-touched areas in the bedroom, being doorknobs, light switches, and phone chargers.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are normally one of the dirtiest rooms in your apartment to start with, and illness in the household will only make your bathroom dirtier. Use a disinfectant on the entire toilet, the floor near the toilet, the sink and shower handles, light switches, doorknobs, toiletries, and trash cans often. Set aside a hand towel to be used by the sick person or switch to paper towels until the illness has passed. After the illness has passed, throw out the toothbrush and disinfect the toothbrush holder.
Living Areas
Germs do not stay trapped in one or two rooms of the apartment; all the living areas will have to be cleaned as well. Should you have furniture covers, these will need to be washed. If not, you can use a disinfecting spray such as Lysol on fabric, like your couch or pillows. Again, you will want to disinfect all areas that get touched often, like remotes, doorknobs, light switches, and any games or toys.
Kitchen
Sick people typically are not cooking for other people, but the kitchen still has to be fully disinfected. Wash all dishes in the dishwasher on a “sanitize” setting. If you wash dishes by hand, make a disinfecting solution containing one-half cup of bleach to one gallon of hot water and dip the dishes in the solution, removing them quickly. As there is bleach in the solution, using gloves for this step would be a wise idea. All hard surfaces like countertops, cabinet handles, stove knobs, the fridge handle, light switches, and doorknobs need to be wiped, too.
Cars
Our automobiles tend to be forgotten during this process of cleaning. If you are sick or have taken your sick roommate to the doctor or pharmacy, congratulations, there are germs in here as well. Use a disinfectant to wipe down the steering wheel, radio, turn signals, controls, garage door openers, door handles, and keys. If you have a young child that sits in a car seat, it is mandatory to wash the cover and wipe down all of the hard surfaces. Likewise, disinfecting spray may be used to cleanse the fabric seats and headliner.
