Cleaning during the coronavirus times. Is it really that difficult?

COVID-19 is a virus that has quickly taken over the world, infecting millions of people in hundreds of countries. One of its strongest advantages is its ability to spread through droplets, which, combined with the fact that the human body does not have antibodies capable of defeating it, leads to an overwhelming number of infections. Fortunately, the coronavirus responsible for the pandemic also has many weaknesses. Most importantly - you don't need specialized equipment to effectively clean it up.

The secret of effectiveness

Like many other known viruses (such as, for example, strains of influenza originally found in pigs and birds, and HIV causing disease among chimpanzees), COVID-19 comes from animals - specifically bats - and only recently started to spread to humans. In nature, this is a rather rare situation, as while many viruses are able to easily "jump" between different animal species, the human body is usually too different for them to adapt to. The coronavirus originating from China had a completely different structure and most likely was not able to threaten anyone until it came into contact with its cousin attacking pangolins and, combined with it, entered the human body.

It is precisely this original diversity that makes COVID-19 so dangerous for us. The animal organisms that it has attacked so far, having been in contact with it for a long time, were able to develop appropriate immune responses that the virus had to learn to bypass. As a result, although it became slightly more burdensome for bats, it became a particularly dangerous case for other mammals. The human immune system completely does not understand how to react to an unknown type of coronavirus, which allows the disease to quickly develop and spread by infecting other people. However, this does not mean that this virus is invincible - on the contrary, in many ways, fighting it is much easier than in the case of other infections.

What are viruses afraid of?

It is now believed that the responsible for the global coronavirus pandemic made its debut at a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan. A rather unusual market, as the vendors there, instead of selling meat, keep live animals on their stalls, which they only kill on the spot after the customer buys them. Although this is supposed to guarantee fresher products, it unfortunately often leads to a lack of hygiene during food preparation. Additionally, due to the cramped and stacked cages, various bodily fluids mix in these places, making it very easy for one species to infect another, and for improperly disinfected meat to end up in human hands.

As it turns out, the international crisis could have been avoided if more attention had been paid to proper sanitary conditions in the preparation and sale of food. COVID-19 is a highly contagious, but also easily removable virus, which can be eliminated not only with professional detergents, but also with regular soap. But how to clean in such a way as to effectively disinfect the cleaned rooms and surfaces while avoiding infection?

Alcohol-based disinfectant - man's best friend

The simplest way to eliminate the coronavirus is to use alcohol-based disinfectants. The World Health Organization states that any disinfectant containing at least 60% alcohol effectively destroys the virus, disinfecting both surfaces and hands. However, even if we do not have this type of product at hand, it does not mean that we are defenseless against the virus responsible for the pandemic. Plain soap and water can also help, but it is important to remember that in this case we are not killing the virus, but only rinsing it off, removing it from the surfaces being cleaned. Usually, this is enough (especially when washing hands, during which COVID-19 simply goes down the drain and is no longer a threat to us), however, when choosing to clean with milder cleaning products, it is worth being extra cautious, being extremely thorough and remembering that this is not an optimal solution.

Better safe than sorry, the role of protective gloves

Based on current research, scientists suspect that, although direct contact through touch is not the most common cause of infection, the coronavirus is able to survive on frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, keyboards, and toys, from a few hours to several days. This means that, when cleaning objects exposed to contact with infected individuals, it is advisable to use professional household gloves made of impermeable materials for safety, or at least disposable protective gloves made of nitrile, vinyl, or latex. However, when using the latter, it is important to always exercise caution when putting them on and taking them off, and to dispose of them after cleaning. Unlike household gloves, they are too delicate to be disinfected and scrubbed after use, so reusing them can result in tears or even the transfer of viruses that may remain on their surface from the previous cleaning, directly onto the skin of the hands.

Troubles are in the air, so remember to wear a mask

As mentioned before, COVID-19 owes its success primarily to its ability to spread through droplets, using small water particles carried by the air to infect others. That is why it is very important, when cleaning a room where an infected person may have been, to cover your face with a protective mask for your own safety and, to get rid of any viruses circulating around us, to thoroughly ventilate the area as much as possible. In facilities with limited air circulation, vacuum cleaners equipped with special HEPA filters will be invaluable in maintaining the highest level of hygiene, removing dust, mites, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other harmful pollutants, as well as professional air purifiers.which not only effectively fight against the coronavirus, but also significantly help people suffering from allergies and asthma, smokers, and ordinary people living in cities and regions where smog is a recurring problem. It is also important to completely give up using regular brooms and brushes to sweep dust and loose particles, as cleaning in this way can easily cause clouds of dust to rise, carrying virus particles with them.

Cleaning with a clear head requires the right tools

Taking care of cleanliness during a pandemic, it is important to remember that the most important thing is to clean in a systematic and thoughtful way, not chaotically and compulsively. Even the most intense cleaning can prove to be insufficient if it is done in the wrong way, and a lot of time and energy can be saved by focusing only on the most vulnerable surfaces to contact with the coronavirus, instead of fiercely scrubbing everything in sight. In the paragraphs above, we have already mentioned the need to pay special attention to the most frequently touched objects - such as door handles and keyboards - however, in addition to these types of objects, light switches, all kinds of handrails, desk and table tops, and phones should also be included. These are items that are best disinfected with alcohol-based products, while the rest can be easily cleaned with milder detergents. However, it is important to maintain basic hygiene principles when cleaning surfaces or floors, such as not rinsing dirty cloths or mops in the same bucket as the fresh water with detergent.

If we choose to clean using traditional household chemicals, we should make sure to change the used mops, sponges, and cloths regularly and wash or disinfect those that have already been used. Using the same cleaning accessory to clean different types of equipment and spaces, and not changing the water used for this purpose frequently, is unfortunately one of the easiest ways to transfer the virus from one place to another instead of getting rid of it. And this is an effect that is completely opposite to the intended one.

Hygiene first and foremost

How much a given room is exposed to the appearance of coronavirus largely depends on the people who are in it on a daily basis. If we remember to disinfect our hands, maintain a proper distance, wear a mask, and follow basic hygiene rules when coming to the office, home, or shopping in a store, cleaning will require much less effort and resources. That's why it's so important to educate people about how to properly wash their hands, behave in public places, and prepare the workplace for the return of employees and share knowledge about the way COVID-19 virus works and the best methods to fight it.

Remember - coronavirus, even though many countries are slowly easing the restrictions introduced due to its epidemic, is still an extremely dangerous disease responsible for the death of thousands of people worldwide. And although in Poland it is directly attributed to only just over 1,500 deaths, the shortness of breath and difficulty breathing caused by it can be extremely dangerous for people with weakened immune systems or suffering from respiratory diseases and can lead to a dangerous deterioration of their condition. Meanwhile, to avoid such consequences, all it takes is a small dose of self-discipline when it comes to maintaining hygiene for ourselves and our immediate surroundings. And by taking care of our health in this way, we can also save someone's life.

Ryszard Kurek