Keeping coronavirus away from home

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, keeping the house hygienic is essential. By now, disinfecting all surfaces including door handles, light switches, counters, and faucets at home has become a norm. But what will you do when your house is being visited by others?

Creating a coming-home routine can be the answer. Have everyone come in through the same door and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer near the entrance. Ask guests to take off their shoes and wash their hands. Stock the sink area with soap and paper towels. 

Clean the items you touch and carry regularly such as keys, cellphone, wallet, and bags. Do not touch switches, TV or AC remote without washing your hands. But even if you do, wipe them down with disinfectant.

Insist visitors to keep their shoes outside. Keeping a shoe rack outside will keep your front door area clean from dust. Photo: Collected

If you are coming home after being in a high-risk environment like a doctor's office or emergency room; remove your clothes and set them aside for washing. Wash them with regular detergent and take a shower.

When out, try not to touch your face until you have disinfected your hands. Keep your car clean by wiping your steering wheel, dashboard, and door handle with disinfectant. Put bags in your trunk, not inside the car.

If you are out doing groceries, put grocery bags in the kitchen sink immediately. After you wash your hands, unload groceries and wipe down cartons and cans. Put empty bags outside, directly into the recycle bin, and clean the kitchen sink and counter.

As it is the month of Ramadan and usual for visitors to drop by, banning people from entering your house can be difficult. Make sure to maintain social distance. And in case the cable or internet operator comes to check a connection, make sure to have them follow the hygiene protocol.

Wipe door knobs with a clean cloth and disinfectant every time someone touches it. Photo: Collected

As for housekeepers, they help keep the house germ-free but bring risks, too. Ask them to clean handles and doors behind them. Have them wash their hands immediately after they enter your house. 

Lastly, do not forget to wipe down switches and switchboards outside your home such as the doorbell, entrance light, lift button, and other buttons hoisted on the walls. If possible, spray down the walls and entrance door with a bleach mixture to disinfect your home's external premises.