Staying healthy at home and work protecting yourself from germs and viruses

Use good cleaning hygiene at home and work

Using disinfectants and cleaners to protect your office and home from germs and viruses

A healthy lifestyle starts with staying away from germs and viruses that can disrupt your life with illness. As many of us move back in to the offices from so long at working at home, it is critically important to keep in mind good housekeeping and sanitiation is so important. Good cleaning practices at home and especially at work will help keep your healthy but will also help you be more productive.  

There are so many air and surface borne illnesses  like flu and COVID that can make your life miserable. The good news is that they CAN BE STOPPED by practicing good your office and your home clean and healthy. The germs and virus are found on the surfaces in your workplace and home can make you ill, and then spread to others. It is important to stop this from happening, and just practicing simple personal hygiene like washing your hands and keeping your hands away from your mouth and nose will go along way to staying healthy. And going the extra mile by keeping your personal space(s) clean is the best way to keep healthy and stay productive. You can find easy to use cleaners and disinfectants online or locally to get it done.

GETTING STARTED CLEANING AND DISINFECTING

Get started now. Surfaces at home and at work surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected regularly, so stay at it. Remember to include all surfaces including computers, desk top type telephones, your cell phones, and other equipment you use like utensils, and ALL frequently touched surfaces.

As you get started in your good hygiene practices remember to make sure that the  cleaner(s)  you use are  safe for the job as well as effective. You want to make sure that they will not damage the surfaces you are using them on as well.

When you are disinfecting surfaces make sure to use disinfectants that are registered for use for the purpose you have in mind. Many countries may require products listed as a “disinfectant” to be registered. In the US, the agency in charge is the U.S. Environmental protection agency. So if you live or work in the US Use only disinfectants you can look up these products here –  registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Additionally you will want to be sure to follow all directions and safety precautions indicated on the label.

Following the label directions on the cleaners and disinfectants is the easiest and quickest way to get started cleaning and sanitizing your personal home and work spaces. 

How long can viruses and germs live on surfaces in the workplace?

Yes, germs and viruses can live on surfaces. That is why is it so important to clean. For example according to the CDC in the United States, the influenza virus can survive on surfaces and still infect a person for up to 2-8 hours after being deposited on the surface. 

What kills viruses and germs that live on surfaces in the workplace?

Effective cleaning and sanitizing is the quickest, and most efficint and the easiest way to get rid of viruses and germs. Several chemical germicides, including chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, detergents (soap), iodine-based antiseptics, and alcohols are effective against human viruses if used in proper concentration for a sufficient length of time if you do not have disinfectants and sanitizers readily available. 

• If a disinfectant product is not available, you can clean surfaces with a chlorine bleach solution made by adding 1 tablespoon of bleach to a quart (4 cups) of water; use a cloth to apply this to surfaces and let stand for 3 – 5 minutes before rinsing with clean water. (For a larger supply of disinfectant, add ¼ cup of bleach to a gallon [16 cups] of water.)
• Wear gloves to protect your hands when working with strong bleach solutions or strong disinfectants.

What surfaces are most likely to be sources of contamination?

Germs and viruses spread when someone touches a surface of anything contaminated, and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth. Even small droplets from a cough or sneeze of an infected person move through the air and carry viruses with them. A person can become infected by touching a surface where these droplets land before touching their eyes, mouth, or nose. Frequent hand washing prevents virus transmission from infected surfaces.

Where to source cleaners and Disinfectants

Local supply houses, grocery stores, or retailers are usually a great place to start your search for  suitable cleaners and disinfectants. However many busy  people of course enjoy sourcing products online. If you like to shop online, one excellent resource is Level 7 Chemical. They are a business that has been offering all kinds of products for many years, and has a good reputation for quality products for customers in the US. They offer several options for cleaners and disinfectants. One of their top selling products is an easy to use  disinfectant, Readiquat  . It is  registered to be used for use on nearly all non porous surfaces and acts as an excellent sanitizer and disinfectant. (See label). Readiquat from Level 7 Chemical even has a US EPA registration number, so you can be assured that if you follow the directions it will do the job of getting your home or workplace sanitized and disinfected and protected.

Don’t forget, Level 7 Chemical supplies all kinds of useful chemicals and ingredients, including Calcium Chloride for safe and effective ICE MELT and Removal. Learn more here.