From the soles of shoes to disinfectants: how to protect the house from Covid-19
Shoes and jackets on the balcony; yes to soaps, denatured alcohol, and bleach (do not exaggerate). Aerate carefully. A guideline from the WHO to efficiently sanitize your home.
by Paola Guidi
It has been more than two months since the Covid-19 infection broke out and even now scientists and experts do not seem to agree on which preventative measures can effectively protect us when we are at home. They have finally agreed, however, on two factors: daily cleanliness and adequate sanitation. Only by preventing or reducing the proliferation of bacteria, mildew and viruses, can we insure healthy environments for everyone, especially the elderly, the sick or the immunodepressed. We can do this, by the way, without overusing disinfectants that fill the air with allergens and harmful volatile substances which weaken our immune system. Based on different countries’ experience, here is a mini guide to create a healthy environment.
What should we do when we get home?
Leave your shoes outside, far from the interior floor and put coats, jackets, and trousers on the balcony to avoid bringing pollution, microorganisms, and viruses inside. Never touch external handles not even your front door without gloves or without having previously disinfected the area you are going to touch with alcohol or bleach, two powerful disinfectants which have been unanimously recommended by the WHO. Microorganisms of all species seem to end up on door handles.
How long do we need to air the house?
Room aeration is essential; all windows must be kept open to have fast air circulation and to speed up the air exchange. People who have respiratory problems and are at risk of catching a cold should put something warm on but, at the same time, avoid being in a stuffy room. Conversely to what has been written, it is not true that it is necessary to air the house very often and indeed, if you live in a city or in a polluted area (although pollution has clearly decreased), it is good to open the windows during the hours when there is less smog, that is in the evening or in the very early morning. The proximity of chimneys and large residential, commercial or industrial air conditioning systems positioned on the roof discourages frequent airing during their noisy operation. The WHO members state that the highest concentration of coronavirus infections has occurred – aside from factors not taking into consideration – especially in highly polluted areas. Please note that if the house is small, crowded and located in a polluted area, if one or more elderly person live in the home, or if health conditions become unstable, it is advisable to buy a high-quality air purifier, discarding in any case those of very low quality because they can prove to be harmful.
And for people suffering from respiratory allergies?
As is well known, people suffering from respiratory allergies, in some months of the year, starting from March, must avoid being outdoors due to the presence of spring pollen and allergens that could cause severe allergic outbursts and even asthma attacks. Allergic symptoms can be dangerous as they expose people to a high risk of coronavirus infection. Doctors recommend, apart from the use of specific drugs, to install a state-of-the-art air conditioner with high-performing filtering systems that must periodically be either washed or replaced. The latest Japanese models even have the operational mode for a complete self-cleaning and disinfection.
In the kitchen, can the extractor fan change the air?
Absolutely not. The cooker hood has the primary function of extracting and removing air, steam and unwanted odours. However, it does not introduce new fresh air, a mode operation that ventilators have. It should be noted that there are high-tech hoods on the market that turn on automatically as soon as the first “clouds” of cooking grease odours and smoke form.
And when it is hot, does the air conditioner fit the purpose or not?
Air conditioning helps out because excessive temperatures and humidity encourage the formation of pollutants, but only high-tech and low consumption appliances with A+ and A+++ energy rating are recommended. Many people do not know that compared to a few years ago consumption has halved thanks to the massive use of extremely precise components, sensors, and control software solutions. For example, there are – it is useful to know – several models that, apart from the series of preventive filters they are equipped with, assure personal thermal comfort. The advanced technology sensors control the temperature and moisture of the micro space where the person (or people) is by directing the cool air to his/her direction. It is a great energy saving system.
What washing temperature destroys germs and bacteria?
In washing machines and dishwashers, the water temperature must be high, above 60° C for a washing machine and around 70° C for dishwashers. Any low-temperature cycle does not have the effectiveness in washing and sanitizing as do higher temperature cycles. The explanation is simple: low-temperature cycles have very short washing times. That is why pathogenic microorganisms cannot be removed. Excellent the steam cycle in new washing machines but it must be dry steam and only used for a prolonged time. There are some models with special sanitation and antibacterial cycles that prevent the growth and breeding of germs and mould the machine. If there are ill, immunodepressed or weak people in the family, separate machine washes should be provided. As for the dishes, never do the washing up by hand.
Can the dryer eliminate coronavirus?
There is no appliance that guarantees this result according to experts or, at the very least, there is still no evidence that temperatures and detergents can succeed in eliminating it with positive results. However, maintaining cleanliness is a very effective protection and a dryer that heats the air provides an unfavorable habitat for any dangerous microorganisms.
Can we use disinfectants and antibacterial products for the whole house?
It depends. Rugs should be definitely cleaned with the vacuum cleaner every day, a very hard but necessary job. The best and guaranteed way to ensure scrupulous hygiene is the use of a steam cleaner. An identical treatment is recommended for upholstery padding and lining. In case of antique, delicate, and valuable rugs, a bit of advice: wash them or clean them thoroughly and then put them in a safe place, far from dust and moths. By doing so, a source of micro-polluters and a nest of dangerous germs will have been eliminated. There are several professional sanitation products which could be used to eliminate coronavirus, but they should only be used by specialized personnel. In the house, apart from soap that has an excellent (and tested) efficacy on Covid-19, two products are recommended for any type of cleaning: denatured alcohol and diluted bleach. In addition, it may seem over-the-top but, any object, container, or cloths taken home from outside is a potential vector of bacteria and viruses. Therefore, it is advisable to expose them to the sun (which experts have recently revealed to be an enemy of COVID-19), and then proceed with cleaning, disinfection, and sanitation before bringing them in again.
How should bathrooms and sanitary ware be cleaned?
Bathrooms and sanitary ware always using bleach or alcohol. If you have to replace old sanitary ware, there are some ceramic Italian made fixtures finished with a special glaze (Kerasan-Tech) that can reduce or prevent the growth of bacteria and limestone deposit thanks to a very low micro porosity of the surface. We also recommend that people buy paper toilet seat covers at the pharmacy in case the bathroom is used by many people.
Is it better to keep the central heating on at low or high temperatures?
According to the advice of Chinese doctors and infectious disease scientists in Changsha (capital of Hunan, the landlocked Chinese province most affected by coronavirus) Covid-19 seems to dislike humidity and it is therefore more proliferous in the cold. However, it must be said that people who have respiratory problems should not be exposed to cold environments.
Is it better to store food in the fridge or freezer?
Since in times of forced lockdown like what we are experiencing people tend to stock up on food. We should freeze as much as possible fresh or cooked food divided into portions, to avoid they go to waste quickly. Cooked foods are highly perishable if kept at room temperature. And even in the fridge (a place full of an incredible myriad of germs, spores, viruses, bacteria, and mold) they keep for a very short time. Anything that can be frozen should be frozen. It is also advisable to buy a vacuum packaging machine to have vacuum packed food: the shelf life will triple.