Portrait of a saleswoman or small business owner wearing medical mask at the counter in cafe or small shop. Concept of a retail business during a pandemic

How to effectively Clean in the face of the  Novel Coronavirus

In December 2019, the Novel Coronavirus arrived, and for a while, the world stood in limbo. Everything had to take a pause, from schools to jobs, to businesses, to travel. Life as we knew it had changed. The Covid 19 disease caused by the virus came and changed every aspect of our lives, from interacting with each other, working, communicating, and traveling.
But for how long could the world remain at a standstill? Today, almost one year down the road and with no cure in sight yet, everybody is working hard to find a balance between life activities and eliminating or significantly minimizing the chances of transmitting Covid 19.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the most effective weapon against the Novel Coronavirus is adopting a healthy lifestyle and ensuring an optimized immune system.
Today, life is basically about keeping social distance, wearing masks, and maintaining proper hygiene. But that is not enough; cleaning practices targeted towards our surroundings will go a long way. And it is not just merely cleaning, but doing it correctly and effectively.
Cleaning used to be a simple process, today it is marred with worry and uncertainty, with people wondering if they are doing enough to keep the virus at bay.

Effective Handwashing Against Novel Coronavirus

Keeping your hands clean consistently is your first defense against the deadly virus.
The grave nature of the Covid 19 disease caused by the Novel Coronavirus has meant teaching the world about one of the obvious things in life; how to clean their hands correctly. After all, only 5% of us have been doing it the right way.
The Novel coronavirus is transmitted when hands carrying the pathogen come into contact with the face. Hands can facilitate the virus’s surface-to-surface transfer, making handwashing critical in the war against this disease.
Effective handwashing cannot be done without soap and water and not for less than 20 seconds. Sadly, people are only doing it for 6 seconds on average, and most don’t even use soap.

Here is how to effectively clean your hands for the Novel Coronavirus:

Once your hands are wet, smear soap and massage vigorously to cover every part of both your hands. Continue to knead your hands together for at least 20 seconds before rinsing with clean running water and then drying with a clean, dry towel.

Hand Sanitizing

WHO advocates for hand washing as far as the fighting against the Novel Coronavirus is concerned. However, it is possible to find yourself in an area without easy access to soap and water. In such instances, hand sanitizing is your next best alternative.
WHO recommends alcohol-based hand sanitizers with not less than 60% alcohol content. They should be used as recommended by the manufacturer since misusing them can be toxic to humans and the environment.

How to Effectively do Hand-sanitizing:

First, pump the liquid once or twice onto your hands and massage them with the product until they feel dry. Make sure you have covered all the areas, including between the fingers and under the nails.

Sanitizing Surfaces

The virus will stay on surfaces for hours and even days, depending on the material. That is why frequent cleaning of surfaces is vital with one-step sanitizing products like BioQuatt or Sanidry Wipes.
As mentioned earlier, Novel Coronavirus is transferred from one surface to another through contaminated hands. It would be meaningless, therefore, to only wash or sanitize your hands without disinfecting surfaces.
Such surfaces include those considered high-touch like doorknobs and handles, toys, handrails, and tabletops, among others.
Some cleaning products may be harmful on one surface but harmless on another. Be careful, therefore, to first read and follow the instructions given and any precautionary measures like wearing gloves.
First, clean off dirt with soap and water before disinfecting a surface. Ensure the disinfectant you choose contains about 70% alcohol. For sensitive surfaces, soap and water could suffice.

How to Effectively Disinfect Surfaces:

  • Leave the cleaning solution on the surface a while longer instead of wiping it off immediately.
  • Always read product instructions to use it effectively and avoid damages.
  • For electronics, use covers that can be easily wiped.

Doing Laundry

For clothing, good habits include:

  • Changing into clean clothes whenever you get home and clean your hands properly immediately after
  • Cleaning clothes using soap and water at the highest recommended temperature and ensuring they are dry before storing them.
  • Always disinfecting your laundry basket, but if it is possible, store dirty clothes in disposable bags.


Until a cure, medication, or vaccine against the Novel Coronavirus is found, our biggest weapon remains high hygiene standards and staying away from crowds. The cleaning process is no longer how it used to be. That is because now we have to be more intentional about getting rid of pathogens. However, keeping high standards of hygiene is not restricted to only fighting the Novel Coronavirus but also all other disease-causing organisms.

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