If there’s anything to take away from the past few years, it’s the importance of maintaining good cleaning and sanitising habits.
You’ve probably heard how important it is to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds. But how important is it to sanitise your home? Eliminating germs and bacteria found on high-traffic surfaces, such as door handles, light switches, worktops, and electronic devices, can prevent the spread of viruses and reduce the risk of you or others getting ill.
Studies suggest that viruses can live on household surfaces for several hours or days. In fact, research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can survive for up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel and up to 24 hours on cardboard.
This article explores the most effective ways that you can sanitise your home and keep your environment safe, with recommendations for the best method and product to use.
What’s the difference between cleaning and sanitising?
Firstly, it’s important to understand the difference between cleaning and sanitising. Cleaning is the act of making something free from dirt or harmful substances. Whereas sanitising is defined as the act of making something completely hygienic, meaning it is free from germs and bacteria.
What methods can you try at home?
As outlined above, cleaning and sanitising are two separate processes. They require different methods and agents, some of which are listed here:
Cleaning methods: dusting, scraping, mopping, vacuuming, rinsing.
Sanitising methods: heat treatment, steam cleaning, chemical sanitisers.
For the best results, it’s suggested that cleaning is carried out first to remove any visible contamination. Then your next step would be to sanitise and kill any harmful germs and bacteria.
Cleaning agents: detergents, soap and water, vinegar, lemon.
Sanitising agents: heat and water, ethanol, chlorine, hydrogen peroxide.
Cleaning agents are chemicals that remove debris, grease, mould, and leave surfaces streak free. However, they do not kill bacteria, which is why you need to sanitise your home with heat and water or chemical sanitisers.
How do cleaners and sanitisers compare?
White distilled vinegar is an all-natural cleaner that contains 5 percent acetic acid. This makes it is as effective as many household cleaners when it comes to removing dirt and odours. Yet, it is less effective as a disinfectant. While it can kill or reduce some pathogens, it can’t kill all germs, including respiratory viruses. Vinegar is safe to use on a variety of surfaces including windows, countertops, faucets, showers and in your dishwasher.
Hydrogen peroxide is water (H2O) with an extra oxygen molecule (H2O2). And it is this extra oxygen molecule that makes it such a powerful sanitiser, as the oxidisation kills many different germs including bacteria, viruses, and mould. This chemical sanitiser can be used to sanitise dishwashers, sinks, toilets, countertops, and glass. It is important to know that hydrogen peroxide is an irritant and should be used with caution.
What is the best way to sanitise your home?
Steam cleaning is a safe, eco-friendly, and affordable way to sanitise your home. Using only heat and water, it can quickly kill 99.99% of germs and bacteria without the need for harsh chemicals. While it may seem like a simple method, steam cleaning is highly effective at preventing the spread of viruses. That’s because germs and bacteria cannot survive at temperatures above 65 °C (140 °F), according to the World Health Organisation.
Steam cleaning uses water vapour, which is the result of boiling water evaporating into a gas. This is used to penetrate deep into a surface, which forces out any dirt, grease, or stains. At the same time, the heat of the water vapour wipes out germs, bacteria, mould and even dust mites lurking beneath.
If you want to stop the spread of germs in your home and protect yourself and others against viruses, steam cleaning is the best option.
What steam cleaning product should you use?
With so many steam cleaning solutions on the market, finding the right product can be confusing and challenging. Thane Direct, however, offer an impressive range of industry-leading solutions to make your search much easier.
The award-winning H2O HD steam cleaner is a multi-functional advanced upright and handheld steam cleaner that quickly cleans and sanitises a variety of household surfaces using only the power of steam.
Its powerful jets produce water vapour that loosens, lifts and locks-in stubborn stains and grime. Because of the high temperatures of the steam, the H2O HD is scientifically proven to kill 99% of germs and bacteria including salmonella, E.coli, S. Aureus, influenza and listeria.
And without the use of harsh chemicals, it’s environmentally friendly and safe to use around children and pets.
The H2O HD can clean and sanitise many types of flooring, as well as carpets, garments, upholstery, and windows. You can also use its handheld feature to tackle surfaces that are frequently touched and act as a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. The H2O HD makes is easy to sanitise your home regularly, too. It’s lightweight, simple to manoeuvre and store away, plus this sanitiser never runs out.
For more information about H2O steam cleaners, visit Thane Direct.