Green Cleaning in the Time of COVID-19

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With so much attention being paid to COVID-19 and the proper disinfecting of homes, offices, and facilities, the use of green products has seemingly taken a back seat. However, green cleaning in the time of COVID-19 makes perfect sense when you use the right products. The key is understanding the differences between simple cleaning and disinfecting. And this is where many green cleaning products have the advantage.

Clean & Disinfect

Cleaning and disinfecting is a two-step process. You must rid the area of the dust, dirt, and debris which provides the hiding places for germs, bacteria, and viruses. Then you must disinfect which kills the living organisms that cause illness.

While there are traditional, non-green cleaners that contain chemicals which will disinfect, such as bleach for example. The problem is that they leave residue behind that will build up in the air. Even with good circulation, the air is still being affected by these chemicals which may cause long-term health issues.

Obtaining Disinfectants

COVID-19 has made it difficult to purchase common disinfectants such as Clorox or Lysol for example. Especially when it comes to wipes. The high demand is still such that supplies have yet to catch up. In addition, there is the issue of the chemicals used in such wipes that may affect the quality of the air in your home.

Botanical-based disinfectants do exist, and they are quite effective at ridding surfaces of germs, bacteria, and viruses. However, they are not only difficult to find as well, it can also be challenging to find the ones that work best on your property.

List N

This is because there are cleaners that make claims to kill germs, but they do not meet EPA standards. You will need to find the right products that are certified by the EPA to kill viruses. The EPA has what is known as List N. These are disinfectants that can destroy the SARS CoV-2 virus which is similar to COVID-19. There are green cleaning products that carry this designation, so you should look for them:

List N: Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19)

What to Clean?

Now that you have your cleaning and disinfecting products, the next step is what areas to address in your home, office, or facility. You should do an overall cleaning of the property and then focus your disinfecting efforts on the following high-traffic areas:

  • Doorknobs, light switches, and cabinet handles
  • Drawer, toilet, microwave, and coffee pot handles
  • Faucets, sinks, and filtered water pitcher handles
  • Refrigerator handles, TV remotes, phones, and hard-backed chairs

You should focus on the high traffic areas first. These are the places in which the virus is mostly likely found. For offices and facilities, work areas should be a priority as well. Anyplace where people gather should be properly cleaned and disinfected using green products.

Focusing on green cleaning in the time of COVID-19 will help you maintain a safe, healthy home, office, or facility. The advantages of using green products will pay off both today and tomorrow as you keep those who live or work inside safe.

If you need professional help with green cleaning in the time of COVID-19, call Viola Cleaning. We offer an experienced, professional crew, the best cleaning equipment, and affordable packages of cleaning and disinfection services.

Contact Viola Cleaning to get started. Please call (206) 465-4103 for more information.