Stop Covid-19 Spreading Within Your Home

Social distancing, self-quarantine and frequent handwashing are crucial to stopping the spread of Coronavirus. So is keeping a clean home. Dirty surfaces can harbour bacteria, mould and mites that can weaken your immune system. Even worse, they may harbour the Coronavirus itself. Because of this, many people choose to engage professional cleaners.

Before you start cleaning and protecting your client’s home during the pandemic, make sure you have the appropriate levels of business insurance. Public Liability Australia specialises in getting you a range of quotes online from multiple insurers so you can find the best mix of cover and price. Check out Public Liability Australia Here to generate hassle free quote for your business. All you have to do is answer a few short questions and they’ll have your policies delivered to your inbox in minutes.

1. Clean the house as thoroughly as your equipment and time constraints allow.

Clients are often on a budget nowadays, so it's important to assess the right amount of time a house will take to clean before quoting. Some larger tasks like vacuuming or cleaning the entire bathroom can be done on a weekly basis. Make sure to have a balance of time to scrub their house as thoroughly as they desire versus what the property requires. For example, large cleaning tasks such as cleaning the bathroom completely may only need to happen on a fortnightly basis. Professional cleaners can be engaged on a regular basis, perhaps weekly, to clean surfaces, disinfect and deep clean the most touched parts of the property.

2. Focus your attention on surfaces that are touched regularly.

Disinfect germ hotspots like the bathroom sink, light switches, doorknobs and drawer handles. You can use bleach or alcohol-based cleaning products. Both are harsher cleaners that are effective disinfectants but are suited for different surfaces. Bleach should not be used anywhere where food is prepared as it is toxic, make sure all the bleach has been wiped away before moving on. Bleach can also stain certain surfaces so make sure to research which surfaces are appropriate for bleach.

3. Once you’ve cleaned an area such as your kitchen, bathroom or floor, you will also need to dry it.

A wet counter-top can harbour germs and provide them with an ideal breeding ground and undo all of your hard work. Paper towels are a good option and should be thrown in the bin after a few wipes. You can use a clean hand towel for kitchen and bathroom surfaces, or a bath towel for hard floors. However, these reusable items require laundering, which may be too time intensive for cleaning professionals who have time constraints.

4. Be sure to stock up on these invaluable products:

• Disposable towels and cloths: If you can get your hands on Chux cloths, paper towels, or similar disposable cleaning aids, use them whenever possible. You can even use clean rags and throw them out or launder them afterwards with a hot wash.
• Industrial/Hospital grade disinfectants: These are essential in the current times where clients are looking to protect their homes from COVID as well as get a good clean.
• Steam cleaning tools: These can come in large and portable sizes for couches, furniture or carpets. These are time consuming to use but provide the deepest clean for porous surfaces.
• Buckets and mops: Try to use two buckets when you mop the floor. One bucket for detergent and another one for rinsing down the floor.

5. Bathrooms are notorious for harbouring germs.

Clean the toilet with a bleach-based product every two days (or however often the client allows), and make sure that taps and buttons are cleaned. Disinfect surfaces that are touched regularly like your toilet’s flush button, tap handles, the door-knob, the light switch and the power point. Just be careful not to introduce liquid into the socket.

To reiterate, even though these cleaning routines are best practice amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, they are sound practice regardless. Be sure to encourage your clients to maintain and book in regular cleaning routines. This will ensure that their property never reaches that too messy point. A house that is in disarray can provoke poor health outcomes, hinder productivity and generally put you in a bad mood.