As preventive measures to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus (link to coronavirus landing), official agencies recommend people to ensure extreme personal hygiene and to clean and disinfect the home.
The bathroom is one of the rooms where the most germs are concentrated -the warm environment and the humidity favour the appearance and development of bacteria and viruses-, so you should clean and disinfect it regularly to avoid the transmission of infectious diseases in the home. During these weeks, it is advisable to change some habits and disinfect the surfaces of greatest contact every day to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among family members.
Recommendations for disinfecting the bathroom during the coronavirus pandemic
The first basic recommendation is that the person who cleans should be healthy, that is, not present any symptoms of COVID-19. To avoid coming into direct contact with bacteria and viruses, wear gloves when cleaning. Also, remember that at the end you should wash your hands with soap and water or with a hydroalcoholic disinfectant gel.
In the bathroom, it is recommended to first clean with soap and water or a common cleaner and then disinfect with bleach or a disinfectant, such as Multi-Purpouse Disinfectant Bathroom.
These are all the bathroom elements that you should disinfect every day:
- Knobs and handles for doors, windows, drawers and cabinets
- Sinks and taps
Cistern and door handles - Switches, buttons, push buttons
- Bidet
- Toilet: it is recommended to keep a cloth exclusively for cleaning this. After disinfection, put the cloth directly in the washing machine to avoid contact with other surfaces.
Also, other useful recommendations that you can apply in your bathroom are:
- Put toothbrushes into different containers, to prevent them from touching each other.
- Use one towel for each member of the family, in other words, avoid sharing them. Change them once a week and wash them on a 60º programme with the usual detergent or a textile disinfectant.
- Do not share sponges and/or mitts and leave them to dry separately.
- Scrub the floor with a bleach-free sanitiser, such as Floor & Surface Disinfectant Cleaner – Eucalyptus, to kill germs, bacteria, and viruses.
If one of the family members shows symptoms of COVID-19, has contracted the disease or is quarantined having been in contact with a positive case, cleaning and disinfection measures should be more stringent.
General tips to avoid the spreading of bacteria, germs and viruses in the bathroom
Finally, remember that in your day to day you can apply the following tips to minimise the spreading of germs and bacteria in the bathroom:
- Remove the moisture from the floor and walls of the bathroom, especially in the corners, since the accumulation of moisture favours the appearance of bacteria or fungi such as mould.
- Dry the surfaces where more water accumulates, such as the washbasin or shower. You should also remove traces of soap, creams or body oils.
- Air the bathroom whenever possible, to remove the damp.
- Keep towels, sponges, and mitts as dry as possible: after use, you can leave them hanging in the air to dry.
- Remove any water gathered inside the toothbrush holder and also dry the soap dispenser so germs do not accumulate
- After the shower, remove the mat and leave it to dry. It is advisable to wash the mat once a week on a 60º wash programme with your usual detergent or a textile disinfectant.
