- Imagine It Done
The ultimate guide to disinfecting your home
More than ever, there’s no place like home!
During the past several months, many of us have come to see cleaning our homes in a whole new light. We have always strived to have homes that feel clean, calm and organized. A clean, organized space is an organized mind is an organized life! However, truth be told, the spring clean done periodically might have been less satisfying than organizing your closet. When you disinfect a surface, the difference is microscopic. You really can’t admire the change as you would in a perfectly categorized, color-coded closet. Well, times have changed now, and due to the current health crisis, the importance of cleaning your home has an entirely new meaning.
Cleaning is no longer simply periodic times of the year when you buckle down and get in gear to tackle the spaces in your home that need to be fluffed and dusted. Spring clean must be done daily, weekly, monthly and yearly. Having a clean home truly does lessen your day to day stress so you can focus on important issues and tasks. The more efficient you are in cleaning, the more time you gain to focus on what really matters.
The spring clean in the time of Coronavirus isn’t just about creating an appearance of clean, rather it is the actual sanitizing and or disinfecting many surfaces. It is the habits, products and schedule that help prevent the spread of disease.
The difference between sanitizing and disinfecting
Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on surfaces to a safe level. Disinfecting actually kills almost all the germs.
Vinegar does sanitize; it does not disinfect. Adding vinegar with baking soda will bubble to make a paste for cleaning greasy surfaces.
Add essential oils to vinegar solutions to add fragrance to the solution.
Remove the skin of lemons and oranges with a vegetable peeler. Effective for garbage disposal cleaning. Drop into cavity of disposal and activate for a 20 seconds.
Small actions that make for a more sanitary home
1. Take off your shoes
Believe it or not, shoes carry germs around your homes. Top: set up an entryway shoe rack and/or leave a fuzzy pair of slippers to slip into when you enter your home. Wash your hands after taking off your shoes if you need to touch them.
2. Close the toilet before you flush
Studies show that flushing produces aerosols or "toilet plumes" that release germs into the air and onto surfaces. Close the lid to keep them contained while flushing.
3. Learn the importance of contact time
Most disinfecting sprays and products have to sit on a surface for a certain amount of time before drying to be effective. If you rush to dry your countertop, you could be leaving germs behind.
4. Stop taking your phone into the bathroom
As stated above, there is no telling how much bacteria and viruses could land on your phone due to toilet plumes. It is likely you are exposing your freshly washed hands to germs when you pick up your phone.
5. Clean your reusable shopping bags (and don't put them on the counter).
You could be spreading e. coli or salmonella to the rest of the groceries if you don't have a dedicated bag for transporting raw meat and fish. If you set the bags down on your kitchen counter, the same bacteria could settle on your food prep surface.
Looking for the best cleaning product for each project?
The following is a comprehensive list of the products recommended and tested by the Imagine it Done team to sanitize, disinfect and clean your home for wellness and tranquility.
The links below include affiliate links, which means that Imagine it Done could earn a small commission at no cost to you for any purchases made. Please note, all products are Imagine it Done ‘s favorites used on site and approved by our clients.
Glass Cleaners
Finding a glass cleaner that doesn't leave streaks isn't always easy. Here are two that clean well and will leave your windows looking like they aren't even there.
Windex with Vinegar in 100% Ocean bound Plastic Bottles
Hope's Perfect Glass & Mirror Cleaner
Shower Door Hard Water Spots Cleaner
No one wants to spent hours scrubbing away hard water build up in a shower. Those pesky spots can be stubborn. The following cleaners and tool are designed just for this purpose. They will dissolve those spots quickly and easily.
Magic Shower Glass & Mirror Cleaner
Countertops
Our countertops are collection zones for germs. It is important to find a cleaner that is powerful at killing a variety of viruses and bacteria, especially now with Coronavirus concerns. Try one of the following for countertops that are genuinely clean.
Force of Nature Electronic Spray Bottle
(which zaps water, salt and vinegar into a sanitizer)
Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Multi-Surface Everyday Cleaner
(Use Promo Code IID20 for 20% Off)
Dishes
There's only one we recommend for this task. Dawn has a proven track record at working against grease but also being gentle to your hands.
Dawn Pure Essentials Dishwashing Liquid
Kitchen
The kitchen is a high traffic area that tends to harbor lots of germs. Between handling raw meat, the high touch nature of appliances and being a grocery bag dumping ground, there are plenty of opportunities for viruses and bacteria to spread. It is also where we prepare our food, so it's not hard to transfer bacteria to what we put in our mouths. Use the following to keep the risk of illness down.
Mrs. Meyers Clean Day Baking Soda Cream Cleaner
Bar Keepers Friend Spray & Foam Cleaner
Easy Off Specialty Kitchen Degreaser
Lemi Shine Natural Dishwasher Cleaner Powered by Citric Extracts
(Use Promo Code IID20 for 20% off)
Glisten Garbage Disposal Care Freshener Odor Eliminator
Door Knobs
One door knob can go through many hands each day. The simple act of wiping them off regularly reduces the spread of illness dramatically.
Seventh Generation Disinfectant Spray
Bathrooms
The bathroom is another area that is a war zone for battling germs. Tackle your bathroom with cleaners that mean business. Here are our favorites cleaners that will make ridding your bathroom of germs a little easier.
Mr. Clean Clean Freak Deep Cleaning Mist
(Use promo code IID20 for 20% off)
Floors
We walk all over them, so it's little wonder germs can travel with us. Clean your floors regularly to keep the risk of tracking bacteria and viruses around the house.
Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner with Cedar Wood
Carpet, Draperies, Mattresses and Furniture
It's easy to neglect these areas when we clean. But they too can be a place that dusk settles, germs get trapped and allergens lurk. We recommend the professionals in this case.
Laundry
Sweat, dead skin sells and bacteria are all easily trapped in our clothing. Make sure when you do your laundry, it is really getting clean! Here are the best products to wash them with.
Liquid Laundry Detergent Arm & Hammer
Champion Sun Germicidal Bleach
Fabric Softener
Make sure the clothes you just wash come out smelling fresh and clean, and feel soft to the touch, with the following products.
Mr. Meyer's Clean Day Dryer Sheets
Downy Ultra Cool Cotton Liquid Fabric Conditioner
Washing Machine Disinfectant
It's not enough to run clothes through our washers. They need cleaning too sometimes. Make sure you are regularly running an empty wash with one of the following products.
Affresh Washing Machine Cleaner
Lemi Shine Natural Washing Machine Cleaner and Wipes
Cleaning Cloth
Regular wash clothes can just spread germs further. Try using microfiber cloths, which trap dirt and grime in and easily wipe up messes.
Tools
Cleaning is a chore when you don't have the right tools! The following are essentials for getting touch jobs done without the sweat.
Lucite & Acrylic
Anything acrylic or plastic is bound to get scratched up over time. This product helps smooth scratches and helps your CDs, helmets, headlamps, etc. look like new.
Adhesive remover
How many stickers do you remove from things you buy? How often are you scrapping something sticky off of something you want to use? Goo Gone makes this process quicker and easier.
Multipurpose
Everyone needs a quality catchall cleaner that is versatile. Try one of the following for a variety of applications.
Now that you have the methods and the products, check out our free cleaning schedule and checklist that will help you get on the right schedule for regular cleaning tasks around your home. No more trying to guess when you should do various household tasks. Download yours here!