We all wish it hadn’t happened. Yes, I’m talking about the COVID-19 pandemic. It has created fear and panic worldwide.
Agreed that we’re honestly trying to hang on to every precautionary paradigm and that’s great. Yet, I feel there’s something we may have overlooked. The virus clings to countertop surfaces and it’s scary.
But it’s not something that you can’t counter. All you have to do is keep them clean to keep the virus at bay. What you should remember here is that different countertops need different treatments.
Also, keep in mind that simple cleaning is not going to help you get rid of germs. You need to disinfect all the surfaces besides cleaning.
I know what you’re thinking. This is getting denser by the moment!
We understand the confusion very well. Let’s keep it simple. We’ve come up with a few essential strategies to help you combat the problem.
You are probably already working to protect your home from the infectious disease, but sometimes details work wonders!
Coronavirus Clings to Surfaces
Remember SARS? Just like the type of coronavirus that causes SARS, the new coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 clings to surfaces with different survival periods.
For instance, it can survive on shipping cardboard boxes for 24 hours and on plastics for three days. On metal surfaces, the virus can last up to three days and a good four days on wooden surfaces.
It is known to live for three days on stainless steel surfaces and four hours on copper items. Besides, it can continue to cling to aluminum surfaces for two to eight hours and ceramic for five days.
Now that you know how the virus works by clinging to different surfaces, it’s time to incorporate a few important cleaning tips in your home to guard yourself against the infection.
How to Clean Surfaces
All you have to do is disinfect your diverse home surfaces in addition to basic cleaning.
Use soap and water to clean the frequently used surfaces like doorknobs, handles, cabinet doors, regularly used appliances, and the countertop area.
After the cleaning is over, disinfect the surfaces. Use cleaners containing either bleach or hydrogen peroxide or solutions that include at least 70 percent alcohol.
Disinfecting Special Surfaces
As mentioned above, different surfaces call for different disinfecting treatments. For instance, your marble countertop needs an alcohol-based solution for disinfection. Cleaning may be done with plain soap and water.
It is easy to disinfect granite and quartz with basic household cleaners. However, your butcher block countertop is not going to settle for anything less than a hydrogen peroxide-based cleaner to kill the virus.
Stainless steel surfaces aren’t too fussy. Although you can disinfect them with any household disinfectant, they need special attention. Because the virus can last the longest on these surfaces. As for countertops with thick finishes and resin, any given disinfectant will do the work.
You can opt for alcohol-based cleaners, as well as diluted bleach solutions, for sealed concrete countertops. Worried about the bleach wearing down the finish of your countertop? Go for alcohol. Whatever you choose, just keep doing it. It’s the best you can do in the situation.
Agreed you may have to spend some extra time cleaning and disinfecting your countertops than usual. But think of it this way: If something as simple as cleaning and disinfecting the surfaces of your living spaces can help steer away from the infection, isn’t it worth it?
*This article is posted by and in partnership with USA Marble and Granite, a granite, marble and quartz countertop fabricator serving Virginia, Maryland and D.C.
