Most of us know how to safely protect ourselves from Covid-19 in public by now – washing hands regularly, keeping a safe distance from others, and being armed with hand sanitiser wherever we go. But what about keeping Covid-19 at bay in your house? With more of us spending far more time at home, whether that’s socialising or working from a makeshift office, house hygiene has never been more important. It’s time to roll up your sleeves and follow these top tips to keep your home Covid-19 free.

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Wipe high-touch surfaces regularly

High-touch surfaces, like door handles, remote controls, light switches, and smartphones are often the culprits for spreading germs, simply because we touch them far more often than we do other objects. Make sure to wipe down these surfaces in your home regularly to curb the spread of coronavirus – twice a day is plenty! If you don’t have time to constantly deep clean your house, then you can hire a local cleaner.

Shop safely

While some of us have been lucky enough to bag an online food delivery slot during the coronavirus pandemic, most people still need to brave the supermarket for their weekly shop. While supermarkets have put in a range of safety measures to protect customers, from protective glass screens to social distancing markers and hand sanitiser on entry, there’s still some risk of exposure to the virus. But you’ll be pleased to know that there are lots of ways you can protect yourself from bringing it back home.

Simple things like wiping down food packages before popping them in your fridge, making sure you wash all unwrapped food like fruit and vegetables, and keeping your shopping bags in the boot of your car can avoid the spread of germs. Finally, the golden rule – wash your hands before and after you unpack your shopping bags.

Wash your hands when you get home

With lockdown easing and more and more people venturing outdoors, it’s more important than ever to protect ourselves from germs brought in from outside. When coming home from outside, make sure you wash your hands for at least 20 seconds to reduce any trace of the virus in your house. After all, Covid-19 is like the uninvited guest that none of us want in our home – don’t let it gatecrash.

Turn the heat up

Covid-19 can cling onto all sorts of different surfaces, including pieces of metal and plastic on clothes, like buttons or zips. If you want to eliminate traces of the virus, make sure you wash your clothes at a high temperature. This is especially important when washing cleaning materials like towels and mop heads which tend to carry more germs. Preventing the spread of Covid-19 in your home is as simple as turning up the heat a notch or two.

Keep your kitchen spick and span

Kitchens are a perfect breeding ground for germs – they can hide in all sorts of places in your kitchen, from sponges to salt and pepper shakers. Forgetting to clean surfaces that are commonly riddled with germs is a crime most of us are guilty of. If you want to keep your home Covid-19 free, your kitchen is one of the first places you should start. Make sure you wipe down and disinfect worktops and frequently touched surfaces like kettles regularly.  Putting plates away straight after washing them also prevents germs from building up.

Keep pet fur at bay 

As much as our pets bring unlimited joy into our homes, their fur can also carry unwanted germs, including coronavirus droplets. To keep you and your family safe from Covid-19, make sure you regularly remove pet fur with a vacuum cleaner and wash your hands after touching your pet.

Does a clean home actually reduce the spread of Covid-19?

When it comes to germ prevention, a little bit of elbow grease goes a long way. Regularly cleaning and disinfecting your home reduces the risk of germ transmission significantly, helping to keep you and your family safe from Covid-19.