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A dirty environment wreaks havoc on your health, mood, and more. Residential spaces can suffer from buildup of dirt and grease, while commercial businesses have their own set of challenges. It’s important to know the most important cleaning facts and understand cleaning processes to ensure optimum health.
The following cleaning facts may surprise you but are vital to ensure your home or commercial environment is safe.
Clean Before Disinfecting
While disinfecting does kill many germs, it doesn’t eliminate every contaminant. Although it’s not common knowledge to clean before disinfecting, many cleaning companies recommend it. Cleaning by itself removes many harmful particles, but it’s not 100% effective without sanitizing.
By cleaning a surface before disinfecting, you remove stuck-on stains and hard-to-remove spills and eliminate some of the bacteria left behind. Then, disinfecting kills any remaining contaminants.
Bleach Disinfects Effectively
Household items are excellent for disinfecting various surfaces. Bleach is one of the best household cleaners for its disinfecting power and large availability. It can kill bacteria for up to 24 hours depending on its strength, meaning you can clean less frequently.
To disinfect with bleach, spray your surface and let the bleach sit for a minute or more. Be sure to use bleach only on approved materials. Fabric and soft materials can become bleached or can disintegrate depending on the thickness and bleach potency.
Toothpaste Cleans Stains
One of the most surprising cleaning facts is that toothpaste is one of the most effective cleaners for stubborn stains. Its abrasive characteristics make it gentle enough to remove stains without scratching walls or damaging surfaces. You can use it to remove marker stains on hard surfaces and much more.
Toothpaste is also an effective cleaner for metal. You can even use it to remove tarnish from old jewelry, to restore old silverware, and to repair CD and DVD scratches!
Close the Lid
Your toilet sprays particles from feces and urine into the air every time you flush. These particles can:
- Cause severe illness.
- Contaminate your toothbrush and other hygiene tools.
- Make your bathroom get dirtier faster.
By closing the toilet lid before you flush, you prevent these harmful pollutants from entering the air or landing on clean surfaces.
Cleaners Aren’t Always Safe
While cleaning products and disinfectant solutions keep harmful contaminants away, cleaners can still pose some harm to your health. Unscented and environmentally friendly products tend to have lower amounts of toxic chemicals.
This is vital for everyone, but especially for women (the average woman gets more exposure to harmful cleaning chemicals than others). You should use products safe for employees, family members, guests, and pets.
Additionally, certain vacuums and cleaning equipment can cause more problems than they resolve. For example, exposure to fumes from ammonia and bleach can wreak havoc on your lungs. Be sure your space has proper ventilation and that you follow directions for each cleaning product.
Vacuums Can Pollute
As vacuums intake dirt, dust particles, pet hair, and grime, not all of these particles get trapped in the air filter. Some particles end up in your indoor environment as the vacuum releases hot air. By changing your vacuum’s HEPA filter regularly, you’ll reduce indoor pollution.
Cleanliness Standards Differ
Iceland is the cleanest country in the world for its sanitation score. Regular cleaning and few environmental emissions give the country high scores in air quality and ecological health. In Iceland, people prioritize the environment by using green cleaning products.
Cleanliness standards can differ drastically for people who cannot afford a cleaning service. In developing countries, soap and water may be the only cleaning products they have. African countries such as Sierra Leone and Guinea have especially low scores in these categories.
Offices Are Especially Germy
Office cleaning is vital to eliminating the many germs that spread from employee to employee. You may touch over 25,000 different germs per square inch on an office phone. It’s no surprise why so many office workers get sick.
During flu and cold season, these numbers only get worse. With the pandemic’s end far in the future, regular cleaning proves effective against office illnesses. Disinfecting your keyboard, computer mouse, and desk will keep germs from your immediate vicinity.
Are you interested in additional cleaning facts? Click here to learn more about how cleaning services can significantly increase your employees’ office productivity.
