Source: Westend61 / Getty
Though the CDC says that the coronavirus is predominately spread person-to-person via droplets, they do say it is possible for someone to become infected by touching a surface where the virus has been, and then touching their face, indicating that the virus can survive on inanimate surfaces. Hopefully we’re all doing our best to social distance, wash our hands often, and use hand sanitizer when we’re in a position that restricts us from being able to wash our hands. Hopefully we’re all being conscious of when we’ve recently blown our noses or sneezed into our hands, and doing an extra-long, hot hand-wash after that. But even still, hopefully we are all sanitizing surfaces.
I never paid such close attention to all of the things we touch on a regular basis before now. I just watched that movie “Contagion” (which, by the way, if you haven’t seen it, is an exact replica of our current COVID-19 situation) and was acutely aware of who touched what. When Gwyneth Paltrow is coughing in the beginning, I think of the bowl of bar nuts she’s eaten from and the glass she’s touched and how the bartender and then dish washer will touch that same glass before touching other people’s glasses—hundreds of other customers’ dishes in that very day, perhaps.
As busy humans, we are incredible transmitters of disease. We’re always moving around and using and touching and lifting and eating and feeling things. And with a virus around now that can, perhaps, live on some surfaces for hours or days, we have to be extra cautious of what we touch, what we clean, and when we touch others or our faces related to when we’ve touched certain things. You’re probably covering the basics and the essentials, like refrigerator door handles, but what about the sneakier places? Here are things you’re probably forgetting to sanitize.
Source: EasyBuy4u / Getty
Microwave door
If you’re making food in large batches to have leftovers right now—as many of us are—then you’re probably putting your microwave to work a lot when reheating said leftovers. In fact, your entire household is, so make sure to sanitize the microwave door handle and the buttons.
Source: Kiattisak Lamchan / EyeEm / Getty
Oven/stove knobs
There’s a lot of cooking at home going on right now, since many of us can’t afford to take restaurants up on all the takeout or delivery they’re offering (but if you do, tip your drivers and cashiers well—they need it!) If you have multiple people making multiple meals in your home each day, that’s a lot of hands touching the oven and stove controls. Clean those.
Source: © by Martin Deja / Getty
Toilet flusher
The flusher on your toilet gets a lot of action, and sometimes, not from the cleanest of hands. People tend to flush the toilet before washing their hands, and right after putting their hands somewhere less-than-sanitary. Give that flusher a good wipe down a couple times a day if you can.
