How To Disinfect When You Get Home - Tips from a Microbiologist

You’re probably not leaving home much these days, but chances are you’ll have to go to the grocery store at some point. And that means you’ll be exposed to germs out in the world that you don’t want to bring back inside your personal space. So when you do go out and return, these expert-backed steps can help reduce the likelihood of transferring viruses and bacteria to your home.

  1. Sanitize your hands before entering the house-Dr. Elizabeth Scott, professor of microbiology at Simmons University in Boston advises using hand sanitizer after you get back in your car when you’re out and about and again before touching your door knob and going inside your home.
  2. Put your haul on the floor, and hang up your bag and keys- Germs can live on surfaces like bags for several hours, so if you come in with groceries, don’t set them on the counter like you usually do. Scott suggests putting bags on the floor until you do the next germ-fighting steps. And since your purse and keys have been exposed to germs, too, keep them off the counter as well.
  3. Take off dirty shoes and clothes- These are also potential germ-carriers, so kick off your shoes by the door and if you want to be extra careful, go ahead and change into a fresh set of clothes, too.
  4. Wash your hands thoroughly, then unpack your things- Now it’s time to get the germs off your hands with a good washing. Then you can put away your groceries safely.
  5. Disinfect if needed, or wash your hands again- After you touch all the food you put away, you’ll need to wash your hands again. And if you did set potentially germ-ridden bags and items on your counter or touched cabinet handles or doorknobs, it’s a good idea to disinfect them with a bleach or alcohol-based cleaner. And then you can relax knowing you were as safe as you could be.

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