Wiping away dust, dirt, and other particles that accumulate on surfaces is one thing, but if you’re trying to get rid of the bacteria and viruses on them, you’ll need to think about doing some deeper cleaning. Cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitizing are all related, but they all mean different things. The methods are also different, and so are the techniques.
What Is Cleaning?
Even if your property looks clean, there are germs that can be lying on all kinds of surfaces that can pose a threat to anyone that comes in contact with them. Cleaning removes the visible dirt, grime, and other impurities from floors, door handles, cabinets, along with other surfaces.
Basic household cleaning tasks include vacuuming, washing windows, dusting, and more in order to help your property look clean. Products that are used include floor cleaners, baking soda, all-purpose kitchen and bathroom cleaners, and more.
What Is Disinfecting?
Disinfecting is how you kill germs using chemicals that have the power to destroy bacteria, viruses, along with other microorganisms. The EPA regulates chemicals that are designed to disinfect.
This regulation ensures that the product will actually kill germs, but one disinfectant won’t kill all of the germs out there. Some disinfectant products include chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol, phenol, formaldehyde, and more.
What Is Sanitizing?
This is how you reduce the germs on the surfaces in order to meet the public health standards. Sanitizing is done by wiping down children’s toys, restaurant tables, and more. It’s similar to disinfecting, but these products aren’t regulated by the EPA with a registration number.
In most cases, the sanitizer must meet EPA requirements to reduce the total number of organisms by 99.999% within 30 seconds of application for commercial use whereas, for home use, it should be able to kill 99.9% of organisms in 5 minutes.
When cleaning, you should also take the time to disinfect and sanitize your property along with your surfaces to ensure a truly clean property.
Three Excellent Indoor Valentine’s Day Celebration Ideas
Because of the restrictions that are still in place, it’s unlikely that Valentine’s Day in 2021 is going to include a romantic dinner date at a restaurant or a trip to the movie theater. However, there are still many fun ways to spend the evening and celebrate this holiday with the one you love. Instead of being sad that there’s no place to go out, stay in and try out one of these three fun celebration ideas!
Make a Movie Marathon
Even if the theaters and restaurants don’t work, it doesn’t mean a classic, romantic dinner and a movie date can’t happen. Make the ambiance special with a couple of scented candles and order a special diner delivery for you and your valentine, or both parents and the kiddos. This way, there will be good food without the need for grocery shopping or cooking. Then complete the evening by watching a movie or two that you’ve been interested in seeing for a while. Just make sure it’s a movie everyone wants to see, be it a rom-com, action, or fantasy!
Schedule an At-Home Couple’s Massage
If it’s not possible to book a day at the spa, it’s likely possible to get the spa experience at home! A few days ahead of time, contact a few local massage therapists to see if any of them offer in-home massage services. Again, everything’s better with a few scented candles and a glass of wine! The massage is sure to leave you both feeling relaxed, de-stressed, and happy, so it’s certainly a great treat for Valentine’s Day!
Valentine’s Day Game Night
Playing board games has been a favorite pastime for countless people for decades. However, in today’s day and age when so much entertainment is available at all times, not everyone remembers to sit together with the family and play a few favorite board games every now and then. There are many games out there that are great for two or multiple players, so parents with kids can definitely take advantage of this option!