You’ve heard the common recommendations a million times by now.
· Wash your hands.
· Sing the birthday song. Sing it longer.
· Use hand sanitizer.
· Stay six feet away from anything that breathes.
While these are important foundational things to do, there are other ways you can keep your castle clean. Figure out what you can control, like staying clean every day, with these best practices.
Viruses Can Survive on Surfaces
This is a misconception. Viruses CAN survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours, according to our own FASTer Way Scientific Advisory Board member Dr. Stephen Cabral (check out more of his COVID-19 updates and tips here).
That’s not to scare you, but to prepare you. It’s a good idea to wipe down doorknobs, countertops, light switches and bathrooms. The risk isn’t specifically getting it onto your hands from these surfaces, but then touching your mouth, face, ears and eyes with your hands. Wipes are extremely convenient because you can just pick up, wipe down and throw away. If your local grocery was raided and don’t carry disinfecting wipes, fear not. Those can be easily made with a couple of ingredients in your home. Wipes are just a solution of germ-killing alcohol and aloe.
You can also use a combination of bleach and water or peroxide to sanitize surfaces and kill germs.
Take the time to focus on the high-traffic areas like bathroom counters, kitchen islands, couches and appliances. After a FASTer Way workout, take extra time to disinfect the area around you, including floors, furniture, walls, smart devices, phones and remotes.
If you don’t have a ‘shoes off’ rule in the house, it’s not a bad idea to temporarily implement one.
Viruses Can Survive on Deliveries
With more and more people staying at home, package deliveries are soaring. Amazon is even hiring 100,000 new drivers and staff for Pete’s sake. Research has shown the Coronavirus can live on cardboard for up to 24 hours, so it’s a great idea to clean and disinfect any package you receive in the mail. UPS and FedEx are loosening their restrictions on signature requirements to protect their delivery drivers, so you won’t have to touch their signature pad.
If your delivery is non-perishable, great. It gets a lot simpler as you can just let it sit for a full day (or cover them in a trash bag and place in garage f in a pinch). If your delivery is perishable, like food, it can get a little more complicated. You’ll want to place your items straight into your refrigerator and then thoroughly wash your hands and disinfect. Throw away the outer packaging it came in. Let your deliveries sit for 24 hours, you’ll be safe have loose trash bags in your home, wrap your packages in them and seal them off.
Create a Laundry Routine
It’s a good idea to clean fabrics, bed covers, towels and clothes a few times per week. Depending on the size of your family and workout routine, this can be a daunting task. Now is the time to set a schedule of what laundry gets done and when, and who does it. Get your kids into the habit of helping with household chores even more now that they are home from school to lighten the load.
Start a Weekly Plan
Staying clean is a part of a daily routine even without a global pandemic. We are great at adapting and we can CHOOSE to use this moment as a REASON to adapt, to improve your daily habits, come together as a family and fulfill our purpose with energy. Write out a weekly schedule and get your kiddos involved! Sweeping, wiping down windows, and vacuuming are fun ways to include them!
We’re keeping our blog updated daily with more news, tips and workout plans to keep you moving and healthy with your family.
