Have you ever felt as though you’re losing something? Just as the door locks click, perhaps it’s the keys you left inside the vehicle. or your phone, which is likely resting there at the grocery store after you struggled to open those difficult produce bags. The areas you may be neglecting to clean and sterilize regularly, or perhaps at all, could be the cause of those small sinking feelings, even though they probably have nothing to do with cleaning your throw cushions, drapes, or rugs.
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However, it’s crucial to understand the differences between disinfecting, sanitizing, and cleaning first. The elimination of dirt, bacteria, and pollutants “does not necessarily kill germs, but by removing them, it lowers their numbers and the risk of spreading infection,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Contrarily, sanitizing reduces the amount of bacteria on your home’s surfaces to a level that is regarded safe by regulations or standards related to public health, which lessens the likelihood of infection spreading.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States states that sanitizing involves using chemicals to kill bacteria, whereas cleaning involves using soap and detergents to remove dirt and other contaminants. Disinfection is a necessary step because neither of these procedures is designed to eradicate viruses.
Many of us have spent so many years cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting hard surfaces that it comes naturally to us now. (Those perfumed disinfection sprays are safe for any doorknob, remote, or railing.) But we tend to forget about soft surfaces. Thus, how can one even start the process of sanitizing the objects that provide our home with so much warmth and comfort? To assist you in cleaning up your home, we’ve broken down the surfaces that are most frequently overlooked when it comes to sanitizing and matched them with steps for both cleaning (step one) and sanitizing (step two).
How to Sanitize Curtains
First, see our guidelines for cleaning curtains, which include how to handle machine-washable panels and those that should only be hand-washed. If you can wash the material in a machine, you might want to use something like Lysol Laundry Sanitizer, provided it is suitable with the recommended washing instructions.
As long as you use a sanitizing or disinfecting spray according to instructions, it will work wonders if you can’t wash your curtains in the washing machine. In turn, these bacteria-busting products ought to eliminate bacterial odors. Though we bet you never considered your curtains as the possible source of the odors hiding in your carpets and rugs, you were probably aware of them.
How to Sanitize Carpets and Area Rugs
Sanitizing your rugs is a task that you should cross off your to-do list regularly if you have small children or pets at home. But let’s begin with the fundamentals of cleaning. The majority of carpets may be cleaned at home, but for delicate, hand-knotted types like Persian or oriental rugs, you should hire an expert. To remove dirt and debris from most carpets and other rug types, you can begin by vacuuming. Use warm water and soap to clean any particularly filthy or troublesome spots.
After cleaning the carpets, apply a sanitizing solution. As the last step, use the spray according to the directions on the label to make sure you’re getting the sanitizing effects.
How to Keep Throw Pillows Sanitized
It’s not enough to just give throw cushions a quick wash to make them sanitary. Yes, you can spray them with an odor-masking solution, but sanitizing is more than just a surface treatment. You’ve hit the gold mine if you can easily wash the pillow covers in your washing machine with a sanitizing agent. If not, you should spot clean any trouble spots and then use a sanitizing solution that is safe to apply to fabric.
Make sure you read all fabric care instructions before sanitizing any of these frequently overlooked sensitive surfaces. Remember that some sanitizing solutions designed for delicate surfaces are designed to be cleaned (i.e., in the washing machine). Whichever of the aforementioned tasks you intend to take on, you should make sure you’re choosing the appropriate sanitizing product for the job by reading the directions before making a purchase.
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