The word "home" means a house that has been made to suit the comfort of those who inhabit it. It is also a place of refuge, rest, or care. It is a residence and a shelter from the cares of the world. It makes us refer to the world outside its walls as 'the outside world".
It is called “Foyer” in French, “Hogar” in Spanish and “Heim” in German. Whatever name it is called, the home means a place of refuge to every being on the earth. The cleanliness of the home determines the health of the inhabitants, to a considerable extent. Therefore, cleaning and disinfecting the home can have a profound effect on the total wellbeing of both children and adults.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CLEAN AND DISINFECT?Cleaning involves scrubbing, sweeping, mopping, wiping, brushing, washing, and rinsing off the dirt. In cleaning the home, attention must be paid to keeping its components such as the different parts, equipment, and even the inhabitants, clean.
According to Lexicon, disinfection is the process of cleaning something, especially with a chemical, in order to destroy bacteria (Oxford, 2020). It is a process that reduces the number of microorganisms to a level at which they do not present a risk to health (Simpson, 1884). This is where it contrasts with cleaning, which is done without the sole intent of killing germs. Therefore, a surface could be clean but still not germ-free. Nevertheless, there must be a willingness to keep the home tidy, organized, and healthy before any disinfection can occur.
Cleaning usually involves the use of cleaning equipment like brooms, brushes, dusters, towels, sponges, mop sticks, and of course, cleaning agents, which are chemicals either in liquids, solids, or gaseous forms. It is best that cleaning and disinfecting equipment be kept safe in a location where they can be easily reached for use. Cleaning appliances like the vacuum, washing machine, dishwasher, and other electronic devices should also be kept safe and serviced.
Cleaning for the rooms could involve dusting the ceilings, the fans, chandeliers, shelves, windows, walls, wardrobe, mattress, and floor. Washing dirty clothes, shoes, accessories do not only contribute to the cleanliness of the home but help in prolonging people's lifetimes. The kitchen, bathroom, and toilet are other critical places where cleanliness is essential. Food stains, oil stains, and every other imaginable stain that a kitchen could get should be removed by using the appropriate cleaning agent.
THE CLEANING CULTUREIn Africa, it is common to say that cleanliness is rare. This is probably the reason for the slow pace of development and the region's high mortality rate. Sandile Swana from the University of Witwatersrand (Swana, 2016) writes that Japan started like this until they developed the cleanliness culture, and then began to have high longevity.
Cleanliness does not only protect people from disease, but it also makes them so presentable that they attract others to them.
COVID-19’s entry into major cities of the world, and taking the world by storm is not only a clear indication that we do not keep the best cleanliness practice in the home but a pointer to public health practices. Many nations of the world had probably been ignoring the importance of cleanliness practices in public places hence, the reason for the rapid spread of the virus.
Spring cleaning is a practice in North America and Europe (Spring cleaning, 2020), due to the wet climatic conditions of these regions. It is usually around March, which is the best time, because it is warm, and the winds would dust the dirt left by furnaces out of the house. Spring cleaning comes from the Persian New year, where everywhere is thoroughly cleaned before the New year. Scotland, North America, and Japan all conduct a Winter cleaning before the new year (January 01).
Worldwide, there is the annual World Clean-up Day on September 19. It aims to increase awareness of mismanagement of wastes by gearing up people in the society to engage in cleaning and sanitizing their environment.
CLEANING AND DISINFECTING SUSTAINABLYWith the activities going on at home, germs on countertops and surfaces pose a danger to health. There is no particular time for cleaning, especially now that the emergence of new diseases has made this a necessary routine.
Through directly inhaled droplets or suspended airborne particles and direct contact with infectious material or infected persons, germs are spread in the environment.
Routine cleaning of homes and the environment should be undertaken at least daily. This involves cleaning and disinfecting the household equipment frequently touched, such as doorknobs, light switches, bedroom fixtures, sinks, chair arms, bed tables, floors, reusable equipment, and other easily contaminated surfaces.
Also, ensure that the product used for cleaning and disinfecting is compatible with the surface it is used on. This is because of the corrosiveness of some cleaning agents that may not be conducive to some surfaces.
METHODS OF CLEANING AND DISINFECTINGThere are two significant methods of cleaning and disinfecting. They are the use of traditional, physical, and chemical methods and the use of modern methods.
Traditional methods of cleaning and disinfection, which includes the use of physical chemicals, are very well still in use but usually have a suboptimal result. It includes the use of water, detergent, bleach, and other chemical-based cleaning and disinfectants. Many are used alone or in combination but are still not as effective. They are also known to be time and energy-consuming. The employment of modern methods is much more efficient, fast, and convenient.
The use of ultraviolet sanitizing wand is a modern method of cleaning and disinfecting your homes. This wand has the advantage of being simple, convenient, fast, and efficient in sanitizing surfaces.
MMAZ's iWand UV-C sterilizer is an essential part of the list. It comes in very handy, lightweight, and can fit in most purses or pockets. And sanitizing is done using the iWand by switching it on and waving it over the items to sterilize. It is so active as 99% of germs are killed within 10 seconds. It does not leave behind a chemical residue, unlike the traditional methods of cleaning and disinfection. It kills pathogens quickly and effectively, even destroying mold and spores.
Some people consider using the two methods of cleaning and disinfecting. It is crucial to remove any viral or bacterial particulates that an initial, coarse chemical clean left behind.
SAVE TIME WHILE CLEANING AND DISINFECTINGIt is possible that cleaning is viewed as hectic and time-consuming that it is put off. And the effects of postponing cleaning of the home could be very adverse. Therefore, the best solution to this problem is finding the most efficient and time-saving way to clean the home. Popular mechanics offer us the solution in its article. They suggest that there should be a cleaning routine one should follow repeatedly. Also, starting from one room and completing, cleaning from the top and going down, left to right. Another tip is to keep all cleaning equipment at one location and wear a cleaning apron with pockets that can keep some of these tools, so they are handy when needed. Vacuum in rows and, most importantly, do speed-clean regularly.
iWAND UV SANITIZER The emergence of new diseases has led to a time when sanitization and disinfection have become a necessity. The search for better and efficient ways to engage in this practice has become paramount. In homes, soap and water and other chemical disinfectants are used to clean surfaces as a preventive measure against this disease-causing microorganism. Although it is evident that the use of chemical cleaners is still a popular means of sanitizing and disinfecting, using ultraviolet rays is a more efficient alternative in cleaning surfaces.
A UV sanitizing wand is a sanitizing gadget that uses ultraviolet flashlights to rapidly and effectively inactivate microorganisms on surfaces. UV radiation is a type of electromagnetic radiation that is not visible. They are of different types, and they include UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C. Ultraviolet rays come from the sun, but unlike the others, UVC gets absorbed in the atmosphere before reaching the earth's surface.
MMAZ's iWand UV-C sterilizer, proves very useful in disinfection. This gadget makes use of a low dose of high energy UVC (Ultraviolet light) with a wavelength between 200 and 280 nanometers) which is capable of damaging viruses and bacteria. It disrupts their RNA and DNA and renders them incapable of reproducing and infecting. This radiation is used to reduce microbial populations in hospitals operating rooms.
On the body of a UV sanitizing wand is a special light bulb that emanates a powerful UV light wavelength to destroy bacteria when switched on. It superficially sanitizes and does not penetrate deeply into substance. This wand has the advantage of being simple, convenient, fast, and efficient in sanitizing surfaces. But when in use, there are some important facts to keep in mind.
The efficacy and effectiveness of the UV sanitizing wand depend majorly on the intensity of the UVC bulb, the distance between the UV-C light source and the infected surface, and how long a surface is exposed to Ultraviolet C light. These three factors should be considered anytime the UV wand is used. The more intense the bulbs are, and the longer and closer the UVC light source is to the surface, the more effective in sterilization. During this process, maintaining exposure manually on the surface to be sterilized by holding the wand over the item is necessary.
Also, the effectiveness of the UVC light works better on flat surfaces. If the spectrum of visible light emanating from the sanitizing wand does not get into crooks and crevices, it will not have an effect. Only the area that gets in contact with the ray gets sanitized, exempting nooks and crannies. Dirty, greasy surfaces reduce the ability of UVC to penetrate as well.
You should know that UVC, on direct and prolonged exposure to the human skin, the eyes, and any other part of the human body, can affect skin cells and cause mutation. As much as it degrades cell walls, proteins, and membranes of bacteria and viruses, it also poses a danger to human flesh, so; extra caution should be taken when using this device. Another good thing about the iWand is that it switches off automatically after 20 seconds.
HOW DOES ONE HELP COMBAT AIR POLLUTION AT HOME?The Hand Hygiene Australia program is one of the World's Health organization's campaigns for cleanliness and sanitation. The WHO also campaigns against household air pollution (HAP) from generating energy for cooking, heating, and lighting. The most affected members of the home here are the women and children since women and children's deaths due to HAP occur at 60% yearly. HAP can also result in disability.
DISPOSING WASTE PROPERLY AND HYGIENICALLYHousehold wastes could range from liquid sewage, used batteries, papers, chemicals, metals, polymers, etc. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) suggests that for safe handling and disposal of household hazardous wastes (HHW), the instructions on the labels on storage should be duly followed as well as the instructions for disposal of the products. The HHW's are things that are liable to reactions such as catching fire or explosion under certain circumstances or those that are toxic or corrosive. Such wastes should be stored separately, using color-coded containers (R.M, Chirawurah, & Adongo, 2014), disposed of separately (avoiding mixing with other kinds of wastes).
The effects of these wastes on plants can also not be underestimated. The plant's growth could be hindered, indirectly impeding animals' growth, and could cause a whole new era of extinction. As they pollute land and water bodies, affect human health and pollute the air.
There has been an increase in this waste in recent years due to the global economic change. The EPA strongly recommends reducing, recycling, and reuse. Electronics, plastics, metals can all be recycled. Materials that are of no use can also be donated. It is reported that recycling one laptop is equivalent to saving electricity used by 3,500 US homes in a year (EPA, 2020).
REFERENCESEPA, (2020). Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). Retrieved from the United States Environmental Protection Agency:
www.epa.govOxford, (2020). Disinfection. Retrieved from Lexico:
www.lexico.com/definition/disinfectionR.M. Chirawurah, and Adongo, P. (2014, July 02). Domestic Waste Disposal Practise and Perceptions of Private Sector Waste Management in Urban Accra. BMC Public Health. Retrieved from Biomed central.
Simpson, J. (1884). In J. Simpson, Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press.
Spring cleaning. (2020, June 27). Retrieved from Wikipedia: en.m.wikipedia,org
Swana, S. (2016, May 29). Why Africa Could Do with A Dose of Punctuality and Cleanliness. Retrieved from The Conversation: theconversation.com/why-africa-could-do-with-a-dose-of-punctuality-and-cleanliness-60066
