How to keep yourself and your loved ones safe during COVID-19
We often say that health is the number one factor for leading a good life. When you’re healthy, you’re happier, more productive and more motivated. It’s much easier to focus on your goals and to succeed in life. Besides, if you are sick, you can hardly enjoy your achievements. Under normal circumstances, your health should be one of your highest priorities. And, with this nasty virus on the loose, taking good care of yourself becomes crucial.
Hello everyone, and welcome back to our blog. Today we’ll be talking about a very important, yet often overlooked subject – personal hygiene. Even though we don’t think that anyone should need something as significant as a worldwide pandemic to keep their hygiene in check, we believe that it’s an important topic to discuss right now.
There are a lot of things that we’d like to mention here but will try to keep things as brief as possible. The tips are split into categories, based on their use. We’ll go over:
- General Personal Hygiene Tips
- Kitchen & Dining Hygiene Tips
- Bathroom & Washing Hygiene Tips
- Driving & Travelling Tips
- Shopping Hygiene Tips
Please note: The advice that we’re giving you here are mainly basic things that everyone should remember. Even though we realise that it might sound like it, we definitely don’t mean to turn you into some sort of germaphobe. Still, during the viral epidemic, you should be extra-cautious.
And now, without further ado, let’s dive right in!
General Hygiene Tips
Starting off with the general personal hygiene tips, these are things you can practice daily, virus or no virus, and we’d highly advise you to do the same. Even after the virus passes, they will keep you safe and decrease your exposure to germs and other contaminants.
WASH YOUR HANDS
This one should really be a no-brainer. Your hands come in contact with hundreds of surfaces, and any of them could be contaminated. Do this for a minimum of 20 seconds with soap and water.
DON’T TOUCH YOUR FACE
Touching your face often is a bad idea, even when there is no viral pandemic – the skin there is sensitive and vulnerable to germs and infections. Additionally, COVID-19 spreads through contact with your eyes, nose and mouth. So if you haven’t kicked the habit of touching your face, now is the best time to start!
DON’T TOUCH THINGS
When you go outside, avoid touching surfaces and objects, unless absolutely necessary.
PHONE PERSONAL HYGIENE TIPS
When you touch your phone, remove your gloves to avoid contaminating it. Your phone doesn’t need to go out of your pocket, bag or purse unless you have to take a call. Additionally, try to avoid putting your phone down on tables and counters. We’d also advise you to disinfect your phone when you get home, but you need to keep the manufacturer’s instructions in mind. Different models will have different requirements. Please do not damage your phone by doing something silly.
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE
COVID-19 gives us yet another reason to respect personal space. Experts suggest that we should keep at least a two-metre distance from other people in public spaces.
KEEP TRACK OF YOUR SHOES AND OVERCLOTHES
For the time being, it’s best that you stick to one pair of going out shoes and one jacket, that you keep near the door.
SHOES DON’T COME INSIDE THE HOUSE
This is yet another one of those tips that sound like a no-brainer, but we know that there are some people out there, who will happily walk around their homes with their shoes on. Some of uf use slippers at home, and shoes for when we go out. And, during COVID-19, we’d advise you to do the same.
AND NEITHER DO THE CLOTHES
Yes, we are well aware that some people don’t have separate sets for “going out” and “staying at home” clothes. But if you want to stay safe and minimise your risk of exposure, you definitely want to change that.
WASH YOUR WORN CLOTHES OFTEN
No-brainer. Wash your clothes as often as possible.
MAIL AND DELIVERIES
Experts advise that we give parcels, letters and other shipments a bit of time before we open them. Currently, the virus is said to survive for a couple of days on surfaces, and it might be best to just give my packages two days before you touch them.
CLEANING
Keep your cleaning cloths separate and avoid swiping different surfaces with the same cloth. You should use a different cloth for your toilet, bathroom, kitchen, the dishes and living areas. This may sound excessive but you need to avoid cross-contamination. You should wash your bamboo cleaning cloths after each use.
HANDLES AND SWITCHES
Disinfect all handles, switches and doorknobs daily or even several times a day.
YOUR DOORBELL
Doorbells are a high-contact surface. Almost everyone who drops by your place, including family members, is likely to touch your doorbell. This is why you should disinfect it on a daily basis or each time it has been pressed.
CLEAN YOUR HOME THOROUGHLY
During times like these, keeping your home as clean and tidy as possible is a must. Some people prefer working with professional cleaners. Others enjoy taking care of their homes personally. Choose whichever approach you like, just make sure that everything from your kitchen to your bathroom is in pristine condition.
Kitchen & Dining Hygiene Tips
WASH YOUR DISHES AFTER EVERY MEAL
This is a basic housekeeping rule, but again, we know that there are people who don’t follow it under normal circumstances. With COVID-19 on the loose, however, this needs to change. Use warm water and washing up liquid.
TAKEOUT MEALS
As long as you know what you’re doing, a homemade dish will always be tastier, healthier and fresher than anything you can buy from a restaurant. However, if you are a fan of ordering food, please be cautious during COVID-19, as your package can easily get contaminated. You don’t know if the persons that prepare the meal or are delivering the meal have the virus.
Bathroom & Washing Hygiene Tips
PUT THE LID DOWN
Did you know that the flush water from your toilet can spread germs and contaminants? To avoid this, simply close the lid before flushing.
DISINFECT YOUR TOILET BUTTON DAILY
Some people use commercial cleaning solutions, while others prefer eco-friendly and DIY methods. Any approach is fine, as long as you clean it daily.
KEEP YOUR TOILET ROOLS AWAY FROM THE WALL
Textile rolls should not be too close to the wall. Ideally, you want them positioned in a way where they don’t touch your wall, but remain within a hand’s reach.
TOOTHBRUSHES
Keep them in the cabinet – it is very easy for some bacterias to land on the brushes
Personal Hygiene Tips for Driving & Travelling
BE SMART ABOUT YOUR GLOVES
If you’re using gloves when going outside, you will want to be careful what you touch. Depending upon the situation (and who else gets to come inside the car), you may want to remove your gloves after you enter your vehicle.
GAS STATIONS
When filling your car at a pump, use one gloved hand for the pump and remove the glove on your card hand. This will help keep your bank card safe from contamination.
Personal Hygiene While Shopping
BE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU TOUCH
When you go to the store and touch baskets or carts with your gloves, make sure that they don’t come in contact with your phone, purse or cards. we’d recommend changing your gloves after store visits.
BUY PRODUCTS WITH A LONG SHELF LIFE
Think long-term with your shopping and choose goods that won’t spoil quickly. Things like canned food, pasta, rice, flour, nuts and dried fruits come to mind.
REUSABLE ITEMS
Eco-friendly items are not just healthier for your body, but your wallet as well! We made the switch to zero-waste and minimalism two years ago. It will help you save a lot of money, and the scarcity of disposable items isn’t affecting you nearly as much.
In closing
In closing, we’d just like to remind you that this post, along with any other information you’ll find on my website is based upon my personal experience and research. We are not your doctor. As always, we’d highly advise you to do your own research, and consult with a certified professional before committing to any serious lifestyle changes.
That about wraps it up for this post. Hopefully, these tips will help keep you and your loved ones a bit safer throughout these trying times.
What about you? What personal hygiene measures are you taking to protect your health? Did the COVID-19 introduce significant changes to your hygiene habits? Do not hesitate to share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences in the comments below – we always love hearing from you!
Selly
written on 5 May 2020 -Great tips! Everybody needs to follow them.