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Covid

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How important is deep cleaning after Covid

40 replies

ScrunchedAndScrambled · 11/02/2022 17:57

Name changed as I’m embarrassed - household isolating with Covid atm. My mental health has been v bad and everything is super cluttered and I’m horribly behind on cleaning - like it’ll take me months.

Are people expected to do a proper deep clean after Covid? I’m realising I have stuff for work in the room I’ve been spending most time with and don’t know if I need to do anything with fabric/papers etc. When I’m out of isolation, can I spread the virus on clothes/objects taken out of the house?

Likewise DS’s room is a horrific mess, fabrics and papers all over the place - he doesn’t like me to invade his privacy. He also has Covid atm

Don’t know where I’m going to start. V ill with anxiety and depression atm so please be gentle

OP posts:
LIZS · 11/02/2022 18:05

Air the rooms, change bedding and towels and surface clean door handles, remotes, phones, bathroom etc. Just basic hygiene really.

mynameiscalypso · 11/02/2022 18:08

We all have Covid at the moment. I am not changing my cleaning habits at all although we have more windows open than we would normally. I figure any lingering virus will disappear within a day or two.

1stWorldProblems · 11/02/2022 18:09

They vastly overestimated the chance of transmission by touch at the start of the pandemic. They now think the virus only lives for a short time on surfaces & that you basically need to touch something that someone has sneezed over quite soon after the sneeze & then put your hands near your face soon after that. It is a sit borne disease that is passed by breathing over someone. A lot of companies have kept up the regular cleaning of surfaces because a) humans unlearn things that they learnt when scared very slowly & b) it makes the company look like it takes C-19 seriously (even if they haven't actually improved the ventilation as that's harder / more expensive). This article from the Lancet should help.
www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099%2820%2930678-2/fulltext

ComtesseDeSpair · 11/02/2022 18:10

It’s fine. There’s very little evidence that Covid is spread from “contaminated” hard surfaces, let alone clothes or fabric and paper. Just do as you’d do after a bout of D&V in the home and do reasonable changing and wiping.

dementedpixie · 11/02/2022 18:10

We never did extra cleaning during/after dh had covid tbh. He never passed it to the other 3 in the household. Ventilation is of more use than cleaning

MissMaple82 · 11/02/2022 18:11

I did nothing different. Cleaned as i normally would. It's airborne anyway, not worth cleaning anything

kitcat15 · 11/02/2022 18:14

Just normal cleaning when we all had it....virus dies anyway with no host ( eg on surfaces) ....that said I'm a lot tidier than you are....start with one room and go from there

Mrsbclinton · 11/02/2022 18:16

When I had covid I opened all the windows every day. In fairness I had it during warmer weather but even 20 mins in the morning to ventilate the house will help.

I was extra careful wiping down surfaces, door handles, bathrooms etc.

I also changed the bed sheets and towels and washed at high temperatures.

Hope you feel better soon.

RonCarlos · 11/02/2022 18:17

I didn't do anything!

RedToothBrush · 11/02/2022 18:17

Im sorry but I think you are being ridiculous!

I wouldn't give this a second thought.

Just proceed as normal.

bumblefeline · 11/02/2022 18:19

Just leave it, it's fine honestly.

RichTeaRichTea · 11/02/2022 18:20

I didn’t do any extra cleaning. Tbh it was hard enough keeping the show on the road isolating whilst working with two preschoolers. We did the bare minimum to keep it hygienic, a deep clean didn’t cross my mind

Stuckandinamess · 11/02/2022 18:22

I did no extra cleaning after my two DC got covid (I didn't get it). Just the usual routine , using the usual cleaning products.
Try not to worry too much and certainly don't beat yourself up that you haven't boil washed and bleached everything in sight, it really isn't necessary.

piglet81 · 11/02/2022 18:23

I think your anxiety and depression (plus covid - what a horrible cocktail that must be!) are making this seem worse than it is. Concentrate on getting better and don’t push yourself to do unnecessary extra housework Flowers

ShallWeTalkAboutBruno · 11/02/2022 18:24

I didn’t do any cleaning after the household had covid over and above our normal cleaning.

SNUG2022 · 11/02/2022 18:24

I didn't do anything! We've had it twice in household and only one person got it. Its airborne really. I opened windows a bit more.

MrsJaxTellerPlease · 11/02/2022 18:26

Not cleaning any more than usual. Don't stress.

Justkeeppedaling · 11/02/2022 18:27

@LIZS

Air the rooms, change bedding and towels and surface clean door handles, remotes, phones, bathroom etc. Just basic hygiene really.
Really??
NrlySp · 11/02/2022 18:29

Ventilation not cleaning - so open for windows. But only if you will have visitors. No need for any additional cleaning

TheYearOfSmallThings · 11/02/2022 18:31

I didn't do anything except the usual cleaning. Towels etc had been changed before anyone came in, but I didn't sprinkle Dettol and holy water around or anything.

MangyInseam · 11/02/2022 18:32

There's not any real evidence that extra cleaning is helpful.

I like to swap out toothbrushes after illnesses though. Probably makes no difference but it seems less gross that way.

ElephantandGrasshopper · 11/02/2022 18:36

We didn't do anything special when dd had covid last month. In fact I probably cleaned less than usual (because I was working late to make up for lost time while looking after her during the day). No one caught covid from her.

BogRollBOGOF · 11/02/2022 18:38

We opened the windows a bit more and that was that. DH stayed clear despite us pent up over Christmas in the house much more than usual.

The majority of cleaning associated with Covid is pure theatre. It doesn't survive long on surfaces. Venues and organisations have to produce risk assessments and cleaning is an easy way to bulk that up when the major factor of ventilation can't be seen and is harder to manage.

elbea · 11/02/2022 18:41

You don’t need to do anything extra at all. You don’t need to wash your bedding on 90 or clean door handles. Just go about your life as if you’d had a normal cold. The chances of catching Covid from a surface are around 1 in 10,000

GiantSpider · 11/02/2022 18:43

I didn't do any extra cleaning when my DC had it, and the rest of the family didn't catch it.

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