At the beginning of the pandemic, people were desperate to prevent the spread of COVID amid limited information on how to do so. This has led many of us to start disinfecting everything in sight. From deliveries to door handles, people disinfected any surface they could. As experts learned more about the virus, it became clear that we did not need to disinfect everything as vigorously as before. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says there is one thing in particular that you should never disinfect. Read on to find out what you need to keep your bleach away and for more cleaning tips, the CDC now says this is the only time you need to disinfect your home.
While many people continue to take care of food and food packages purchased from the store, the CDC says the practice is not necessary. You can stop deleting each individual food every time you return from home shopping. The Agency also includes a bold warning in its guide, which reads: “WARNING: Do not use food disinfectants or food packaging.“CDC adds that you should not use” disinfectants designed for hard surfaces, such as bleach or ammonia, on food packed in cardboard or plastic wrap. “And for more on safe shopping, if your grocery store doesn’t have this, don’t come in,” says the CDC.
During a Zoom event on April 19, the CDC noted that they had some safety concerns regarding the incorrect use of cleaning and disinfection products. According to the CDC, the public inquiries they have received suggest the potential abuse of these products, including spraying disinfectants in the air, on clothes or on the skin. In 2020, daily exposures to disinfectants requiring a call to poison centers in the US increased. Although the volume of calls decreased in 2021, it remains higher than in previous years.
The CDC noted during the event that, according to a survey conducted by the agency, 19% of people had washed fruits, vegetables or other food with bleach, and 18% had used cleansers on bare skin. The CDC warns that many chemical disinfectants can be harmful if handled improperly or used improperly. And this applies to the use of these products on items that you intend to consume. And for more CDC warnings, if you have one of these 8 side effects, the CDC says “Seek emergency care.”
Although food disinfection is not required, the CDC suggests that you take other precautions after returning from shopping to mitigate the spread of COVID. According to the CDC, “After shopping, handling food packages or before preparing or eating food, it is important to always wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If there is no soap and water, use a disinfectant to hands that contain at least 60% alcohol. ”If you use reusable cloth bags, you should wash them after shopping and dry them in the warmest setting you can take, the CDC suggests. For more instructions from this agency, the CDC says you should do this immediately after you have been vaccinated.
Although you do not need to disinfect household items, the CDC still recommends regular cleaning of kitchen counters and the use of disinfectants on the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved list of disinfectants for COVID. The agency noted that before preparing food on the kitchen counter, you need to rinse the disinfected surface with water.
While you can choose to disinfect kitchen surfaces or other high-touch surfaces, the CDC recently updated its guide to say that this is not necessary unless someone with COVID is in your home. “Disinfection to reduce COVID transmission -19 at home is probably not necessary unless someone in your household is ill or if someone who is positive for COVID-19 has been in your home for the past 24 hours, ”according to CDC recommendations. However, you should continue to regularly clean high-touch surfaces, such as door handles, tables, handles, light switches, and countertops regularly with soap and water, the agency says. And for more useful information delivered directly to the e-mail box, subscribe to our daily newsletter.
To help protect you, grocery store workers, and other shoppers, the CDC wants you to take a few precautions, including wearing a mask and practicing social distance while shopping. The agency also states that you can “carry your own napkins or use one provided by the store to wipe the handles of the basket or shopping cart.” To help you limit the time you spend in the store, the CDC suggests that you go with a list of what you need to buy. And for several of the latest guidelines, the CDC says it doesn’t do so until 4 weeks after vaccination.