Unless you have been under a rock, I am sure you’ve heard about the coronavirus that is taking the world by storm. One of the most important things is sanitation cleaning and staying healthy. This includes being extra diligent cleaning and practicing social distancing. The coronavirus mainly spreads from person to person through droplets in the air from coughing or sneezing, it infects a healthy person when someone breaths it in. However, you can also catch this coronavirus by touching a surface it is living on and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. This is why it’s important to have a sanitation cleaning but also knowing how long the virus can live on that surface.
The life span of the coronavirus depends on the surface material, some of which you probably touch on a daily basis. It can range from a couple hours to days. Here is your go to guide on how long researchers believe the coronavirus lives on the surface and the items that you should have sanitized!
- Wood: 4 Days
- This includes items like decking and furniture.
- Metal: 5 Days
- This includes doorknobs, jewelry, and silverware.
- Stainless Steel: 2-3 Days
- This includes refrigerators, pots and pans, select water bottles, and sinks.
- Plastic: 2-3 Days
- This can include milk container, public transportation seats, elevator buttons, backpacks, and detergent bottles.
- Ceramic: 5 Days
- This can include pottery, mugs, and baking dishes.
- Cardboard: 24 Hours
- This includes postal boxes, amazon packages, and shipping boxes.
- Glass: Up to 5 Days
- This is drinking glasses, measuring cups, windows, and mirrors.
- Copper: 4 Hours
- This includes pennies, cookware, and teakettles.
- Aluminum: 2-8 Hours
- This can include soda cans, tinfoil, and water bottles.
- Paper: A few minutes or up to 5 days
- Newspaper, money, packaging material.
- Paper is a hard one because it depends on the exact strain of the coronavirus some can only last a few minutes while others can last 5 days.
- Food: To be determined
- From information right now, we cannot tell if the COVID-19 is transmitted through exposure to food. Just to be certain it is important to keep washing your fruits and vegetables before consumption.
- Water
- So far no strand of coronavirus has been found in drinking water, but the filtration system at your local water treatment plant should kill the bacteria either way.
Now that we know the coronavirus is able to live for such a long time on a variety of surfaces what can you do to stay healthy? The first step is to clean and disinfect surfaces in your home and office daily. The items to stay on top of and disinfect are:
- Phones
- Keyboards
- Remote Controls
- Counter tops
- Tables
- Doorknobs
- Bathroom fixtures
- Toilets
Using a household cleaning wipe or spray will disinfect the surfaces. You can also take an extra step by cleaning the surface with soap and water first, then disinfecting it.
We understand you are busy, so take the time and schedule a sanitation cleaning. This was made with COVID-19 in mind to help keep you and your family safe. Email or call us today to learn more about sanitation cleaning and to book your appointment!
Read more about our coronavirus polices & procedures and how your Spartanburg home cleaning company is taking active measures to protect our employees and clients.
It is important to keep in mind that researchers still have quite a bit to learn about the coronavirus. Another step to take is to frequently wash your hands. After you visit the grocery store or bringing in packages, wash your hands with soap and warm water at least 20 seconds.
