How To Kill Bacteria In Your Home? Bacteria are everywhere around us. Even though they are not visible, they exist and can harm people if left to breed and spread. The best way to tackle bacteria is to use disinfectants and sanitizers.
By treating surfaces with these products on regular basis you ensure that harmful pathogens disappear. Here is a guideline to help you kill bacteria in your home in the most efficient and safe way.
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ToggleIf there is something bacteria are afraid of, it’s definitely disinfectant. This powerful chemical destroys the virus’s protective cell, causing its immediate death. You may have noticed that people use the term “disinfectant” as often as the term “sanitizer”.
While they are similar in the way they work, they differ a bit. A sanitizer aims at reducing the number of pathogens, while disinfectant kills them all. A sanitizer takes its effect faster, but it is not as powerful as a disinfectant.
Due to their less harsh composition, sanitizers are more compatible with human skin. You have to use disinfectants only on household surfaces and avoid contact with skin and eyes.
If you run short on chemical disinfectants, you may opt for products you can easily find around your house. Alcohol is one of them. While not effective with all viruses inhabiting your home, it kills a considerable amount of germs.
The alcohol has to have a concentration of at least 60% to ensure it causes bacteria death. In fact, most sanitizers, including soap, have a concentration of alcohol of 60%. This is quite enough to destroy the pathogen’s shell and make it perish.
Bleach has always had a great reputation for its antibacterial properties. It does a great job of destroying most viruses, preventing their reproduction and spreading. However, bleach use comes with some safety measures due to its harsh nature that can damage surfaces.
For example, you should refrain from disinfecting with bleach delicate textiles, leather, carpets, and painted surfaces. The strong composition leads to color fading and stretching in some fabrics that make them vulnerable to tearing.
Make a point of always working with protective equipment to guarantee bleach doesn’t harm your eyes, skin, and respiratory system. Ensuring good ventilation is also a step to minimizing the negative effects of the bleach.
Hydrogen peroxide is also a go-to option in case your store-bought disinfectant runs short. The product finds itself in the composition of many disinfectants, which hints at its bacteria-killing properties.
While being a scar sanitizer, there is a high chance you can find hydrogen peroxide in your first-aid kit. Mix 2,5 parts of water with 0,5 parts of 3% hydrogen peroxide to create a homemade disinfectant.
Apply the mixture on infected surfaces and let it sit for 1 minute so that it takes its effect. Then wipe clean and enjoy a bacteria-free environment.
In urgent situations, you can use vinegar to remove germs. Truth be said, it doesn’t perform as great at killing pathogens as alcohol and bleach. However, vinegar can reduce the number of germs and make the surviving ones weaker.
Also, keep in mind that vinegar needs more time to show any effect. You have to let it sit on the surface for an hour to ensure it destroys the germs completely.
Viruses are also afraid of high temperatures. You can easily use hot water to disinfect infected surfaces of your house. Make sure you allow the water to boil, else it may prove inefficient at disrupting the virus’s vital processes.
It would be awesome if you mix hot water with some home sanitizer. This will add to water’s destructive power and ensure you get rid of even more tiny troublemakers.
A home full of bacteria is a hub for diseases. You want to disinfect it regularly to reduce health risks. Luckily, there are many inexpensive products that prove excellent at killing germs.
Some of them you can easily find around your house, like alcohol, bleach, and hot water. Depending on which product you use, make sure you follow the safety precautions. Use protection equipment if needed, ventilate the area and apply only a recommended dosage to prevent surface damage.