Information Provided By: Selina Kuok
With the recent spike of COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong, many people have been staying home to prevent infection and the importance of good home ventilation has been highlighted as a result. With the limited space and humidity in Hong Kong, it can feel like it is difficult to encourage air ventilation, but there are some simple actions you can take to improve your home environment.
Germs can be found everywhere, including the surfaces and objects you touch in your day-to-day routine. However, it isn't realistic to wash your hands every time your touch something. This is why it is important to regularly clean and disinfect surfaces and objects. To start off, it is important to understand that cleaning and disinfecting actually have different meanings as highlighted below:
Cleaning
Disinfecting
To a certain extent, cleaning alone removes most virus particles on surfaces and there is no need to disinfect your home on a regular basis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests that you should only disinfect your home if someone is sick or someone who tests positive for COVID-19 has been in your home within the last 24 hours.
It is important to note that fragrances in consumer products such as cleaning products, laundry detergents and toiletries are a primary source of indoor air pollutants. Many people may not realise the damaging effects these chemicals can have and have been linked to many health conditions, including asthma, headaches, allergic reactions, and an increased risk of reproductive problems and cancer.
Below is the recommended guideline on how to clean your home:
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Clean and Disinfect at Home. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/easy-to-read/prevent-getting-sick/disinfecting-your-home.html
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Cleaning Your Home. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/disinfecting-your-home.html
3. National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. (2020). Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://medlineplus.gov/cleaningdisinfectingandsanitizing.html
4. Patel S. (2017). Fragrance compounds: The wolves in sheep's clothings. Med Hypotheses. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28478814/
5. Steinemann A. (2016). Fragranced consumer products: exposures and effects from emissions. Air quality, atmosphere, & health. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5093181/#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20types%20of,%25%20cardiovascular%20problems%3B%204.0%20%25%20immune
6. University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing: San Francisco, California. (2013). Green Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting: A Toolkit for Early Care and Education. UCSF Institute for Health & Aging, UC Berkeley Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health, Informed Green Solutions, and California Department of Pesticide Regulation. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ece_curriculum_7.2013_for_uploading.pdf
7. T;, T.-K. T. J. H. F. Y. N. (n.d.). Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from furniture and electrical appliances. Kokuritsu Iyakuhin Shokuhin Eisei Kenkyujo hokoku = Bulletin of National Institute of Health Sciences. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21381398/