How to Clean and Disinfect Your Home After an Illness or to Avoid Getting Sick

It’s important to realize that cleaning and disinfecting are not one and the same, says Susan Donelan, MD, the medical director of healthcare epidemiology at Stony Brook Medicine in New York. “Cleaning is removing as much visible dirt and material as possible. Cleaning gets rid of the debris and any impurities that are on the surface of whatever it is that you’re looking to disinfect,” she says.

Disinfection usually is a chemical-based process intended to kill germs, says Dr. Donelan, adding, “Cleaning makes the disinfection process more efficient and effective.”

You likely have questions about specifics, starting with the best way to clean your hands. Read on and learn more from our experts about how to disinfect everything from your bedsheets to your shoes.

How Many Germs Are on Your Hands?

How Frequently Should You Wash Your Hands?

How often you need to wash your hands depends on how much contact you have with other people and common high-touch surfaces, and also where you live, says Anne Liu, MD, an immunologist and infectious disease doctor and a clinical associate professor at Stanford Medicine in Palo Alto, California.

“If you’re home by yourself and you’re not going in and out, or you’re not around other people, then continue to wash your hands however you normally would. If you work at a hospital, supermarket, or a daycare, you would want to wash your hands very often,” says Dr. Liu.

How Long Can Germs Live on Your Hands?

When Should You Wash Your Hands?

• Before, during, and after preparing food
• Before and after eating
• Before and after taking care of someone who is sick
• Before and after treating a wound or cut
• After using the toilet
• After touching high-touch surfaces such as front door handles
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child or person who has used the toilet
• After blowing your nose, sneezing, or coughing
• After touching a pet or other animal, or animal feces
• After touching pet food or pet treats
• After touching garbage

What Are the Best Products for Handwashing?

A good old-fashioned soap-and-water wash is the best way to get rid of germs on your hands. Unless you work in a healthcare setting, there’s no need to use antibacterial soap.

Adds Liu, “Hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol is often more convenient and is very effective for those situations where you don’t have the time or access to a sink and soap and water.”

Many of us are using our phones constantly throughout the day, and as a result of that, they can carry thousands of germs. Correct cleaning and sanitization of your phone can help you stay protected.

How Many Germs Are on a Cell Phone?

How Frequently Should You Wipe Down Your Cell Phone?

How Long Can Germs Live on Your Cell Phone?

How long germs can live on your cell phone depends on many factors, such as the environment, how many germs are present, and the type of germ.

What Are the Best Products for Cleaning Your Cell Phone?

When you buy a new device, including a cell phone, you’ll usually find cleaning instructions in the pamphlet tucked inside the box. If you’ve thrown these materials out, look for info on the manufacturer’s website.

• If you can keep your phone in a wipeable cover, that’s always a good choice and can make it easier to clean, says Donelan.
• If you can’t find the manufacturer’s instructions, use an alcohol-based wipe or spray (spray onto a cloth rather than directly onto the phone) to disinfect touchscreens. Make sure the wipe or spray contains at least 70 percent alcohol.

Clothing doesn’t typically pose a high risk of germ transmission, but in certain situations you will want to wash things with more urgency than you typically would.

How Frequently Should You Wash Your Clothing?

How Long Can Germs Live on Your Clothing?

What Are the Best Products for Washing Your Clothes?

• Standard laundry detergent will rid your clothes of any germs.

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• Bleach isn’t always necessary (unless someone is sick with norovirus and clothes or sheets have been soiled with vomit or feces).
• If you have sensitive skin or allergies, find a product that is hypoallergenic, suggests Donelan.

You may want to clean your shoes if they are dirty or smelly, or if you’ve stepped in something nasty, but you aren’t going to catch a virus from your shoes, says Donelan.

How Frequently Should You Wash Your Shoes?

You really only need to wash your shoes when they’re soiled, says Donelan.

When Should You Wash Your Shoes?

You may want to wash shoes if they have a bad odor or have mud or debris on them, says Donelan. In that case, use a hose or cleaning tool to get any loose dirt off before you put shoes in the washing machine (once you check the cleaning information on the manufacturer’s website — some footwear shouldn’t go into the washing machine).

Is It Unsanitary to Wear Shoes in the House?

What Are the Best Products for Cleaning Your Shoes?

Many shoes that are made mostly of fabric can be put into the washing machine, says Donelan. Look at the shoe manufacturer’s website for instructions on how to best clean your shoes.

• Antibacterial wipes can be used to clean the soles of your shoes.
• Antibacterial spray or solution can be used on the soles of your shoes.

Read the instructions on the bottle to find out how long to leave cleaning solution on any surface, including shoe bottoms, before wiping it off. “You want to give the solution time to kill the virus or bacteria,” says Donelan.

Experts agree it’s important to clean and disinfect high-contact objects such as doorknobs in order to keep germs in check. But what does that mean in practice?

How Frequently Should You Wipe Down Doorknobs?

How Long Can Germs Live on Doorknobs?

What Are the Best Products for Disinfecting Your Doorknobs?

• Antibacterial wipes or sprays are good for cleaning high-touch surfaces such as doorknobs, says Donelan. Read the label to know how long the product needs to “dwell” or remain on the doorknob before you wipe it off.
• Alcohol solutions used to clean doorknobs should have at least 70 percent alcohol content.
• Diluted household bleach solutions are an option. The CDC suggests a ratio of 1/3 cup of bleach (containing 5.25 to 8.25 percent sodium hypochlorite) per gallon of water. Don’t use the solution after 24 hours because it becomes unstable and may not be effective. Again, make sure you let the solution remain on the doorknob for at least 1 minute.

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If you share a household with someone who is ill, you may be worried about whether you might get sick, too, from handling their bedding. The good news is you don’t need to be as concerned about soft surfaces like fabrics as much as hard, high-touch surfaces, says Liu.

To find out the best way to clean your bedsheets and comforters, follow the instructions on the tags. If those have been removed, go to the manufacturer’s website, says Donelan.

If sheets or blankets are heavily soiled (with vomit, for example), make sure you wear gloves when handling them, and scrape or rinse off any gunk before placing things in the wash. “Don’t shake the laundry of a sick person,” Donelan adds.

How Frequently Should You Wash Your Bedding?

How Long Can Germs Live on Your Bedding?

What Are the Best Products for Washing Your Bedding?

• Standard laundry detergent is the best way to wash bedding that can go into the washing machine, says Donelan.
• Unless the sheets have been soiled with vomit or feces (see above) follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the best temperature to wash your sheets.
• If bedding can’t go in a dryer, hang it outside on a clothesline or drape it over chairs to dry, suggests Donelan.

For disinfecting counters and other kitchen surfaces, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a useful infographic on how to utilize products effectively and safely.

How Often Should You Clean Your Kitchen?

The high-touch surfaces in your kitchen, such as light switches, door handles, refrigerator handles, and kitchen counters, should be cleaned daily.

What Is the Dirtiest Part of Your Kitchen?

What Are the Best Products for Cleaning Your Kitchen?

• First, use detergent or soap and water to clean any food particles or dust from the surface that you want to disinfect.
• Antibacterial sprays are good for cleaning countertops and sinks. Read the label to find out how long the product needs to remain on a surface before you wipe it off.
• Alcohol solutions used to clean kitchen areas should have at least 70 percent alcohol content.
• Diluted household unscented bleach solutions are an option. Use a ratio of 1/3 cup of bleach (containing 5.25 to 8.25 percent sodium hypochlorite) per gallon of water. Don’t use the solution after 24 hours.
• Don’t use any bleach solution on food.

It should come as no shock that keeping your bathroom clean and disinfected can help prevent the spread of disease. But you may be surprised to learn which spot in your bathroom has the most germs.

How Often Should You Clean Your Bathroom?

What Is the Dirtiest Part of Your Bathroom?

What Are the Best Products for Cleaning Your Bathroom?

• Antibacterial sprays are good for cleaning countertops and sinks. Read the label to learn how long the product needs to remain on a surface before you wipe it off.
• If you use an alcohol solution to clean the bathroom, make sure it has at least 70 percent alcohol content.
• Diluted household unscented bleach solutions can be utilized to clean bathroom areas. The ideal ratio is 1/3 cup bleach (containing 5.25 to 8.25 percent sodium hypochlorite) per gallon of water. Don’t use the solution after 24 hours, and make sure you let the solution remain on the area you want to disinfect for at least one minute before you wipe it away.

How Frequently Should You Wash Your Towels?

Use the sniff test: If a towel doesn’t smell good, you should throw it in the wash. As a rule, wash towels at least once a week and more frequently if you live in a humid climate or if you’re sick.

What Are the Best Products for Washing Your Towels?

• Standard laundry detergent is appropriate for washing towels.
• Follow the instructions on the care label of the towel, says Donelan.
• Wash the towels in the warmest temperature that is recommended and make sure you dry them thoroughly, she advises.

If you share an office, high-touch objects like coffee makers and copy machines will need special attention when it comes to killing germs.

How Often Should You Clean Your Office Space?

“If you’re in a workplace where people are sharing phones, computers, and keyboards, I think it’s advisable to wipe down those things before using them with an antibacterial wipe or a cleaning solution that’s safe for electronics and appliances,” Liu says.

What Are the Best Products for Cleaning Your Office?

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all cleaning and disinfecting products.
• A product containing 70 percent alcohol is best for cleaning computers.
• Avoid using household cleaners that contain bleach, peroxides, acetone, or ammonia, which could damage your computer, according to the University of Maryland Medical System.

Be sure to leave the product on as long as it takes to kill germs — read the product labeling, as these times can vary.

Your car is made up of different kinds of materials, both hard and soft, which require a variety of cleaning and disinfecting products and methods.

How to Disinfect Your Steering Wheel and Console

Look at the owner’s manual of your car for instructions on the best method for applying the cleaner, and look at the product’s label for recommended contact time before wiping off.

How Often Should You Clean Your Car?

If only you or members of your household use your car and no one is sick, then you can clean your car about as often as you would areas of your house — about once a week.

What Are the Best Products for Cleaning Your Car?

• Most parts of the interior of your car can be disinfected with an alcohol solution that contains at least 70 percent alcohol.
• Don’t use bleach solution or hydrogen peroxide on the inside of your car, because it can damage the upholstery.
• Most leather seats in cars have a protective product on top of the leather that makes it okay to wash them with an alcohol-based cleaner, but don’t overuse it. Applying a leather cleaner or conditioner afterward can help, according to Consumer Reports.
• For fabric seats, soap (but not too much soap — it can be hard to get rid of excess suds) and water will be sufficient to clean the area.
• Most car seats, booster seats, and seat belts can’t be disinfected, but they can be cleaned with mild detergent and water.
• Touch screens can be cleaned with wipes that are designed for electronics or a microfiber cloth with a little isopropyl alcohol.

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Germ-proofing your nursery is a crucial part of knowing how to disinfect your house after an illness or how to prevent the spread of sickness. A good rule of thumb is to avoid putting anything into a baby’s room if you aren’t sure how you would clean it if it got dirty, says Donelan.

How Often Should You Clean Your Baby’s Nursery?

You may have to wash the bedding in a nursery more often because of mishaps such as spit-up or a leaky diaper. Make sure you rid the sheet of any bodily fluids before you put it in the washing machine, says Donelan. “For the most part, you would wash the bedding the same way you would adult bedding. If your child has allergies or sensitive skin, you may want to use a product specifically made for babies,” she says.

High-touch areas such as light switches and doorknobs should be washed daily, just as in other areas of the house.

What Are the Best Products for Cleaning the Nursery?

• Most things that go into a baby’s room come with cleaning instructions, whether it’s a soft toy, a teething toy, or furniture and bedding, says Donelan.
• Although household bleach solutions can be used for hard surfaces in the baby’s nursery, note that bleach can irritate the lungs and damage skin, eyes, and clothing. Take care in mixing the solution — wear protective gloves and eyewear. The CDC suggests a ratio of 1/3 cup of bleach (containing 5.25 to 8.25 percent sodium hypochlorite) per gallon of water. Don’t use the solution after 24 hours because it becomes unstable and may not be effective.

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• Diluted bleach is also a choice for disinfecting washable, nonporous toys (made of materials that don’t stain), according to UT Southwestern Medical Center. After cleaning the toy of excess dirt, soak it in the bleach solution for five minutes. Rinse with water afterward and let dry fully before returning it to the nursery.
• Board books and wooden blocks shouldn’t be submerged in bleach solution or water, ever. Wipe these with an alcohol-based spray or wipe.

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How Often Should You Clean Your Remote Controls?

What Are the Best Products to Sanitize Your Remote Controls?

• Consult the EPA’s list of approved products.
• If you use a bleach solution, make sure to wipe the remote with a damp cloth afterward.
• If you opt for bleach- or alcohol-based wipes, the solutions should contain at least 70 percent alcohol.
• Wipe the remote with a cleaning solution rather than spraying it directly.
• If you are unsure if a product is safe to use when cleaning your remote, look at the owner’s guide or the product website.

How Often Should You Clean a Backpack?

There’s no hard-and-fast rule, but the more you use it, the more often you should wash or clean it. Spot clean your backpack with gentle detergent if it looks soiled.

Can You Put a Backpack in the Washing Machine?

Most soft items have labels with laundering instructions, but backpacks may not, says Donelan. “Go to the product website and see if they have any instructions there,” she suggests.

Most soft items can handle going into a laundry or washing machine. Try to use the warmest possible water that’s allowed for that product, says Donelan. If you do wash your backpack in the washing machine, follow the product instructions on drying — many backpacks should be air-dried and not be placed in the dryer.

What Are the Best Products for Cleaning Your Backpack?

• For machine-washable backpacks, a standard laundry detergent is the best option.
• For nonwashable backpacks, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on safe ways to clean your bag.

How to Disinfect Your Airplane Seat

Any nonporous (not fabric) surfaces such as the seat, armrests, seat belts, touchscreens, and light and air controls can be disinfected with alcohol-based wipes or solutions that are at least 70 percent alcohol. Make sure you let the surface stay wet for as long as the labeling on the wipes recommends, otherwise they won’t work.

How to Disinfect Your Airplane Tray

Airline trays are nonporous and can be disinfected with the appropriate EPA-recommended product. Make sure you leave the disinfecting product on the tray surface for the amount of time recommended on the label.

What Are the Best Products for Disinfecting Airplane Seats and Trays?

• Antibacterial wipes that are at least 70 percent alcohol, or a diluted bleach solution, can be used to disinfect the airplane seat if it is nonporous (vinyl, for example).
• Donelan suggests using “homemade” bacterial wipes if you don’t have access to prepackaged wipes. “You can use sturdy paper towels that have been placed in a diluted bleach or alcohol solution. Keep the wipes in a baggie, and remember, bleach solutions don’t last longer than 24 hours,” she says.
• Clean touchscreens with an alcohol-based wipe or recommended EPA product.

The Takeaway

• Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces regularly removes viruses and bacteria, reducing the spread of illnesses.
• Handwashing is crucial, especially before eating, after using the restroom, or after touching shared surfaces. Soap and water are best.
• High-contact items should be cleaned frequently. Use alcohol-based wipes or sprays (at least 70 percent alcohol) for phones and doorknobs.