Stop the Spread: What to Clean Before Reentering Your Apartment

With Canada and its respective provinces beginning their reopening process following the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s time for renters to begin educating themselves on what to clean before reentering an apartment. 

While some of it may seem obvious, there are a lot of things we take for granted about our own cleanliness that, in truth, we could all do better on. Here’s a quick rundown of the most common items you might forget to clean before reentering your apartment - and why they’re also the most important ones!

The first, and most obvious, is to wash your hands. If you’ve been paying attention to the coronavirus pandemic at all, this shouldn’t be news, but it bears repeating because of how important it is. Always clean your hands either before reentering your apartment with hand sanitizer or immediately upon returning with soap and water.

After returning home from a trip to anywhere other people have been - that means basically any trip at all - you should clean your cellphone. A Canadian cellphone study in 2018 showed that nearly 90% of the population owns a smartphone, and over half of us habitually check it before bed. That means we’re likely touching it while we’re out, too, so making sure to use disinfectant wipes on your cellphone will help ensure you’re following best practice for stopping the spread of coronavirus.

Another item that you’ve definitely touched before getting a chance to wash your hands upon returning home is your keys. Because they’re practically guaranteed to have been exposed to whatever your hands have had on them, they’re a lock for requiring cleaning.

Finally, before taking a load off after a journey to the grocery store or to any of the locations allowing visitors now that social distancing practices have been put in place, it’s worth considering disinfecting and cleaning your door knob or door handle. This goes double for the one on the inside of your apartment door, as it won't be part of regular cleaning schedules in your apartment building. Given that the virus can live for quite a while on surfaces depending on their material, it’s important to make sure you’re not setting yourself up for risks hours or even days later.

As businesses begin to reopen and public life resumes, keep these tips in mind to help maintain a safe and clean apartment.