Since the COVID-19 outbreak, people’s collective concern for cleanliness and personal hygiene has reached an all-time high. Although it’s been more than a year since the pandemic, people remain to be conscious of their health and safety against the imminent risks of COVID-19.

Life during a pandemic means staying home for as long as possible. But in order to survive, you have to go outside to buy necessities and replenish food supplies and medicine. Taking trips to the outside world can be very dangerous since the pandemic is still going on. Every time you go out, you’re risking yourself, your family, and your house from the virus, which you may randomly acquire in public places.

In a 2020 survey by Ferguson, COVID-19 has encouraged a renewed interest in house renovations, particularly kitchen remodeling and bathroom upgrades. The reason behind this is the increasing concern toward food safety and personal hygiene during a health crisis.

Pandemic or not, it’s important to do some simple upgrades to ensure your home is safe from bacteria, viruses, and other health risks. With that in mind, here are basic ways to protect your home from COVID-19.

Kitchen

A lot of time is spent on preparing meals, so it’s important to be consistent when it comes to food preparation. Most of the items you’ll buy will go straight to the kitchen, which includes ingredients, fruits, and take-out meals.

You need to have a plan and get organized for your grocery shopping to lessen trips. Start by ordering food supplies good for seven days and make the most of the leftovers by making new meals out of them. Another way is to buy ingredients ideal for multiple recipes, such as chicken breast, frozen fish, and vegetables (e.g. broccoli, cabbage, and kale). These foods will last longer than other leafy greens such as arugula and spinach.

When bringing foods from the grocery, make sure to wash them thoroughly. A great tip is to divide cleaning products into three categories: daily, weekly, and backup. Cleaning products for daily and weekly use should be under the sink for easy access while backup cleaning items should be in the tall shelf, auxiliary closet, or laundry room.

Besides grocery items, make sure to clean the countertop regularly before and after using. Take time to clean the pantry to make way for new food supplies and get rid of expired goods. While you’re at it, arrange the pantry by grouping things together and putting frequently used items at eye level for easy access.

Bathroom

Touchless faucets are a common feature for public restrooms found in malls, hotels, restaurants, and healthcare facilities. You may also consider getting one for your home to lessen high-touch surfaces. Installing touchless faucets make a great DIY home improvement, but you may seek the help of a professional plumber to ensure quality work.

No knobs and handles will decrease the chances of cross-contamination when washing hands or cleaning messy foods. You can install this for the bathroom, kitchen, and other places with a sink.

Besides touchless faucets, you may consider installing automatic soap dispensers with sensors. Touchless dispensers work similarly to touchless faucets since they minimize surface contact when hand-washing. You can choose between a commercial-grade dispenser that requires installation or a battery-operated model for a cheaper alternative.

If you want a fully contact-free bathroom, why not take it to the next level by installing a touchless toilet and bidet? Smart toilets today are fully equipped with advanced features, such as touchless flushing, Bluetooth connectivity, digital controls, and self-cleaning features to handle toilet-scrubbing duties.

You can also find toilets with integrated bidet functionality, a more hygienic alternative to tissue paper. Other options include advanced flushing features, hydrophilic or hydrophobic glazes, and specialized cleaning solutions.

Other areas of the house

Light switches are one of the filthiest surfaces in your home, with every occupant touching them multiple times each day. You can just imagine the number of germs lurking on those surfaces every time you turn on or off the lights.

Take advantage of smart technology by installing touchless illumination in place of light switches. This will not only reduce germ transmission but also allow you to control the lighting system and cut down energy costs.

Another contact-free tool is the smart door lock and digital keypad that eliminates surface contact. Other features include voice activation, biometric identifiers, and keyless options.

If you want to invest in other touchless smart appliances, you may want to consider hands-free trash cans, robot vacuums, and refrigerators with touchless openings.

As countries continue to ramp vaccine rollouts, it’s still important that we take extra measures in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in our communities. This will not only protect your home from viruses but also other health threats. As you keep these habits in mind, make sure to put them into practice to make your home a safer sanctuary.