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Friday, March 20, 2020

How To Protect Against Viruses By Cleaning

Basic science related to disease

It's long been known that diseases can come from urine or feces. This means both human and animal.  

In Hawaii many years ago,  Hawaiians making poi would throw out entire batch if a fly landed on it.  

The Navajo have long known and protected against a severe illness caused by mice urine and droppings.  

Chihuahuas and rat terriers were bred to go after rodents.  It's known that the Black Plague transmits via fleas off rodents.  There are few cases yearly in New Mexico of Y Pestis.  

We have several recalls and outbreaks yearly of e coli from produce,  usually caused by fecal contamination in field from human or animal.  

And those clear, pure mountain springs often have caused a parasite infection by contamination of feces or animal contamination upstream.  

Typhoid and dysentery killed so many in times before modern plumbing.  

Wounds and infections killed so many before washing hands and sterilizing medical instruments.  

Virus mutates to adapt to environment.  But it's essy to kill if you're through. 

Bar of soap,  bleach,  ammonia,  lysol.  These are common inexpensive items.  There's no need to use excessive amounts.  

Most people don't regard bleach or ammonia as dangerous.  Yet they kill several people a year.  

Chemical safety for cleaning is ABC. Each cleaner with Ammonia,  Bleach,  or cleanser  cannot be mixed with each other.  Dishsoap contains ammonia.  Another cleaning tool to use carefully is oven cleaner or toilet bowl cleaner.  They usually contain lye. Safety is not mixing cleaners.  

I suggest using boiling hot water to rinse or scald dishes,  glasses,  and silverware.  Alternatively,  use a sink with bleach 1 cup bleach to 9 cups water to sanitize.  Don't share cups,  silver,  plates,  or bowls.  Don't reuse that serving spoon or knives.  

My go to method of overall disinfecting is a 5 gallon ice cream pail with bleach water,  and an old clean sock from the discard or socks with holes.  Wipe every hard or plastic surface.  I start in one corner and go around entire room,  bottom to top,  in a circle.  The easiest method to do walls and doors is a bucket and sponge mop.  

While fabric holds virus least,  you can still safely clean carpet and furniture with a carpet cleaner or a bucket of dawn dish soap and water.  And change and wash bedding daily if someone in house has a virus.  

You can make your own disinfectant sprays for commonly used surfaces and use after you've sanitized the  place with bucket and cloth.  Label bottles with different color electrical tape for safety.  

The most common missed surfaces are table and chair legs,  or underside and backs of tables and chairs.  And yes don't forget appliances, lights,  vehicles,  phones.  

A bar of soap and a bottle of water in your vehicle is safer than many hand sanitizers.  Wave hands in air rather than using a towel

Where did I learn all this?  I was often very ill from simple cold or flu as a child.  NY grandmother did all these when I was ill so I didn't keep reinfecting myself or others.  My first husband worked as an operating room tech and he often cleaned surgical beds.  When he worked second shift,  I'd help him so that as newlyweds we had more time together.  I later checked these with medical professionals and my science instructor who had a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Michigan.  

Feel free to check these procedures with someone who is a medical professional or has degrees in related fields.