How do you disinfect a home office? Tips for protecting yourself from coronavirus
As the coronavirus spreads, schools and companies have opened up the option to work remotely.
While at home, you may want to disinfect your computer and other electronics.
That’s because the virus can linger on objects and hard surfaces, health officials say. When someone touches a contaminated area and then his or her face, “it may be possible” to get COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How can you clean your home office?
To help protect against coronavirus, health officials recommend sanitizing electronics, desks and other household items that are frequently touched.
Before cleaning computers, they should be turned off and unplugged, according to technology companies Apple and Dell.
While disinfecting, the CDC encourages people to follow instructions from the makers of each device. If those tips aren’t available, “wear disposable gloves” and “use alcohol-based wipes or sprays containing at least 70% alcohol” to kill germs, according to health officials.
A mix of alcohol and water is recommended because other chemicals have the potential to damage computer parts, such as the mouse and keyboard, according to Wired magagzine. To remove dirt before disinfecting, the news outlet says people can shake the devices or use a can of compressed air.
“Keyboards and mice aren’t usually waterproofed in the same way that phones are, so keep moisture to a minimum and make sure you properly dry everything off,” Wired reported.
For devices with touch screens, the CDC encourages people to consider attaching covers that can be wiped clean.
Health officials say touching surfaces “is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.” It mainly spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes, releasing droplets that can end up in the mouth or nose of a person nearby or inhaled, according to the CDC.
This story was originally published March 30, 2020 at 4:05 PM with the headline "How do you disinfect a home office? Tips for protecting yourself from coronavirus."
