It’s easy to believe that just a simple wipe down with soap and water can really give your home and the things inside of it a real, good clean. For most of my adult life, I did just that. Soap cleans things, right? But, that’s not exactly the truth. Doing a deep clean and sanitation can help prevent the spread of germs, viruses, and harmful diseases. Adding a few of these sanitizing products to your cleaning routine can keep you and your family healthy, even if it takes a few extra minutes to really go to town and clean the crap out of your things. No one ever said staying healthy was a cake walk, my friend. We’ve broken it down by all the surfaces in your home, including some of the things you use every day.
FOR YOUR GADGETS
What do Phone screens, laptops, and TV screens all have in common? Most of them harbor tons of germs and are rarely (if ever) actually wiped clean. These individually-wrapped wipes were made especially for electronics, so they’ll get rid of dirt and germs without damaging the delicate screens or buttons. Keep them in your bag, desk drawer, and around the house for easy access. Realistically, you can use any disinfectant wipe on your gadgets, but those can leave streaks or excess fluid can seep into the electronics.
FOR YOUR HANDS
Look, it’s common sense to say that you should be washing your hands, and yet here we are. Washing your hands is the first line of defense in spreading germs and keeping you and the people around you healthy. And, because you’ll be washing your hands much more frequently and for longer periods of time during flu season or when a pandemic breaks out, you’ll want one that won’t dry you out. This hand wash has both moisturizing and antibacterial properties.
FOR YOUR SOFT SURFACES
Furniture like couches and beds need some special attention as well. This antibacterial fabric spray will keep your soft surfaces clean. It kills 99.9% of bacteria, including odor-causing bacteria, which means not only will your furniture look clean, it’ll smell clean, too. Who doesn’t want that? You can even use it on clothing, towels, or car seats — it’s designed to penetrate into any soft fabric.
FOR YOUR FLOORS
Stocking up on a good floor cleaner is never a bad idea. Mop your floors with this classic cleaner as part of your normal cleaning routine. You can even use this on other hard surfaces like kitchen counters and bathroom tile. It has a light scent of lemon, so your home will smell fresh and bright, not chemical-like and harsh.
FOR A REUSABLE OPTION
Looking for a reusable and sustainable way to keep things clean? Branch Basics has you covered. I got a chance to test the Starter Kit from Branch Basics, where you get three empty spray bottles, a laundry detergent bottle, a hand soap foaming bottle, and one 33 oz. bottle of The Concentrate. “All you have to do is fill the bottles up to the demarcated lines with water, then add concentrate to the corresponding line as well (each bottle is different). That’s it. Then you’ll have fragrance-free, streak-free glass cleaner, bathroom cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, foaming soap, and laundry detergent, with plenty of extra concentrate to spare (which can then be reordered).”
FOR YOUR DISHES
Scouted Contributor Wendy Rose Gould says “she can’t stop spraying” this. It’s her go to, paired with “a nice scrubber,” for “eliminating the bulk of her dishwashing dread.” She insists that it “works better than any dishwashing product [she’s] tried,” and best of all “it’s refillable,” too.
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