Since March, I’ve been working as I normally do. I’ve answered calls and set appointments for furniture and floor cleanings. I’ve done some demolition work too.

However, life for my family is far from normal. Like most people they have adapted to socializing via Zoom. As for me I’ve had less commercial jobs due to many businesses operating at a minimum and I’ve had a weird bout of scam calls during the pandemic. I am sure you have too. Unfortunately, I even turned away an actual customer because I thought he was a solicitor.

Everyday I read updates on Arizona’s coronavirus cases and deaths. Of late, the increase of cases has alarmed me. I’m concerned about how contagious this virus is. What’s even more perplexing is that the virus is so new that experts are still trying to understand how it spreads. The guidelines offered by the CDC and public health experts have been helpful in how to protect oneself. But there are a few questions I think about when I am not at home.

What is the likelihood of get infected from passing by someone?

If someone has the coronavirus and I am nearby will I get infected? Here’s what I found from the Center for Disease Control. The risks of getting the coronavirus depends on the amount of time spent with an infected person, the amount of viral droplets projected by an infected person and the contact made with an infected surface and then making contact with one’s face.

What exactly is a viral droplet?

My wife who often talks about what she learned in her microbiology class stated that a virus has to attach to a living host in order to survive. A viral droplet is desperately looking to cling onto a living cell; saliva or mucus. Research showed that viral droplets can be suspended like aerosols up to thirty minutes. This explains how the virus can easily spread in a crowd of people. The virus does not hang out in the air long enough to be a risk to most people. But I rather be safe than get sick. So I wear the personal protective equipment in public. The mask my mother-in-law made for me has an added disposable paper filter for a third layer of protection.

How safe is it to do residential cleaning?

Well, there are risks but here is what I am doing to be safe.

1. Elite employees wear personal protective equipment (i.e., disposable gloves, shoe covers and masks when appropriate). Plus, I carry hand sanitizer clipped to my belt since I use it several times during the day.
2. We keep our physical interactions to a bare minimum and maintain appropriate social distancing. In addition, I can take payment over the phone, to minimize contact.
3. We are doing our due diligence in cleaning our equipment. After all, we are in the business of cleaning and we are aware of the importance of disinfecting high touch areas.
4. After every service, we throw out our used gloves. We are using hand sanitizers when we cannot wash our hands. As much as you DON’T want to contract the coronavirus we equally don’t want to get it.

According to the CDC, cleaning of visibly dirty surfaces followed by disinfection is a best practice measure for the prevention of COVID-19 and other viral respiratory illnesses. While there is currently no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted from upholstery or carpet to people, it might be a preemptive measure against the virus from spreading. Both hard and soft surfaces can be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized with hot water and a good disinfectant.

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