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Cleanliness tips for leaving the house during the pandemic

Always wear a face mask when leaving your house.
Always wear a face mask when leaving your house.

Healthy sanitary practices start and end with you. With the coronavirus lockdown, it is imperative that we all abide by rules and regulations. The majority of the things we might have done in our daily lives such as socializing or going to work can be replaced virtually. Having said that, there are certain aspects of our lives that still require us to leave our homes.

Below are a few FAQs for safely leaving your house.

I am leaving my house to get groceries. What things I should take with me?

First and foremost, always remember to wear a mask when you leave the house. You can also wear gloves to protect your hands from potential exposure. By wearing a mask and gloves, you are protecting yourself and others around you from possible transmission. When at the supermarket, be sure to observe a safe social distance of 1.5 meters with others around you. Lastly, pack a small bottle of sanitizer or hand wipes.

I am in the check-out queue. What about the potential germs on the ATM machine?

When you are in the check-out line ready to pay, be sure to use sanitizer after using the card machine. Usually, there is hand sanitizer available at the counter for you to use. If not, pack a small bottle.

I wore gloves when I was in the supermarket. I do not want to put those same gloves on while I’m driving in fear of spreading the germs around my car. What do I do?

Before leaving the house, pack a small bag to leave in the trunk of your car. Before putting in groceries, place your used gloves in the bag. Be sure to sanitize your hands before placing groceries into your car trunk.

Once you get home, you can go back and wipe the interior of your car with a disinfectant wipe. This includes the steering wheel, car stereo, or any surface you may have touched in your car after going to the supermarket.

I am back from the supermarket. What about the potential germs on my groceries?

For items that are fresh produce or in plastic packaging, be sure to wash them in your kitchen sink with warm water and soap. For items that are made of cardboard, like cereal boxes, gently wipe them down with an anti-bacterial wipe.

How can I make sure that the clothes and shoes that I wear out to the supermarket are not bringing in any germs back into my house?

Leave your shoes outside your home at your doorstep. Try and wear one pair of shoes when leaving the house to decrease exposure around your house. As for your clothing, be sure to change into another pair of fresh clothes. Place the clothes you wore outside in the laundry to be washed.