Is cleaning important? Yes. It is always an advantage to have a good standard of hygiene, especially food hygiene and hand hygiene, as it is not only aesthetically pleasing but also help reduce the risk of infections. And would save you from a whole lot of trouble and pain in the future. As an old adage says, “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure,” like proper hand washing, cleaning is a preventative measure against disease-causing microorganisms or pathogens. As defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cleaning is the removal of foreign materials, organic and inorganic matters, from objects or surfaces, and is normally accomplished using water with detergents or enzymatic agents [1]. It can effectively reduce the number and types of microorganism or microbial load on soiled items or surfaces and help prevent transmission of harmful microorganism. In addition, thorough cleaning is important before disinfection and sterilization, as organic and inorganic matters can act like a protective barrier for microorganisms.
As mentioned, other meticulous processes of reducing and eliminating pathogens are disinfection and sterilization. Disinfection describes a process that eliminates many or all pathogenic microorganism, except bacterial spores, on in animate objects, while sterilization describes a process that destroys or eliminates all forms of microbial life [2].
Not all items and surfaces in the house needed thorough cleaning, disinfection or sterilization. A rational approach in cleaning the house or housekeeping could be understood through considering 2 factors: the risk of infection and the microbial load. Consider the kitchen area, surfaces, items and equipment have been use in food preparation which will have contact with mucous membrane, specifically gastrointestinal tract, so any microbial contamination could transmit disease (risk of infection) hence it needs to be kept clean and disinfected periodically. Generally, intact mucous membrane of our gastrointestinal tract is resistant to infection by common spores but susceptible to other microorganisms, such as bacteria, mycobacteria and viruses. For example, strep throat a common illness that induces pain in the throat brought by inflammation mechanism caused by Streptococcus bacteria possibly transmitted via contaminated glassware or indirect contact of contaminated knobs while handling and ingesting foods (secondary transmission). Another important area to be kept clean is the bathroom as such area have a high microbial load, as wet environment is conducive to bacterial growth. The high microbial load is a result of an activity designated for that area, which is the natural process of living organism’s final act of digestion, thus it is a priority to maintain a good standard of cleanliness and disinfection. In case, one is short on time areas like kitchen and bathroom should be given first attention when it comes to good hygiene.
For sterilization, it is not necessary unless you have a household member who is immuno-compromised or has a weakened immune system, that would be either the very young or old and/or in convalescent. Sterilizing of feeding items at least once daily, is important when you have a baby younger than 3 months, or was born prematurely, as infants at this age have not fully developed their immune system yet, so extra protection is a necessity.
General rule in cleaning always start from cleanest then to dirtiest, from top to bottom; and use the right cleaning agents, concentration, exposure time and safety precautions.
A simple schedule could provide a clear and logical flow in cleaning and disinfecting one’s home. Here is a Simple Cleaning Schedule:
I hope this blog post leave some useful understanding about appropriate practice of cleanliness or good hygiene. If you like this article and this type of information please follow and support this blog. And please feel free to leave any comments, questions, suggestions and reactions. I always want to know what you think.
For the next blog post, it would be in synergy with this post and would tackle essential household cleaning supplies.
As always keep it clean and simple.
References
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Accessed March 16, 2016.). Guidelines for environmental infection control in health-care facilities: recommendations of CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC). MMWR 2003; 52 (No. RR-10): 1–48. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/pdf/guidelines/eic_in_HCF_03.pdf [PDF-5M].
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Last Updated February 2017.). Guidelines for Disinfection and Sterilization in Healthcare Facilities, 2008. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/disinfection/
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