Solutions to make your environment safer against COVID-19
Efika Health wants to offer you a moment of prevention in our fight against COVID-19. The term “cleaning” implies removing germs and dirt from surfaces or objects. Although it doesn't eliminate them completely, it only reduces their number. “Disinfection,” on the other hand, refers to the elimination of harmful microorganisms and preventing their growth.
Therefore, it is advisable to clean and disinfect daily, in the different rooms, the surfaces frequently touched by your family at home, such as: door handles, electronic equipment including telephones and different types of touch or keyboard computers, switches, sinks, furniture, etc.
In the sleeping or bathroom area used exclusively by sick individuals: ensure that cleaning is done only as frequently as necessary to avoid excessive contact with the person in that condition. Since this person should remain in a specific room and maintain a certain distance, it is recommended that your care not only be medical but also include good communication so they feel cared for and included.
It is recommended to provide the sick person with what they need to clean and disinfect the room, as well as after each use of the bathroom, unless the room is occupied by a child or another person who is unable to care for themselves. If there is no other bathroom, the sick person can clean and disinfect after each use. If this is not possible, the caregiver should wait a suitable amount of time before cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces after the bathroom has been used.
Remember, beyond prevention and action measures, there is the love we can provide to our loved ones during their recovery.
Care during the time of COVID-19
Cleaning products are very useful and indispensable chemical substances,
Especially during this pandemic, it's essential to understand the risks of improper use. Using substances approved by health authorities correctly is safe and effective against viruses and bacteria without the need to mix products that could be harmful.
Using cleaning products without reading their instructions and, even worse,
experiment, in search of greater effectiveness in its cleaning functions and
Disinfection can lead to mixing them, either on one's own initiative or following suggestions from unauthorized persons, and this can be highly dangerous.
Chemists have warned that even using a product on a surface after cleaning it with another product could cause accidents. Because of this, the American Chemical Society (AMS) has issued warnings about these dangers, specifying the risks of mixing the substances contained in the products.
Among the most widely used substances, due to their high effectiveness, is what is commonly known as "chlorine." This is actually a solution of sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) dissolved in water at a concentration between 5% and 6.5%. This product is also known as bleach and is used as a cleaning, disinfecting, and bleaching agent in homes, hospitals, and other settings. Some of the potentially dangerous mixtures that can be made with "chlorine" are the following:
- Chlorine with ammonia
When chlorine is combined with another product containing ammonia ( NH3 ), a very rapid chemical reaction occurs, forming a highly toxic gas called chloramine ( NH2Cl ). Chloramine can cause respiratory damage and, upon contact with our body water, forms hydrochloric acid, which causes burns to the skin and mucous membranes. This mixture can also form free radicals that damage cells.
- Chlorine with vinegar
This is another dangerous mixture because vinegar contains acetic acid which, when it reacts with sodium hypochlorite, produces chlorine gas ( Cl₂ ) and peracetic acid. Chlorine gas can cause coughing and difficulty breathing, and when it comes into contact with the water present in the mucous membranes of the nose, mouth, and eyes, it can generate hydrochloric acid, which would damage the membranes, causing serious chemical burns or injuries.
- Chlorine and alcohol gel (hand sanitizer)
When these two products are mixed, the sodium hypochlorite reacts with the alcohol in the gel, forming compounds such as hydrochloric acid, chloroacetone, or chloroform, which are rapidly absorbed through the skin. All of these fumes can cause eye damage, irritation, dryness, and skin allergies, and can also affect the lungs, kidneys, liver, and nervous system.
- Chlorine and hydrogen peroxide
When chlorine (sodium hypochlorite) and hydrogen peroxide are mixed, both compounds react, producing chlorates and chlorine gas, substances that can affect the mucous membranes, causing damage to the eyes, throat, and lungs.
- Chlorine and detergents
Chlorine mixed with some detergents can produce dangerous chemical reactions, especially when these detergents are acidic, such as those used to clean the bathroom, since this mixture generates chlorine gas that affects the eyes, throat and skin.
- Chlorine and hot water
Mixing chlorine with hot water is also dangerous, since when the sodium hypochlorite solution is heated, the chlorine can be released in its gaseous form, and this can cause coughing, body aches, and damage to the respiratory tract.
In addition to mixtures with chlorine, there are other combinations of products that are also dangerous, such as the following:
- Vinegar and hydrogen peroxide
When these two products are mixed, the acetic acid in vinegar reacts with hydrogen peroxide (oxygenated water) to form peracetic acid, which is dangerous because it is extremely corrosive and causes severe irritation and burns to the skin and affects the eyes, throat, nose and lungs.
- Vinegar and baking soda.
When vinegar (acetic acid) and sodium bicarbonate are mixed, a chemical reaction occurs between an acid (vinegar) and a base (sodium bicarbonate), forming a salt (sodium acetate), water, and a gas (carbon dioxide). This combination can be explosive if done in a closed container.
Knowing these risks well, we encourage you to use all cleaning products appropriately, simply by following their instructions and taking basic precautions, such as wearing gloves and exercising the delicate care required when handling any chemical substance with special properties.
References
Available on the internet:
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/pressroom/reactions/videos/2020/youre-using-disinfectants-wrong-heres-what-you-actually-need-to-do.html