Most of us love the holidays. We love the time spent with family and friends. The last thing we want to think about is getting sick!
How to keep healthier this holiday season (and the rest of the year, too!)
These days our health is one of our greatest assets. Even when we have nothing else, if we have our health, we can count ourselves fortunate. Although concerns about COVID-19 are mostly things we look back on with sad remembrance, the disease, and its variants are still in existence. We also have the "regular" flu and cold that are still out there, too. If there was only one thing that COVID-19 taught us, it is that good hygiene, mask-wearing, and staying home when sick keeps us much healthier.
Another step that kept us healthier was frequent disinfection of high-contact surfaces.
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Seven tips to keep healthier this season
While there are many tips out there to keep you healthier, here are seven that are fairly common, no-nonsense ways to avoid influenza or other viral infections this holiday.
Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently with soap and warm water throughout the day.
Avoid touching your eyes, mouth, and nose without first washing your hands.
Use hand sanitizer (if soap and water aren’t available).
Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze.
Stay home if you believe you’re sick.
Avoid contact with those who are sick.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work, or school, especially when someone is ill.
Speaking of disinfecting, let's talk about and how it can help you keep your home, office, church, and other gathering places much safer.
How can Goldshield give you a "cleaner" home?
Goldshield86 is an all-purpose cleaner that is also an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered disinfectant. It can be used on most surfaces to clean, sanitize and disinfect. Because it kills 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2 (the COVID-19 virus), without harsh chemicals, noxious odors, harmful residues, or alarming safety warnings, you can feel safe using it in your home and other meeting places. It is also safe to use around pets and for disinfecting food preparation areas. Speaking of food preparation areas, that brings us to our second topic.
How to keep your food prep areas healthier
You may not know this, but there is a difference between cleaning and sanitizing. Just because something is "cleaned" or looks clean, does not mean it is sanitized or disinfected. While your kitchen counter looks clean, it may still be covered in germs and bacteria.
Three processes are typically employed, starting with cleaning, followed by sanitizing, and concluding with disinfection.
Cleaning is basically the process of removing debris and germs. It does not kill pathogens. It is the first step in preventing foodborne illness, though. Sanitizing is the process of reducing germs. Some areas that should be sanitized include:
Cutting boards
Countertops, prep-tables, work surfaces
Food-contact equipment (can openers, slicers, grinders, mixers, etc.)
Dishes and utensils
Refrigeration units
Beverage and ice equipment
Goldshield is ideal for sanitizing these items and areas as it is food safe. It is considered a "no-rinse required" food contact surface sanitizer. It works fast and is effective!
Disinfecting is the process of killing germs. Our specialty lies in eradicating germs, bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Goldshield products can help provide a safe, germ-free holiday season for lasting memories without the worry of illness.
Five Steps to Effectively Clean and Sanitize or Disinfect
Your home kitchen deserves the same treatment as a food prep area in a restaurant. Here are the steps to follow to keep your kitchen clean and free of pathogens. 1. PREPARE THE SURFACE Before you break out your cleaning supplies, brush off any loose debris or food particles from the surface (like a countertop) or item (like a plate), and dispose of them. You can use a paper towel or wet microfiber cloth to remove the debris and soak up any spills or wet messes. 2. CLEAN THE SURFACE Use a surface-safe cleaning solution to help dissolve any persistent food and residue, and dirt. Goldshield All Purpose Cleaner can be used in this pre-cleaning step. Unlike harsh conventional cleaners like bleach, Goldshield can be used on virtually every surface type, including wood, natural stone, stainless steel, concrete, glass, laminate, tile, and more.
3. RINSE THE SURFACE (IF NEEDED) If you used Goldshield to clean, you can SKIP the rinse!
Rinse the surface with water to remove the residual cleaning solution. Rinsing is necessary because cleaning chemicals are not compatible with sanitizers and disinfectants. If they combine, the sanitizer won’t be able to do its job, or worse, mixing chemicals can have disastrous effects.
4. SANITIZE and DISINFECT THE SURFACE After thoroughly cleaning, se Goldshield 86 Disinfectant Spray or pre-moistened wipes on every surface. This simple no-rinse, food contact surface disinfecting product sets the standard for convenience and ease of use for all.
5. ALLOW THE SURFACE TO DRY Air-drying might seem trivial and time-consuming. However, this is an essential step of sanitizing and disinfecting. Typically, sanitizers require an average of 60 seconds of contact to kill germs on the surface, and disinfectants can take up to 10 minutes. Always read the product’s label before use to determine the appropriate drying time.
Don't FORGET!
For added protection up to 90 days, follow with Goldshield Antimicrobial Surface Agent.
Finally...
Have a happy and safe holiday season. Create a new tradition this year and give everyone the gift of Goldshield Surface Cleaning System!