With social distancing and stay-at-home orders keeping most of us in one place, there are still a few necessities we need to get to. Prescription medications, toiletries, and groceries are things that we’ll always need, no matter what’s going on outside. But as we move into the peak of the pandemic, we need to be more cautious than ever. The CDC is even recommending that we all start to wear cloth face coverings in public settings to enhance the effects of social distancing measures that are harder to control in these settings.
Keeping six feet away from others, washing your hands more frequently, and having groceries delivered or only going to the grocery store when you absolutely have to are all very helpful. The only problem is, we may need to do more. What we do with those groceries and prescriptions once we pick them up or have them delivered is also important.
Corvus Janitorial Systems is here with recommendations on how to safely bring your groceries into your home once you have them:
Set Some Items Aside for Now
The COVID-19 virus can live on plastic and metal for up to three days and cardboard for up to 24 hours. In order to truly be as safe as we can be, it may be best to leave your groceries and the bags or boxes they were carried in somewhere that you can come back to later. This might be your garage, the back porch, or your doorstep if you trust your neighbors.
Any of the groceries that you can live without for the next few days, set them aside until they’re a bit safer to handle. Boxes of pasta, canned fruits and vegetables, and all other non-perishable items will be waiting there for you when the day (or three) has passed. We’ll talk about what to do with the refrigerated and frozen items next.
Sanitize and Organize All of the Items You Need to Bring Inside
Use your preferred disinfecting wipe, or make one with a paper towel and a disinfecting spray, to wipe down the plastic bags, cans, and cardboard packaging that your food came in. For things like cereals, granola bars, snacks, and meats, you can transfer them to other containers like bowls with lids, Ziploc containers, and snack bags. Once you’ve moved them, you can dispose of the packaging right away and wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.
You can also thoroughly rinse all of your produce after removing it from the plastic bags, dispose of the bags, and move it to another container. If you’re short on storage items, this sanitize and organize technique will still work. Things like frozen pizzas, breakfast bars, and cereals come with a second layer of packing inside, so just get rid of the outside layer and move on to the next item.
Clean Your Cloth/Reusable Bags
If possible, leave them out for a day or two first, and then clean your reusable grocery bags so they’re ready for your next trip. Some reusable bags are sturdy and durable enough to be thrown into the washer with similar items, but most will be fine with just a quick wipe down with a Clorox wipe or diluted bleach solution on a paper towel.
Each of these precautions is incredibly useful in the fight against the coronavirus. While it might seem like overkill to some, small changes often make big differences, and following through on simple precautionary measures may make all of the difference in the end. After taking each of these steps, be sure to wash your hands and any surfaces that you touched, too. And on that note, we have one more measure to recommend: when you have your groceries delivered, pay and tip through the website or app (use a debit or credit card in stores) so you don’t have to handle any cash and take advantage of their “leave at the door” delivery option. These additional steps are not only meant to protect you and your family but your delivery person, too.
For more information and resources relating to COVID-19, visit our coronavirus response page here.
This piece is meant simply to inform, not to provide any legal or medical advice.
About Corvus Janitorial Systems
Founded in 2004 to make people’s lives better, Corvus is a full-service commercial cleaning franchisor that offers cleaning services through reputable local Franchisees. Corvus has been guided by its mission to transform people and transform places by consistently delivering independence, security, and freedom to Franchisees who deliver high-quality cleaning to offices, educational buildings, medical buildings/offices, recreational centers, industrial parks, and other spaces. The company has 17 regional support offices across the United States with nearly 900 Franchisees. For more information regarding Corvus, visit www.corvusjanitorial.com or www.corvusjanitorial.com/franchise for franchise information.
