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Cleaning and Disinfecting Guide for Apartment Living

Per CDC Guidelines for Cleaning and Disinfecting an EPA Registered Products should be used.

Developing a plan, to ensure frequent cleaning within your living space, may be a great, shared experience, with each person taking responsibility for their health and well-being, while adhering to CDC guidelines.

Steps for Cleaning

  • Cleaning a visibly dirty surface, followed by a disinfectant is a best practice for prevention of COVID-19, and other viral type respiratory illnesses
  • When cleaning, please wear Personal Protective Equipment. Gloves are required, and eye protection should be worn, if you are cleaning high touchpoints, or spraying a cleaner.
  • Touchpoints include: Cell phones, chair arms/backs, desktops, computer keyboards, remotes, light switches, doorknobs, refrigerator/freezer handles, stove knobs, stovetop hoods, microwave key pads/door handles, cabinets door frames/knobs, faucets, flush valves of toilets, toilet seats, shower pans, body sprayers on showers, and shower doors/frames. High touch points should be cleaned daily. Using disinfectant wipes can be an effective time saving method to clean and sanitize some of these smaller surfaces.
  • When cleaning restroom fixtures, and kitchen surfaces using a disinfectant cleaner, it is important to wear gloves, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for: Concentration(if the product is not ready to use), application, and contact time on the surface that you are cleaning. The contact time ensures that the chemicals has had the time needed to kill germs. Never mix chemicals. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, immediately after taking off the gloves.  
  • It is recommended that shared restroom spaces are cleaned daily.
  • It is important, to ensure that the chemical used, is specific for the surface that you are cleaning. Products that contain bleach, generally are not safe to use on soft surfaces, or carpet, without causing damage.
  • Caution must be taken to cover or remove food when cleaning.
  • If someone is sick in your living space, and a cleanup is needed to remove blood borne pathogens, EVS can be contacted via the ext. 5010, to perform deep cleaning, or carpet extraction.

Contact Us

Residence Life & Housing: 410-617-5081

If you or your student are currently experiencing an emergency, please call Campus Police at 410-617-5911. You may also ask to speak to a member of the Residence Life & Housing On-Call Team.