COVID-19: reducing the spread of infection in your home

Just because you are in your own home does not mean that you will be free from the potential spread of infection.

When at home you should:
  • Wash your hands with soap and water often and for at least 20 seconds
  • Use hand sanitiser gel if soap and water is not available
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hand) when you cough or sneeze
  • Immediately throw used tissues in the bin and always wash your hands afterwards
  • Clean objects and surfaces you touch often (like door handles, kettles and phones) using your regular cleaning products
  • Clean a shared bathroom each time you use it, for example by wiping the surfaces you have touched.
You should not:
• share towels, including hand towels and tea towels
Cleaning and washing:
  • Use your usual household products, such as detergents and bleach when you clean your home
  • Put used tissues and disposable cleaning clothes in rubbish bags, place the bag in a second bag and tie it securely – wait for 3 days before putting it in your outside bin – dispose of other household waste as normal
  • Wash your laundry in the washing machine in the usual way. Laundry that has been in contact with an ill person can be washed with other people’s items. Do not shake dirty laundry as this may spread the virus in the air
  • If you do not have a washing machine – wait for 3 days after your self-isolation has ended before taking your laundry to a launderette

Remember, stay up to date with the latest NHS advice here.