We are thinking about cleaning more than ever right now, and there is a right way to do it if you’re trying to get things as germ-free as possible. Improper use of cleaners and cleaning tools won’t do your efforts any good. Follow these tips for a truly clean home: 

Different Cleaners for Different Uses 

• “Cleaning” a surface simply means you are removing dirt, dust, and contaminants.  All-purpose cleaners are just that–they can clean a myriad of things. If you’re planning on disinfecting those surfaces, be sure that it is labeled on the bottle. 
• Sanitizing cleaners will significantly reduce the number of bacteria but will not affect fungi or viruses.  Use a sanitizer for low-risk areas such as floors and read the label to make sure you’re using it correctly. 

• Disinfectants are meant to kill contaminants, and different ingredients work for different pathogens. Check your bottle’s label for more information on those pathogens and follow directions to the letter. 
• Antibacterial cleaners and wipes kill only bacteria, not viruses. 
• Aerosol disinfectants are as effective as you make them; most labels tell you to spray long enough to wet the surface for at least three minutes, air dry, and afterward, wipe any food surfaces or children’s toys with clean water.
  

Use of Cleaning Tools 

• Disinfectant wipes are perfect for hard surfaces and be sure to follow the manufacturer’s label for directions as well as the pathogens it will eliminate. If a wipe becomes dry during use, toss it and continue with a fresh wipe.  
• You should be using a clean dishwashing cloth every day and use it only for dishes and wiping down cooking surfaces. Rinse them in cool water once the dishes are finished, wring out and air dry between laundry days.  
• Paper towels are perfect for cleaning or disinfecting, as they are tossed in the trash after each use.  Microfiber cloths or other types of washable cloths should be washed and dried in the dryer as soon after cleaning as possible. If not, spray with a disinfectant and allow it to air dry until it can be put in the washer. 
• When you are cleaning, be sure to wear gloves, because it protects your hands from contaminants and is better for your skin.  Wash your hands after cleaning, whether you wear gloves or not.
  

The Centers for Disease Control shares tips for thorough cleaning and disinfecting, and what products are best used on what surfaces. When commercial cleaners aren’t available, household items will do, and Consumer Reports offers a guide to what should and should not be used for best results. Take care to wash your hands with warm soapy water after cleaning, and don’t forget your car! Wipe down those surfaces with disinfectant wipes. 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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For obvious reasons, you won’t be seeing any Open House ads or signs at new homes for sale nearby, and it’s highly unlikely you’ll be going to any showings with your buyer agent. Remote home-buying is nothing new, however, and for this time of staying safe at home, we can learn a few tricks of this type of home purchase, so you don’t have to put that on hold!

• Get pre-approved now! Current interest rates are just one incentive for buying a new home.
• With social distancing being the norm, for now, be prepared for a lot of phone conversations, emails, and texts between yourself and your real estate agent.
• Call a few agents and request an over-the-phone interview to find the one that’s right for you. Be sure they are comfortable and knowledgeable about a virtual house-hunt.
• You are probably already house-hunting online and saving your favorites. Don’t forget to look at those that may not catch your interest quickly–there are sometimes diamonds in the rough!
• Type up a list of what you’ll need for a home, as well as extras you’d like to see, and have it ready to email to your agent so they can get to work on looking for houses you might be interested in. Share your online wish list of homes with them as well.
• Once your Realtor® has a list of homes for you to see, take a 3D or video tour or each, comb through the photos, and ask questions. Ask your agent if they can do a live video tour of the houses that you like the most so you can get a better feel of what the house is actually like.
• With the exception of places where going to a property for a showing is barred, your agent will be certain that they take proper measures to protect you as well as themselves. Follow all CDC guidelines for slowing the spread of COVID-19.
• On that note, be sure to understand if a homeowner refuses to show their home if they are still living there. In case they’re allowing showings, don’t be offended by personal questions about your health. We all have to have some extra understanding and patience these days.

Don’t allow this period of flattening the curve discourage you from buying a new home. In some cases, it may take a little longer, and if there’s an urgent situation that you need to move quickly, share your concerns with your agent, and they’ll be with you every step of that way, even if the home-buying venture is a virtual one.

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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While school is out, and there will be days when the rain and bad weather will keep us inside, why not set aside time for some crafty activities with the kids? If possible, head out to your local discount store, and stock up on crayons, construction or cardstock paper, glue sticks,  child-safe craft paints, simple craft items (stickers, pompons, googly eyes, chenille stems, etc.), then bring on the smiles with these fun ideas: 

The Younger Set 

• Introduce your toddlers to coloring with crayons! Having a set of the thicker crayons are perfect for little hands, give them some plain paper, and let them scribble away! 
• Make these toddler-safe watercolors, have your older children help, and sit the younger one in a high chair and let them paint away, and if a little goes in their mouth, no harm! 

• All your preschooler needs to make the sun shine bright is a paper plate, yellow pipe cleaners, yellow paint and a bit of glue! 
• Bean art is back! Use a variety of beans to create animals, and paint over them with craft paint. 
• A lint roller for crafts? Why not?! Attach foam craft sticker shapes to the adhesive side of the roller, dab some paint on each shape, and roll across any kind of paper. 
• Everyone will probably enjoy making scented playdough! This involves a bit of cooking, but the older ones can be involved and help you choose color and scent combos. 
• Fastest homemade pompon ball ever; all you need is a new skein of inexpensive yarn, string, and scissors. (This craft is best for those who can use larger scissors.) 

Older Kids 

• String art is a fun craft from beginning to end for the older set, and they just might be willing to set up some for younger siblings to try. 
• Create a garland:  plastic eggs (make sure they have those tiny holes!) can be thread on thin twine or fishing line and made into a fun Spring garland. Or, for something to decorate the bedroom, cut small shapes out of colored paper or old greeting cards, and glue them together on either side of the string, and allow to dry. 
• Do you remember making friendship bracelets? Introduce your kids to this nostalgic craft! 

• Jazz up flowerpots with decoupage! Cut from magazines or print images of flowers, and using decoupage medium and a foam brush, adhere the images all around the outside of the pot.    
• A small coat hanger can become the base of a mobile! Follow these instructions to create a friendship theme, but the possibilities are endless!                   
• Origami is a craft that’s truly an art form. Older children can create many things, from tiny boxes to boats to float and animal faces.  Origami Instructions website is the perfect place for beginners to experts–all you need is origami paper or cut your own! 

Be sure to protect clothes from paint with an apron or even an old button-up shirt, keep scissors out of reach of the younger ones, and use only kid-safe materials.  Have patience when showing them a new skill and make clean-up a game after your project is over–think of it all as time spent together!  

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Small businesses are the backbone of our country’s economy, and many of them–namely in the food service industry–are hurting right now. What can individuals do to help them now? Don’t think of it as helping a business stay open but helping friends and neighbors during a time of crisis! 

• Do you already have a monthly purchase at a local boutique or a pedicure in your budget?  Go ahead and call them and buy a gift certificate/card/credit in that same amount. Using it for the future would be great, but once everything is back to normal, give the gift card to someone else, and continue your normal shopping with the store. 
• If those same establishments have their own merchandise, why not buy a t-shirt, mug or car sticker along with your gift card purchase? 
• If it’s allowed, order takeout from your favorite restaurants, whether it’s lunch or dinner. Many eateries are bundling dishes into family meals and offering curbside delivery, making it easier for you to order. 
• Some local businesses have online shopping available; if so, do your shopping that way. Most business owners are certain that everything is handled properly and will offer shipping or pick-up at the door. 

• Leave a review for your favorites at any online review site, business Facebook page, or other social media. Everyone needs the encouragement, plus, it helps others decide whether to do business with the establishment in the future. 
• Don’t forget your local produce stands and farmers’ markets! Grocery store chains must wait for deliveries, so if they’re out of your favorite lettuce, call around to the local stands to see what’s available. 

Many businesses are offering free shipping for online orders and are making it easier to shop via social media. It may take some creativity, but we can all do our best and do our part to help our local businesses, our local economies, and our neighbors. 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!

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For many, that popular buzz phrase can be changed around to fit the current situation! If you’re suddenly working from home and have kids doing their schooling long-distance, it could be a challenge getting into a routine and staying put.  How can we keep cabin fever away? Follow these tips so you can keep calm and carry on: 

• Following a general routine is best for good mental health, especially with children in the home. Have a set time to wake up, have meals, etc., because it takes away any what-comes-next anxiety. 
• Working in your yard or garden can be great therapy, believe it or not. The physical activity increases your mood, too, and getting the kids involved helps them as well. 
• Clean house! A cluttered, dirty home can affect your mood, so put on some upbeat music, grab the dust mop, and get to work! 

• When you dread doing something, the best stress-reliever is getting it over with.  So, if a junky closet or pantry has you in stress-mode, dive in, clean it up and get it organized. 
• Keep in (distant) touch:  don’t neglect relationships just because you can’t physically be together. Instead of texting, give friends and family a call and talk for a few minutes. 
• Add a long bath to your schedule! Soak your cares away in a leisurely bath, complete with those bath salts and soaks that have been sitting at the back of your bathroom closet since the holidays. 
• Laugh! Stream-watch your favorite comedy shows or play a fun game with the kids. 

Remember–if you aren’t required by any government entity to isolate yourself, this isn’t a period of solitary confinement. Get out–keeping your distance–walk the dog, ride bikes or just play outside with the kids, shop for necessities only, and talk on the phone with friends and family. Taking care of you and yours, physically as well as mentally, is the best peace of mind anyone can have. 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently. You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!

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Schools are closing for (hopefully) short periods all over the country, businesses are closing temporarily, and more people are staying put at home.  It’s hard not to be anxious during this time of uncertainty but staying home shouldn’t be a bad thing! Relieve some of the extra stress with any of these distractions for the kids, and yourself! 

Ideas for the Kids   

• First and foremost, be certain you have some schoolwork time. Teachers and school administrators across the country are doing their best to keep your children learning, whether through online access or hard-copy work being sent home.  If having a designated area becomes tedious, allow them to make a work area on the floor, in a homemade tent, outside in the backyard–it doesn’t matter where it’s done, so long as they work on their assignments. 
• If you have a book lover and can’t get to the library, check out these free read-aloud sites: Storyline Online is sponsored by the Screen Actors Guild, and you’ll find the likes of Betty White reading Harry the Dirty Dog;  Barnes & Noble has nineteen children’s classics; We Are Teachers has author read-aloud and activities for up to middle-school ages. 

• You don’t have to be stuck inside–teach children the joy of old school games like Mother May I?, Simon Says, Red Light Green Light, hide and seek, and good old tag are all great games to play that you can participate in, and help the kids (and maybe you, too!) release some pent-up energy. Fatherly has some great ideas to play when you must be inside. 
• Fun science experiments with common household items can be fun for everyone! 
• When nerves start getting frazzled, the younger kids will like Cosmic Kids Yoga videos on YouTube. 

Tips for the Grown-Ups 

• According to RescueTime, we are only truly productive for 2.8 hours per day. Taking that into consideration if you’re having to work from home, break up your work and the children’s learning time into two 90-minute periods, or three one-hour periods.   
• Practicing social distancing simply means you’re not going out to public places, nor are you spending time with friends and family. Need to go for a jog? It’s fine! Need some reading time in the sunshine? Use your backyard or balcony!  
• Start Spring cleaning, get the garden ready, or get to those little DIY jobs you’ve been putting off! 
• Have you been wanting to learn a skill, like watercolor, knitting, or something else you can do at home? Look for instructional videos on YouTube and get started–you have no excuse! 
• Check on your neighbors. If you can call them or text them, do; in the case of an elderly neighbor that lives alone, leave a note in their mailbox or taped to their front door with your phone number, asking them to call if there’s anything they need, even if it’s just to talk. 

We must keep in mind that “This too, shall pass.” Some days will be harder than others during the next few weeks, but with a good attitude, and that adage in mind, you will get through. Stay connected to friends and family and remind yourself that you’re simply keeping yourself and your family members as safe as you can in uncertain times! 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

Get Orlando Daily News delivered to your inbox! Subscribe here!

Photo credit: crosswalk