Develop Your Plan

Determine What Needs to Be Cleaned

Consider the type of surface and how often the surface is touched. Generally, the more people who touch a surface, the higher the risk. Prioritize cleaning high-touch surfaces.

Determine How Often To Clean

• High-touch surfaces should be cleaned at least once a day.
• More frequent cleaning might be needed when the space is occupied by young children and others who may not consistently wear masks, wash hands, or cover coughs and sneezes.
• If the space is a high traffic area, or if certain conditions apply, you may choose to clean more frequently.

Determine If Regular Disinfection Is Needed

In most situations, regular cleaning (at least once a day) is enough to sufficiently remove virus that may be on surfaces. However, if certain conditions apply, you may choose to disinfect after cleaning.

Consider the Resources and Equipment Needed

Keep in mind the availability of cleaning products and the personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriate for cleaners and disinfectants (if needed).

Implement

Clean High-Touch Surfaces

Clean high-touch surfaces at least once a day or as often as determined is necessary. Examples of high-touch surfaces include: pens, counters, shopping carts, tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, stair rails, elevator buttons, desks, keyboards, phones, toilets, faucets, and sinks.

Protect Yourself and Other Cleaning Staff

• Ensure cleaning staff are trained on proper use of cleaning (and disinfecting, if applicable) products.
• Wear gloves for all tasks in the cleaning process.
• Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds after cleaning. Be sure to wash your hands immediately after removing gloves.
  • If hands are visibly dirty, always wash hands with soap and water.
  • If soap and water are not available and hands are not visibly dirty, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, and wash with soap and water as soon as you can.
• Special considerations should be made for people with asthma. Some cleaning and disinfection products can trigger asthma. Learn more about reducing your chance of an asthma attack while disinfecting to prevent COVID-19.

Disinfect Safely When Needed

If you determine that regular disinfection may be needed

• If your disinfectant product label does not specify that it can be used for both cleaning and disinfection, clean visibly dirty surfaces with soap or detergent before disinfection.
• Use a disinfectant product from the EPA List Nexternal icon that is effective against COVID-19. Check that the EPA Registration numberexternal icon on the product matches the registration number in the List N search tool. See Tips on using the List N Toolexternal icon.
  • If products on EPA List Nexternal icon: Disinfectants for Coronavirus (COVID-19) are not available, bleach solutions can be used if appropriate for the surface.
• Always follow the directions on the label to ensure safe and effective use of the product. The label will include safety information and application instructions. Keep disinfectants out of the reach of children. Many products recommend keeping the surface wet with a disinfectant for a certain period (see product label).
• Always take necessary safety precautions.
  • Ensure adequate ventilation while using the product.
  • Wear gloves. Gloves should be removed carefully to avoid contamination of the wearer and the surrounding area. Additional PPE, such as glasses or goggles, might be required depending on the cleaning/disinfectant products being used and whether there is a risk of splash.
• Use chemical disinfectants safely! Always read and follow the directions on the label of cleaning and disinfection products to ensure safe and effective use.
  • Wear gloves and consider glasses or goggles for potential splash hazards to eyes.
  • Ensure adequate ventilation (for example, open windows).
  • Use only the amount recommended on the label.
  • If diluting with water is indicated for use, use water at room temperature (unless stated otherwise on the label).
  • Label diluted cleaning or disinfectant solutions.
  • Store and use chemicals out of the reach of children and pets.
  • Do not mix products or chemicals.
  • Do not eat, drink, breathe, or inject cleaning and disinfection products into your body or apply directly to your skin. They can cause serious harm.
  • Do not wipe or bathe people or pets with any surface cleaning and disinfection products.

See EPA’s Six Steps for Safe and Effective Disinfectant Useexternal icon

• Clean the surface using a product containing soap, detergent, or other type of cleaner appropriate for use on these surfaces.
• Launder items (if possible) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Use the warmest appropriate water setting and dry items completely.
• If you need to disinfect, use a product from EPA List Nexternal icon  approved for use on soft surfaces
• Vacuum as usual.

• Use the warmest appropriate water setting and dry items completely.
• It is safe to wash dirty laundry from a person who is sick with other people’s items.
• If handling dirty laundry from a person who is sick, wear gloves and a mask.
• Clean clothes hampers or laundry baskets according to guidance for surfaces.
• Wash hands after handling dirty laundry.

• Consider putting a wipeable cover on electronics, which makes cleaning and disinfecting easier.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations for cleaning the electronic device.
• For electronic surfaces that need to be disinfected, use a product on EPA List Nexternal icon that meets manufacturer’s recommendations. Many of the products for electronics contain alcohol because it dries quickly.

• Spraying cleaning products or disinfectants in outdoor areas – such as on sidewalks, roads, or groundcover – is not necessary, effective, or recommended.
• High-touch surfaces made of plastic or metal, such as grab bars, play structures, and railings, should be cleaned regularly.
• Cleaning and disinfection of wooden surfaces (such as wood play structures, benches, tables) or groundcovers (such as mulch and sand) is not recommended.

If there has been a sick person or someone who tested positive for COVID-19 in your facility within the last 24 hours, you should clean and disinfect the spaces they occupied.

Before cleaning and disinfecting

• Close off areas used by the person who is sick and do not use those areas until after cleaning and disinfecting.
• Wait as long as possible (at least several hours) before you clean and disinfect.

While cleaning and disinfecting

• Open doors and windows and use fans or HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) settings to increase air circulation in the area.
• Use products from EPA List Nexternal icon according to the instructions on the product label.
• Wear a mask and gloves while cleaning and disinfecting.
• Focus on the immediate areas occupied by the person who is sick or diagnosed with COVID-19 unless they have already been cleaned and disinfected.
• Vacuum the space if needed. Use a vacuum equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter and bags, if available.
  • While vacuuming, temporarily turn off in-room, window-mounted, or on-wall recirculation heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems to avoid contamination of HVAC units.
  • Do NOT deactivate central HVAC systems. These systems provide better filtration capabilities and introduce outdoor air into the areas that they serve.

• It is safe to wash dirty laundry from a person who is sick with COVID-19 with other people’s items, if needed.
• Ensure safe and correct use and storage of cleaning and disinfectant products, including storing such products securely and using PPE needed for the cleaning and disinfection products.

• Educate workers who clean, wash laundry, and pick up trash to recognize the symptoms of COVID-19.
• Develop policies to protect and train workers before assigning cleaning and disinfecting tasks.
  • To protect workers from hazardous chemicals, training should include when to use PPE, what PPE is necessary (refer to Safety Data Sheet for specific cleaning and disinfection products), how to properly put on, use, and take off PPE, and how to properly dispose of PPE.
• Ensure workers are trained to read labels on the hazards of the cleaning and disinfecting chemicals used in the workplace according to OSHA’s Hazard Communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200external icon).
• Comply with OSHA’s standards on Bloodborne Pathogens (29 CFR 1910.1030external icon), including proper disposal of regulated waste, and PPE (29 CFR 1910.132external icon).