Effective Tips When Cleaning Light Switches & Electrical Outlet Covers

The light switch and electrical outlet covers are among the top germ collectors in a typical home. Numerous health studies have found that these areas accumulate more germs than door handles and tap handles. Cleaning light switches and electrical outlet covers will make your home safe for your family. So, how do you clean them properly?

Why Should You Clean Them?

Electrical outlet covers are located in the bathroom, kitchen, and other rooms of the house. These electrical outlet covers have a dust-attracting design that makes them a breeding ground for germs.

Similarly, light switches are located in bedrooms, hallways, and other areas of the home. Light switches are also contaminated with germs because people touch them frequently.

You should clean these areas properly because when you or your family use the light switches and electrical outlet covers, many germs are transferred from these areas to your hands. If you do not clean these areas regularly, they can spread germs to other parts of your home.

Make sure you also disinfect the light switches and electrical outlet covers every three months to keep your home safe.

Shut Off Power

This is the most important step when cleaning below the switch or cover. Failure to do this can result in serious injury or damage to the house.

Remove Plates and Covers

You want to get to the dirty surfaces. To do so, you will need to remove the switch plate and outlet cover. Be sure to place them in a safe place so that no one accidentally steps on them.

Dust, Swab, and Soak

Dust any visible dirt off the surfaces. Then swab them with a safe disinfectant to use on these areas. Bacteria can hide out in the cracks and crevices of the switch and outlet covers.

It is necessary to saturate the surfaces with the disinfectant to kill any bacteria hiding in these places. Since there are so many crevices and cracks, it often takes several repetitions to make sure you are properly disinfecting the surface.

It is also helpful to spray the surface from several angles to ensure the disinfectant can reach all surfaces. After spraying, let the disinfectant soak in for about 20 minutes.

How Often Should You Clean Your Light Switches & Electrical Outlet Covers?

It is recommended that you clean these surfaces at least once a week or if they start to look dirty. When cleaning these areas, you should also dust the rest of the room. This will help to reduce the amount of dust that settles on your switch and outlet cover.

When Should You Hire a Professional?

If you have trouble reaching the switch or outlet cover, this task is best left to the professionals. A professional will be able to remove the cover for you to clean it. You should also hire a professional if you are worried about safety issues. It is easy to get hurt by electrical outlets, loose screws, and falling objects when you are trying to reach these areas. 

Additionally, a professional best handles highly contaminated areas like light switches. Professionals have the experience and equipment to disinfect these areas properly. They can also do a more thorough job in a shorter amount of time.

The Bottomline

Light switches and electrical outlet covers are two of the most commonly used switches in a home. They are also two of the top germ collectors in the house because of the number of contact people have with these areas. The best way to keep germs from spreading is to clean these areas regularly.

Let us keep your property clean. Diamond Cleaning Calgary is one of the top providers of house cleaning services in Canada. Get in touch with us!