Ways to clean your Home Deliveries to reduce your risks

[Blearyeyed]

Many people are concerned about how to reduce their risk of exposure to virus or bacteria , including Covid 19 , from shopping and postal deliveries coming into your Home if you need Social Isolation or are Immune Suppressed.

Here is a round up of the suggestions of precautions you can take that are regularly used by Forum Members whom suffer from Immuno Deficiency illnesses to protect themselves in General.

1. Wear Disposable or Washing up Gloves to bring in your shopping or parcels . Wear a scarf for added protection if you require one, especially if you are suffering from an infection yourself.

2. Clean the outer plastic bags or box first , empty out the contents into a clear surface . Wipe clean packets , bottles and tins etc.

3. Clean then remove the packaging of perishable items or things for your fridge and put them in your own food bags or clean Tupperware containers.

4. Fruit and veg should be washed and wiped dry with kitchen paper , or things like bananas and oranges wiped clean.

5. For Cleaning if packages . Use antiviral wipes , or have a bowl of water ( not hot ) with a few squirts of handwashing soap , washing up liquid , antiviral wash or sterilising liquid and use a well wrung out cloth. Use a teatowel if things need drying but keep these cloths for this job . They will be rinsed out and also washed in the machine or by hand and dried between uses.

6. BEFORE REMOVING YOUR GLOVES. Put all empty packaging and the plastic carrier bags into the bin , even plastic bags for life . The bags can be used to double bag the other rubbish. If you have an infection current recommendations state that all rubbish leaving your home should be double bagged and a sign put on your bin to inform the rubbish removers.

7. After removing your rubbish , give the surfaces or table that you put your shopping on a good clean down.

8. Get the cloths you used and wash them out well in the bowl of water , rinse well under a tap and hang them to dry outside , or put them straight in the washing machine if you are going to do a wash.

9 . Wash around your bowl with a good scrub , pour out the water and rinse and scrub thoroughly again.

10. When all of this it done , DO NOT REMOVE YOUR GLOVES but do the " Happy Birthday Song X2" Wash while wearing them to be sure they are clean . Then take them off , dry them and put away. If you can , use separate gloves for cleaning jobs and washing your dishes .

11. Finally , Do the " Wash Song" again while washing your hands , put the kettle on and have a well deserved cuppa!!!

These routines are important for people find the Over 70's and those with reduced immunity from underlying health conditions , including those recovering from an infection ( including but not only Covid 19) , post surgery and injury or Cancer Treatment.

PS: Some people have shown concern about how to deal with Fresh Store Baked Bread Products . If you choose to buy these you can wipe the original packaging and put the food in your own bag and set aside for a few hours ( especially if the bread is still warm)) before preparing it for your bread bin, cutting or freezing.

You can also choose to buy part baked breads of all sorts in sealed packets that can be wiped and stored or frozen and then baked as required.

Or buy in the ingredients and make your own bread ( part bake too ) as a little Self Isolation Therapy. Gentle Bread Kneading sat at a table can be great exercise for hands , wrists , arms and the back with stiff , painful joint issues like RA and OA etc.

I hope this will help people feel more confident about receiving their Home Deliveries and would also like to thank Pixix for her contributions on this issue.

Take care and keep smiling xxx

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Thanks Bee.

If anyone has any particular pet hacks please add them to the thread - but please don't use it for chat! I will leave it open for a while and then close it, deleting irrelevant replies. If a thread gets too long it becomes useless because people don't read it all - and repeat questions rather than look for themselves. That makes our job so much harder!

[Blearyeyed in reply to PMRpro]

Yes , additional tips or questions on the topic of the post only on this one , so it's easy for everybody to use at home , thanks Pro

[HeronNS]

I suggest that disposing of reusable bags is excessive caution and it would make more sense to wash them, depending, of course, what they are made of. Most kinds are washable. I hate to see us throw all environmental responsibility to the winds. Surely if you are washing your gloves you can wash the bags.

[Blearyeyed in reply to HeronNS]

It is the plastic bags for life which are considered , these are being disposed of and being used as a bin bag in this instance. Fabric ,Hessian bags as specified can be washed and cleaned .

The washing of bags in this instance is not appropriate , they can cause a large degree of splash back and it involves alot of additional mess to clean up.

It does go against Enviromental wishes , but this is a unusual situation and these things will only be a short term necessity while trying to do the most we can to reduce risks during the outbreak of disease only.

[HeronNS in reply to Blearyeyed]

Okay, I guess we don't have plastic bags for life so I misunderstood.

[Blearyeyed in reply to HeronNS]

The bags that they use in UK deliveries at the moment are mainly those flimsy single use ones anyway , and they will use these if they are delivering to self isolators from the supermarkets or from the council in the future because they won't be able to enter the house with food in delivery boxes or wait while you empty them.

If your Family delivers you can always use a set of bags that you own and can easily clean and air.

I know that deliveries are often in paper bags in other countries that can still be recycled instead unless you isolate from a non specific infection .

If you have an infection in the UK causing the full isolation, instructions are not to recycle and double bag the rubbish , and, to give instructions to the Council so it can be collected separately if the infection is diagnosed as Covid .

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Blearyeyed]

Here rubbish from quarantine even is triple bag in rip-proof bags.

[Hidden]

Thanks! And can you deliver that food today please.🤫 With a jelly

[HeronNS]

A doctor on our tv told us yesterday that gloves are unnecessary. Wash hands before handling and cleaning your delivery. Wash hands when you're finished. The virus cannot penetrate your skin. He said to imagine washing your hands as "putting on a fresh pair of gloves". He uses gloves when he visits a patient. This is additional protection for the patient, not so much for him. He washes his hands, puts on the gloves, disposes of them after the visit, and washes his hands again. The virus is mostly being transmitted through breath droplets, not from surface contact.

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

I would rather have another layer....I don't know if they have sneezed on the package or in their hands. Input them on and spray with soapy water before I handle. Then gloves off wash hands, handled internal item, wash if washable, then I leave to air off on just one bit of surface. Then wash hands. Put away after a while...as nauseum.

[HeronNS in reply to Hidden]

His point was that your skin is as effective a barrier, maybe more effective than gloves.

cbc.ca/player/play/17145165...

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

That's fine...everyone can do what they do. As someone who uses gloves a lot as an irrational response to germs and dirt, it would be hard to convince me with a rational argument at the moment! 😂🤣😂

[HeronNS in reply to Hidden]

Again, to each his own. But others may find this an easier, safe, effective protocol which is why I raised it in response to this specific post.

I bought some vegetables a few days ago from a local shop and was advised to wash the vegetables when I got home, they were not sold in bags. I did this, after washing my own hands.

[Hidden in reply to HeronNS]

Definitely an easier protocol! When I go to veg or whole shops, and my now weekly box of organic veg all have no wrapping. The delivery leaves a box takes a box.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Hidden]

Yes, unfortunately the big supermarkets are not yet set up to use paper or recyclable cardboard in the UK on a large scale at the moment so when faced with a Global Pandemic Socially isolating many people they do not have the facility to provide foods in cardboard boxes but must continue using prepackaged goods and they can't use the usual delivery boxes as they need bringing into the house .

[Blearyeyed in reply to Hidden]

In your case gloves are not an irrational choice because you regularly have cut or broken skin from use of your medications and your health issues.

The use of gloves is not only to protect yourself from Covid 19 or other viral infections but to protect your skin and reduce cuts and bacterias entering the broken skin that can cause you additional pain and reduce your hand mobility and general health.

You keep wearing your gloves and doing what you know works for you xx

[Hidden in reply to Blearyeyed]

My finger ends are particularly sore at the moment for some reason.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Hidden]

Do you get Raynaud's , or Raynaud's like reactions , this could be a cause but we can chat on PM about it as it is a separate issue xxx

[Hidden in reply to Blearyeyed]

Blood tests....and probs long term circulation issues.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HeronNS]

Not if there is any broken skin on your hands - then gloves are preferable. And broken skin on hands is likely with the greater amount of hand washing that should be going on.

[Blearyeyed in reply to HeronNS]

This is true , but part of the reason for using the gloves for doing these jobs is not do prevent transmission of a virus.

Those with immunity issues and on strong medications which can cause skin fragility use gloves while doing these jobs to help reduce the number of times the hands need to be washed during a short time while doing simple tasks that require extra hygiene . It is done to maintain the hygiene rules and to protect their fragile skin from drying out , cracking or getting cut while opening sharp packages all in one simple way.

[HeronNS in reply to Blearyeyed]

Then the post should stress that if you have a break in your skin then gloves are advised. If indeed the coronavirus can cause infection through a skin abrasion. Sorry, I'll shut up now because I don't want this post to get closed to discussion. I was merely pointing out reliable medical advice which could save most of us, if not all, a lot of nuisance!

[Blearyeyed in reply to HeronNS]

Glove wearing is not just if you have a break in your skin , it is to help people do these jobs in a way that they are both taking precautions with deliveries while protected from the virus or other infection , and to help prevent the drying out and potential of breaking of the skin.

Not all areas of advice in dealing things with a Disease Outbreak are to prevent infection alone. Many suggestions are also to help reduce problems that can occur because of symptoms of your existing illness.

You have included what you have read in the replies and we have discussed it here so this would be enough information for people to make their choices .

These are all of course suggestions to reduce risks and everybody can make their own individual choices .

[Niccigrace]

Is it just me who is reading this thinking that just receiving the shopping is going to use up all my spoons in one go. I’m tired just reading it all 😀

[Hidden in reply to Niccigrace]

It does....😱

[Blearyeyed in reply to Niccigrace]

Nope , it takes a lot of spoons , tutting and for me a little break before I could get it done. Luckily , I have a Husband who received the instructions and has taken over the job !

[Constance13]

Thanks Bee! I missed this last week. 💐

[Blearyeyed in reply to Constance13]

No problem , just received my fruit and veg box only ordered it on Friday night , including eggs , butter , milk , bread and yoghurt , no plastic packaging , with that lovely green grocers smell about it , feels like Christmas . I may never use a supermarket again ( ok , except Aldi/ Lidl). Now enjoying a big bowl of yummy strawberries as a reward.

[Constance13 in reply to Blearyeyed]

😂😂😂 "except Aldi/Lidl" !?!

[Blearyeyed in reply to Constance13]

I do like their Cooked meats and cheeses , and haven't found a local supplier that does the same selection yet 😋

[Constance13 in reply to Blearyeyed]

I like them because they're cheap - much cheaper than our local stores. Also I have found a great deal of bio articles - good value and good quality. What more can we want?!

[Blearyeyed in reply to Constance13]

Aldi are also being good to suppliers and not making them wait for payments by invoice but paying them immediately and increased staff wages for the extra work , also letting anyone who needs to self isolate do it without question. Just wish they delivered.

[Constance13 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Me too! Deliveries! Both Lidl and Aldi deliver "home and clothes", etc. Perhaps they'll start deliveries in the future. Even after this uncertain period is over - it would be helpful for us oldies.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Constance13]

It would be good but they always said they wouldn't deliver as that was one way they kept their costs down , swings and roundabouts isn't it. I've got some nice looking cooked meats in a Meat Delivery from a local shop this week , fingers crossed for quality , but they don't do Continentals . The do , however , supply homemade frozen cheesecakes so that went on the list .