home safety

How To Clean Reusable Shopping Bags

We are all being more cautious these days, but it’s always been important to take good care of the bags you use to carry your food.

As we step up our hygiene routines with more frequent hand-washing and cleaning, it’s making us start to question the cleanliness of everything. Yes, including our reusable shopping bags. And while we probably should have been regularly washing our reusable grocery bags all along, it’s certainly not too late to start.

If you’re transporting raw meat, seafood, and vegetables in your reusable shopping bags and have never washed them before, you run the risk of inadvertently cross-contaminating your groceries. Do use the plastic bags provided at the grocery store for produce and meats before placing inside your bags.

Luckily, the solution is easy: just start washing your reusable shopping bags, according to the instructions below. Then, check to make sure you’re following the dos and don’ts of reusable bag storage.

Get in the habit of cleaning your bags after every shopping trip. Here are some tips:

What You’ll Need:

· Laundry detergent

· Disinfecting wipes or sprays

· Cleaning cloths or paper towels

How to wash cotton reusable bags:

The good news is that most reusable cotton and canvas shopping bags are machine-washable, just check the care label to make sure. Remove any inserts and turn bags inside out. (Clean inserts with a disinfecting spray cleaner.) Use the hottest water setting possible, along with detergent.

If you can, toss the bags in the dryer. Note: this may shrink some cotton bags slightly. Alternatively, line-dry the bag in an area with good ventilation to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.

How to wash nylon reusable bags:

1Hand wash the bag in warm, soapy water, making sure to get into the corners and crevices. You can also machine-wash the bag, but be sure to use the gentle cycle.

Line-dry the bag in an area with proper ventilation to prevent the growth of mold.

How to wash recycled plastic bags (polypropylene bags):

You probably have a stash of these exceptionally sturdy bags from Trader Joe’s and the like. Wash them by hand using warm, soapy water, and then line dry them completely before storing them away. You can also dry them with a clean towel to speed up the process.

Alternatively, wipe down the bags with disinfecting wipes and allow them to dry. You may want to turn the bag inside-out to get into the corners and remove any crumbs or grime.

The dos and don’ts of storing reusable shopping bags

· Don’t store the bags in the trunk of your car. This dark, damp storage spot may encourage bacteria growth.

· Do designate one specific bag for carrying raw meat. This will help prevent cross-contamination. Then, wash that bag after every use.

· Don’t store away bags that are damp. Make sure they’re completely dry first.

· Do a sniff test. Musty-smelling bags are a sign they should be cleaned.

· Don’t store other items, like gym clothes or sports gear, in bags used for groceries.

Filed under: Blog, coronavirus, Exclusive Buyer Agency, Exclusive Buyer Agent, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, Home Maintenance, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, real estate news by Kim Bregman
Comments Off on How To Clean Reusable Shopping Bags

COVID-19 South Florida Resources

Quick Facts

If you live in Broward County, you can call this hotline to have your questions answered: 954-357-9500.

If you live in Palm Beach County, you can call this information line with your questions: 561-712-6400.

The Sun Sentinel posted drive-through testing sites in South Florida here.

Please be aware of financial scams. You can learn more and report them here.

Tele-Health

Medicare: Medicare has temporarily expanded its coverage of telehealth services to respond to the current Public Health Emergency. Learn more here.

Florida Blue: Florida Blue’s network of primary care doctors and specialists will be able to treat patients virtually at their normal office visit rates. Visit the Florida Blue website, the Florida Blue app, the Teladoc app, or by calling Teladoc directly at 800-835-2362.

Baptist Health: Baptist Health is offering telehealth services through its Care on Demand platform. If you or someone you know has cold or flu-like symptoms, visit here using code CARE19.

Cleveland Clinic: Cleveland Clinic Florida is encouraging the use of its Express Care Online Virtual Care services as much as possible during the outbreak. Click here for more information.

Cigna: Cigna is offering COVID-19 specific resources for enrollees. Click here for more.

Humana: Humana has agreed to waive telemedicine costs for all urgent care needs for the next 90 days. This will apply to Humana’s Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and commercial employer-sponsored plans and is limited to in-network providers delivering synchronous virtual care. More information here.

COVID-19 Public Website and Call Center

Please visit the Florida Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage for information and guidance regarding COVID-19 in Florida.

For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the DOH’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling 1-(866) 779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours a day. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected].

County Health Departments

If you’re concerned that you may have contracted the coronavirus, please contact your healthcare professional or county health department:

Broward County: 954-467-4700
Palm Beach County: 561-840-4500
Miami-Dade County: 305-324-2400

Additional Resources

Bank Regulators have also instructed banks and servicers to be proactive in extending help to homeowners:

Banks have posted their own policies and ways for consumers to contact them for assistance:

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

Protect Your Credit: The CFPB is urging consumers to protect their credit(link is external) during this pandemic.
Protect Yourself Financially: The CFPB has a number of resources(link is external) focused on financial protection, both short and long term, such as paying bills, income loss, and scam targeting. Resources include contacts for housing and credit counselors, debt collectors, and state unemployment services.

CFPB Director Kraninger Statement on Joint HUD-FHFA Announcement on Foreclosure and Eviction Moratorium(link is external)

Department of Labor (DOL)

DOL has provided resources for employers and workers(link is external) in responding to COVID-19 and including the impact on wages and hours worked and protected leave (these resources are primarily for businesses and employers).

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Americans can continue to use and drink water from their tap as usual. EPA has provided important information about COVID-19(link is external) as it relates to drinking water and wastewater to provide clarity to the public. The COVID-19 virus has not been detected in drinking-water supplies. Based on current evidence, the risk to water supplies is low.

Federal Housing Administration (FHA)

Immediate Foreclosure and Evictions Relief for Homeowners for the Next 60 Days

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has authorized the FHA to implement an immediate foreclosure and eviction moratorium(link is external) for single family homeowners with FHA-insured mortgages for the next 60 days. Read the full press release(link is external).

FHA Q&A Form

FHA continues to run single family business operations. FHA has created a Q&A form available on their website to keep interested parties updated on their procedures during the COVID-19 crisis. Please refer to https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/sfh(link is external) for the most current information.

Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)

FHFA has instructed Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and their servicers to be proactive in providing assistance to homeowners including forbearance. In addition, FHFA imposed a moratorium on eviction and foreclosures on mortgages backed by the GSEs:

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have issued similar guidance:

Homeowners who are adversely impacted by this national emergency may request mortgage assistance by contacting their mortgage servicer
Foreclosure sales and evictions of borrowers are suspended for 60 days
Homeowners impacted by this national emergency are eligible for a forbearance plan to reduce or suspend their mortgage payments for up to 12 months
Credit bureau reporting of past due payments of borrowers in a forbearance plan as a result of hardships attributable to this national emergency is suspended
Homeowners in a forbearance plan will not incur late fees
After forbearance, a servicer must work with the borrower on a permanent plan to help maintain or reduce monthly payment amounts as necessary, including a loan modification

Fannie and Freddie have also created pages with additional information:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

The IRS has also created a Coronavirus Tax Relief section(link is external) on their website with updated information for taxpayers and businesses (these resources are for businesses and not specifically for consumers).

Tax Time Guide to Guard Personal, Financial, and Tax Information Year-Round(link is external) (these resources are for businesses and not specifically for consumers).
Income Tax FILING and PAYMENT Deadlines Extended: In light of COVID-19 crisis, the IRS on March 18 extended the income tax payment deadline(link is external) for individual returns (as well as all other entities) until July 15, 2020. Two days later, the IRS also extended the tax filing deadline to July 15, 2020. Additional forms do not need to be filed to qualify for these extensions

Filed under: 20 Blogs, Blog, Boca Raton real estate, coronavirus, Exclusive Buyer Agency, Exclusive Buyer Agent, First Time Homebuyers, Florida Real Estate, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, Real Estate, real estate news, South Florida Real Estate, Uncategorized by Kim Bregman
Comments Off on COVID-19 South Florida Resources

How to Keep Your Home Virus-Free

For many people, staying safe from the new coronavirus means staying home. But infectious germs can live in your house, too.

Although the CDC has not found evidence of surface-to-person transmission to date (which is good news!), the virus may live on surfaces for hours to days, making regular cleaning and disinfecting a wise practice during this time.

To minimize the risk of getting sick, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend taking action to disinfect high-touch surfaces, such as countertops, doorknobs, cellphones and toilet flush handles, since some pathogens can live on surfaces for several hours.

Here are some other tips for staying safe at home:

The CDC recommends washing hands vigorously with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. As a backup, use hand sanitizers that are at least 60% alcohol.

The Environmental Protection Agency recently released a list of approved disinfectants to kill coronavirus. For surface cleaning, look for products such as wipes, sprays and concentrates that say “disinfectant” on the label and include an EPA registration number. These are required to meet government specifications for safety and effectiveness. For a homemade disinfectant, the CDC recommends mixing a quarter-cup of household chlorine bleach with one gallon of cool water.

After disinfecting food-prep surfaces such as cutting boards and countertops, rinse them with water before use.

For laundry, use detergent and bleach (for white loads) or peroxide or color-safe bleach (for colors) to kill germs. (Be sure to read clothing labels to avoid damaging garments.) To boost the effect, some washing machines have sanitize or steam settings that kill germs. Drying laundry on the dryer’s hot cycle for 45 minutes also is effective.

If possible, operate dishwashers on the sanitizing cycle. Machines certified by NSF International, formerly known as the National Sanitation Foundation, must reach a final rinse temperature of 150 degrees and achieve a minimum 99.999% reduction of bacteria when operated on that cycle.

Household air purifiers and filters that advertise the ability to kill or capture viruses can be useful but shouldn’t be a substitute for cleaning. Some purifiers use ultraviolet light, which has been shown to have germicidal effects, but their overall effectiveness can vary depending on their design, according to a 2018 technical summary of residential air cleaners by the EPA. While some filters advertise the ability to capture things like viruses, smoke and common allergens, they don’t necessarily kill microorganisms

Upgrade Hand-Washing Stations

Stock up every sink in the house to make hand-washing easier and more sanitary with:

A bottle of liquid hand soap (anti-bacterial soap not needed)
Stacks of fresh hand towels and a hamper for dirty towels, or a roll of paper towels and a wastebasket
A container of sanitizing wipes for daily cleaning of faucets and counters

Use the Right Products — and Follow Instructions

When it comes to cleaning, regular soap and water is all you need. But for the second step of disinfecting, it’s important to be sure you’re using the right product. Already have rubbing alcohol or bleach in your cupboards? Either one will fight the COVID-19 virus. (A word of caution on using bleach to clean surfaces: It can discolor laminate and may damage the seal on granite and other stone countertops over time.)

If surfaces are dirty, remember to clean with soap and water first.
To prepare a bleach solution, mix 5 tablespoons (⅓ cup) bleach per gallon of water, or 4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleaners.
If using rubbing alcohol,choose an alcohol solution containing at least 70% alcohol.
Check expiration dates. Do not use expired products, as they may not be effective against the COVID-19 virus.
Follow label instructions. Clorox has issued specific recommendations for preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus, including leaving bleach solution on surfaces for five minutes.

Focus on High-Touch Surfaces

Cleaning and sanitizing the entire house would be overwhelming — and probably excessive. Instead, focus on the surfaces that get lots of contact throughout the day. These areas include doorknobs, light switches, tables, remote controls, handles, desks, toilets and sinks. And if you have kids or housemates who play video games, include those video game controllers.

Start a Just-Got-Home Routine

Put your belongings down in one spot, paying attention to what you carried with you throughout the day — likely suspects include your phone, key ring and sunglasses. Wash your hands for 20 seconds, then wipe personal items with an EPA-registered disinfecting wipe and leave to dry. When cleaning electronics, keep liquids away from openings, never submerge devices, and be especially gentle with touchscreens.

Help Kids Follow the Recommendations

If you have kids at home — especially if they’re not so keen on frequent hand-washing — consider one or more of these to make the ritual more fun:

Let your child pick out a fragrant hand soap or put hand soap in a colorful container.
Tape the verse of a silly song to the mirror so they can sing for the recommended 20 seconds.
For younger children, cue up a song to sing along to on your phone.
Be sure a sturdy stool is positioned by every sink in the house to make the soap and water accessible.

Do the Laundry, Wash Your Hands

If you have a cloth laundry hamper liner, toss it in the wash when you do the laundry. Wash laundry on the warmest setting your clothes and linens can handle, and avoid shaking dirty laundry, which can spread virus through the air. And when you’re done handling dirty clothes and towels, be sure to wash your hands.

Filed under: Blog, coronavirus, Exclusive Buyer Agent, Home Buyer Advice, Home Buyers, Home Maintenance, home safety, Homebuyer Advice, real estate news, South Florida Real Estate by Kim Bregman
Comments Off on How to Keep Your Home Virus-Free