During times of distress, homeowners should be aware of a common fraud known as “foreclosure rescue fraud.”
In this scheme, someone may offer false promises of being able to save your home from foreclosure or guarantee a loan modification with a reduced mortgage payment. Common elements of this fraud include the fraudster:
Review information from the CDC to keep you and your family safe
Requiring you to sign the title to your home to them.
Asking you to sign unfamiliar documents and/or share your personal information.
Charging you rent to stay in your home and /or potentially promising you that you can purchase your home back when your financial situation improves.
Loan modification scams may operate similarly as fraudsters collect an upfront fee and promise to work with your loan servicer to obtain a modification with a reduced payment on your behalf.
If you have been contacted by someone other than your loan servicer (the company listed on your mortgage statement) who is offering to provide mortgage assistance, do not provide your information.
To help avoid fraud:
Spot imposters. Scammers can make any name or number appear from anywhere in the world either via phone or internet.
Be suspicious. If someone has contacted you asking for personal or sensitive information, do your homework to verify the validity of the request by researching the person or the company.
If you have been contacted by someone claiming to represent Freddie Mac, report it here. Freddie Mac will never reach out to offer a refinancing opportunity or new loan over the phone.
If Freddie Mac owns your mortgage and you are a homeowner that has been affected directly or indirectly by COVID-19, mortgage relief options are available.
These local restaurants offer discounts on takeout orders and gift card promotions. Here’s your chance to support O.C. businesses while switching up the menu at home and doing your part to help stop the spread of the coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease COVID-19.
DISCOUNTS
➜ Greenleaf Costa Mesa What: Get a free skinny margarita with the purchase of a family meal, which includes a protein, salad, brown rice, and your choice of side ($40) How: Pick-up or free delivery within a 5 mile radius Order: 949-200-3950
➜ Crawfish Cave Fullerton What: Family pack deal with two pounds of shrimp, corn, potato, chicken tenders, rice, and drinks ($48.25) and 20 percent off three pounds of shrimp, corn, and rice, and $1 oysters How: Pick-up or delivery through Ubereats, Postmates, or Grubhub Order: 714-879-2073
➜ Old Brea Chop House Brea What: “Dine at Home” three-course meal with starter, entree, side, and dessert for $60; 50 percent off bottles of wine, plus bonus $50 gift card with purchase of every $250 in gift cards How: Pick-up or delivery through Ubereats, Postmates, or Grubhub Order: 714-592-3122
➜The Yellow Chilli Tustin What: 20 percent discount off phone-in takeout orders How: Pick-up or delivery through Ubereats, Postmates, or Grubhub Order: 714-389-5280
➜ Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine Irvine What: 15 percent off a la carte menu and family packages that can serve as many as eight, plus 25 percent off bottles of wine How: Curbside pick-up or delivery through Postmates, Grubhub, or DoorDash Order: 949-387-8887
➜The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar Tustin What: Take-out menu that is priced 15 percent off regular menu How: Curbside pick-up or delivery through Postmates and Grubhub Order: 714-258-7600
➜Farmhouse Corona del Mar What: 10 percent discount on takeout orders. Orders must be placed by 12 p.m. to be ready for pick-up by 4 p.m. How: Curbside pick-up Order: 949-640-1415
➜Five Crowns Corona del Mar What: 20 percent discount on takeout orders How: Curbside pick-up Order: 949-760-0331
➜SideDoor Corona del Mar What: 20 percent discount, wines by the bottle are also available How: Curbside pick-up Order: 949-760-0331
➜ Sushi Roku Newport Beach What: Free delivery and 50 percent off wine and sake by the bottle How: Curbside pick-up or delivery through Postmates, UberEats, DoorDash, and GrubHub Order: 949-706-3622
➜ Mix Mix Kitchen & Bar Santa Ana What: 10 percent discount on pick-up orders How: Pick-up Order: 714-836-5158
➜Selanne Steak Tavern Laguna Beach What: 15 percent discount on pick-up orders; free delivery and a 20 percent discount for diners 65 and older within a 5-mile radius; raw meats from the butchery are also available for purchase How: Pick-up or in-house delivery only Order: 949-715-9881
➜ Harley Laguna Beach Laguna Beach What: 10 percent off takeout orders more than $100 How: Curbside pick-up or delivery through Postmates, DoorDash, and UberEats Order: 949-715-1530
➜ Vine Restaurant & Bar San Clemente What: A complimentary $25 gift card for future use with takeout orders How: Pick-up, Delivery through DoorDash Order: 949-361-2079
➜ Olea Newport Beach What: A complimentary $25 gift card for future use with takeout orders How: Pick-up, Delivery through DoorDash Order: (949) 287-6807
➜ Ironwood Laguna Hills What: A complimentary $25 gift card for future use with takeout orders How: Pick-up, Delivery through DoorDash Order: (949) 287-6807
➜ Twenty Eight Restaurant and Bar Irvine What: 10 percent discount on takeout orders How: Curbside pick-up and delivery Order: (949) 287-6807
➜ Falasophy Irvine What: 15 percent off delivery and first-time pick-up orders How: Pick-up or delivery through GrubHub, UberEats, and Postmates Order: 949-536-5008
➜ On The Hook Brea What: 15 percent off takeout orders How: Curbside pick-up Order: 714-671-5886
➜ Ten Asian Bistro Newport Beach What: 20 percent off all call-in takeout orders How: Pick-up, Delivery also available through GrubHub (without discount) Order: 949-660-1010
➜ Red O Newport Beach What: 15 percent off takeout orders How: Curbside pick-up and delivery Order: 949-718-0300
➜ 21 Oceanfront Newport Beach What: 20 percent off pick-up and takeout orders How: Curbside pick-up and takeout Order: 949-673-2100
➜ Bayside Newport Beach What: 10 percent off takeout orders, including wine How: Pick-up Order: 949-721-1222
➜ Jan’s Health Bar Multiple O.C. locations What: $10 off when your order four entrees or more How: Pick-up Order: Laguna Beach, 949-371-0023; Huntington Beach, 714-536-4856; Costa Mesa, 949-650-4856; Corona del Mar, 949-675-2520
➜ Bosscat Kitchen Newport Beach What: $20 off direct call-in takeout orders How: Curbside pick-up, Delivery also available through GrubHub, DoorDash, and UberEats Order: 949-333-0917
➜Royal Khyber Santa Ana What: 15 percent discount on pickup orders and 15 percent off e-gift cards for future visits How: Discount for carry-out only but delivery also available through Postmates, GrubHub, and UberEats Order: 714-436-1010
➜Oliver’s Osteria Laguna Beach What: 10 percent off $100 or more How: Takeout or delivery Order: 949-715-0261
➜Broken Rice TRADE Food Hall, Irvine What: One free kids meal (for kids 2 to 10 years old) with a purchase of a regular bowl How: Pick-up Order: Online at eatbrokenrice.com
➜Curry Up Now Irvine What: Use code DELIVERUPNOW for $20 off your next four delivery fees. First-time app users can receive $5 off your first order with code CURRYUP5 How: Pick-up or delivery Order: Curry Up Now app or call 949-932-0153
➜SAJJ Mediterranean Irvine What: Buy one entree and get one free through April 1; Feast For 4 deal which includes falafel, chicken shawarma, rice, hummus, tzatziki, mixed green salad, lentil soup, pita bread, and house sauces ($30) How: Pick-up and delivery Order: SAJJ Street Eats app or call 949-336-4404
➜Slater’s 50/50 Huntington Beach & Anaheim Hills What: Kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entree through March 27. How: Pick-up Order: 714-594-5730 (Huntington Beach), 714-602-8115 (Anaheim Hills), or at slaters5050.com
➜Daphne’s Irvine, Tustin, Quail Hill, and Lake Forest What: Receive $5 off the Family Feast for takeout with code FAM500 and $2 off adult entrees with code LS444 How: Curbside pick-up Order: Online at daphnes.biz
➜Mama Tieu’s Garden Grove What: 1 free order of egg rolls with a purchase of $45 or more using code word “community”; Buy 5 banh mi bites, get 1 free How: Curbside pick-up or delivery through Grubhub Order: 714-590-8478 or through Yelp
GIFT CARD AND RETAIL DEALS
➜ The Harbor Grill: Get $10 added value to a card for every $50
➜ Driftwood Kitchen: Purchase a $100 gift card for $85 or a $200 gift card for $165.
➜ The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar: $50 gift card with a purchase of a $300 gift card; $100 gift card with a purchase of a $500 gift card thewineryrestaurants.com
➜ Portola Coffee Roasters: free coffee with a purchase of a $25 gift card; $5 gift card with a purchase of a $50 gift card, a $20 gift card with a purchase of a $100 gift card portolacoffee.com
➜ High Tide Coffee: small drink with a purchase of a $30 gift card, plus 20 percent off all beans online using code: CABINFEVER hightidecoffeeco.com/roasted-coffee
4th Street MarketDowntown Santa Ana, 201 E. 4th St., Santa Ana 714.486.0700 4thstreetmarket.comCurbside pick-up available through various mobile ordering apps. A Market201 E 4th St, Santa Ana, CA 92701949.650.6515 amarketnb.comAlta Baja4th Street Market, 201 E. 4th St., Santa Ana 714.783.2252 altabajamarket.com In-store special pricing on items including freshly prepared and pre-packaged food and beverages, all available for take-out. Tue-Sun 8 am – 7 pm, Mon. 8 am – 5 pm Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails2607 Main St, Irvine, CA 92614 949.387.8887 andreisrestaurant.com Offering curbside pick-up and delivery options with a limited a-la-carte lunch and dinner menu and family meal packages. All family packages and a la carte menu items are available Monday – Saturday, 11am – 7:30pm. Please call to place your curbside order. AnQiSouth Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 714.557.5679 anqibistro.com “Our culinary team and staff at AnQi privelidged to be of service to our dear community during this difficult time. Despite not being able to offer our dine-in service, we now offer our pick-up & delivery service— AN the GO, available at AnQi.” Specially curated family meals available daily. Check website for more info and menu. Bosscat Kitchen & Libations4647 MacArthur Blvd, Newport Beach, CA 92660 949.333.0917 bosscatkitchen-newport.com Currently offering direct call in takeout orders and delivery via 3rd party platforms. All direct call in takeout orders will be given 20% off their bill. We will be handing out takeout orders curbside. Check website for more info and menu. Cafe Sevilla – TEMPORARILY CLOSED1870 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 888.738.4552 cafesevilla.com At Cafe Sevilla, the well-being of our guests & team members is of utmost importance to us. In light of the COVID-19 virus in our community and recent local & national announcements, we are temporarily closing operations in all locations until further notice. In the meantime, check out our “Travel to Spain With Us” Series HERE! You might not be able to travel there by plane, but you can take a virtual tour of Spain with us! Chelas Mexican Grill29975 Alicia Parkway, Unit 10 Laguna Niguel, CA 92677 949.542.4606 chelasmexicangrill.comClay Oven Indian Cuisine15435 Jeffrey Rd., Irvine, CA 92618 949.552.2851 clayovenirvine.com Offering takeout and delivery of the entire menu, including wine and beer, plus some of the nightly specials available to go for the first time such as the Rack of Wild Boar, Wagyu Hanger Steaks, and Tandoor-Roasted Avocado! They also introduced two new Family Meal options (serves up to 4). Curbside and take out orders can be placed by phone or delivery orders through Grubhub, Postmates, and Doordash. Check website for menu. Lunch: Tues-Fri 11am – 2pm, Dinner: Mon-Sun 5pm – 9pm Dory Deli2108 W. Oceanfront, Newport Beach, CA 949.220.7886 dorydeli.comHelmsman Ale House beer is available in 16 oz. crowlers to-go at Dory Deli. Electric City Butcher4th Street Market, 201 E. 4th St., Santa Ana 714.474.9096 electriccitybutcher.com Special pricing in-store on all pre-cut and pre-packaged proteins. Buy fresh, high-quality daily-butchered meats from Electric City Butcher. Tue-Fri 11 am – 6 pm, Sat-Sun 10 am – 6 pm. Farmhouse2301 San Joaquin Hills Rd, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625949.640.1415 farmhouserg.comFive Crowns3801 East Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625949.760.0331 TheFiveCrowns.comIl Dolce1902 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 949.200.9107 – Call for takeout or delivery ildolceoc.comIssé305 N State College Blvd unit b, Fullerton, CA 92831714.519.3831 issefullerton.comThe KroftAnaheim Packing District 440 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, CA 92805 714.635.5900 The kroft.com Pick-up and delivery options available at the Long Beach location through the website or The Kroft app powered by ChowNow. Currently serving poutines and sides from 11am – 6pm. Offerings change daily. Please refer to our social platform to see current offerings. Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar13290 Jamboree Rd, Irvine, CA 92602 714.731.9700 lazydogrestaurants.com Offering free delivery through our website every day on orders of $25 or more. Curbside Pick-Up as a takeout option in almost all of the restaurants. Mozambique will be the site of a Food Truck Drive-Thru1740 S Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach, CA 92651 949.715.7777 mozambiqueoc.com Food Truck Drive-Thru Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 4 pm-9 pm, Saturday – Sunday 11am-9 pm Featuring: Greek Mediterranean Cuisine Truck – Nostimo, Burger Truck – Burger Monster , Mexican Food Truck – Montoya’s. Also selling beer, wine and liquor bottles TOGO at discounted prices. Drive-Thru ONLY. During our Food Truck Drive-thru hours, we will have a Gift Card Promotion available. Purchase a $100 gift card, and receive $20, purchase a $50 gift card, receive $10. Pascalpascalrestaurants.com949.673.0033 They have set up a food stand at their kitchen backdoor. Daily specials are available for pick up and delivery. Playa Mesa428 E, 17th St., Costa Mesa, CA 949.287.5292 playamesa.comThe Quiet Woman Restaurant3224 East Coast Highway, Corona del Mar, CA 92625 949.640.7440 quietwoman.comOffering a curbside pick-up and take-out menu starting today. Rusty Pelican2735 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach, CA 92663 949-642-3431 RustyPelican.com Offering all of the to-go menu items online as well as beer, and cocktails to-go. 50% off any bottle of wine with an entree purchase. Check out their amazing wine list on their website. Check website for menu. Seasons 523333 Bristol Street, Suite 2802 Costa Mesa, CA 92626 714-437-5252 seasons52.com Offering curbside takeout and free delivery within 20 minutes of the restaurant. Wine is also available with orders. Options for grocery kits also available. Hours of operation are 12:00 to 8:00pm, daily. Check menu on website. “100% fresh. 100% to go. Please call to place your order for signature favorites or our Family Style Dinner for takeout.” SideDoor3801 East Coast Hwy, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625 949.760.0331 SideDoorCdM.comSummit House Restaurant2000 E. Bastanchury Rd. Fullerton, CA 92835 714-671-4111 summithouse.com Curbside service for lunch and dinner. See menus on website. Currently taking phone orders only. Online ordering and delivery coming soon. Sundried Tomato American Bistros & CateringCall 949.661.1167sundriedtomatobistro.com20% off curbside pickup on any items ordered and available from our All Day Menu and Kid’s Menu. Noon-7pm everyday. 30% Off bottles of wine. Special family meals available. Gluten Free Penne or Angel Hair Pasta $50, ADD Grilled Chicken $15 Blackened Chicken over Bowtie $65, ADD Baby Green Salad or Caesar $15 ADD Sundried Chopped Salad $25 Creamy Sundried Tomato Soup (qt) $12 Mac ’n Cheese $15 Chicken Strips $15 Bowtie Pasta, Marinara or Butter $20 Toasted Cheddar Cheese Sandwich $20 (Curbside pickup only) Tangata RestaurantBowers Museum, 2002 N Main St, Santa Ana, CA 92706 714.567.3623 Tangatarestaurant.comCurbside pick-up and delivery. Tue-Fri 11-2pm Ten Asian Bistro4647 MacArthur Blvd, Newport Beach, CA 92660 949.660.1010 Open for curbside takeout and delivery. Also offering 20% off takeout placed directly with the restaurant. tenbistrooc.comToast Kitchen & Bakery1767 Newport Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 949.873.5057 toastkitchenbakery.comVitalyThe Camp, 2937 Bristol St B103-B100, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 714.662.5500 vitaly.netThe Winery2647 Park Avenue, Tustin, CA 714.258.7600 thewinerytustin.com Curbside Take Out in Tustin at 15% off menu pricing, Gift Card Promotion, Groceries. Check website for menu or call for more info. Wine Sale with great wines up to 50% off! To receive lists and make appointments contact: Newport Beach: Dustin@thewinerynewport.com or by calling 714-317-4237, Tustin: William 949-292-8427 Prime Rib Dinner To Go Thursday and Friday: Available Thursday and Friday only. Pick up time is between 4-6pm. $79 for 2 or $155 for 4. Pre order 24 hours in advance.
Freddie Mac Multifamily recently announced a relief program affecting more than 27,000 multifamily apartment properties and the more than 4 million renters who reside at those properties. Multifamily properties are apartment buildings or other rental properties with five or more units.
How this program affects landlords
An apartment building owner with a Freddie Mac Multifamily loan may work with their lender to obtain up to 90 days of forbearance on their Freddie Mac Multifamily loans if their property operations have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
How this program affects renters
In exchange for loan forbearance, apartment building owners must agree to not evict tenants who are themselves adversely affected by COVID-19, whether due to illness, caring for a family member, job loss, reduced hours, or temporary unpaid leave, etc. This policy will last for the 90-day duration of the forbearance period.
How will I know if my landlord is participating in the program?
The best way for a renter to know if they are eligible for relief is to ask their landlord or management company if they are participating in the Freddie Mac Multifamily COVID-19 Relief Program.
How many renters will this program help?
Just over 20% of multifamily loan volume nationwide is financed by Freddie Mac Multifamily. Currently there are more than 4 million renters nationwide who live in properties that were financed with a Freddie Mac loan.
This program does not affect every renter in the United States. It only applies to renters who live in properties that are currently financed with a Freddie Mac loan and whose owners have opted in to the COVID-19 relief program.
Note: If your landlord is not participating in the Freddie Mac forbearance program, they may be participating in a similar program through their lender.
THERE’S SOMETHING DEEPLY unsettling about stepping out of the home-from-work boredom of self-isolation into the tense, ambient panic of grocery shopping during a pandemic. Normal is a double-sided coin now. At home things feel hyperreal, and outside they feel entirely surreal—two steps removed from the flashback scenes in a postapocalyptic movie. You may feel a tension between helping yourself and helping your community. Daily life during the novel coronavirus pandemic is all about disorienting contrasts like these.
It might seem more productive to read our Coronavirus Gear and Supplies Guide and start filling your pantry with canned goods and essentials, but cleaning and sanitizing surfaces in your home can help lower the chances you or a loved one will contract Covid-19 and lower the chances you might spread it to someone else. Keeping your home (and self) sanitized helps everyone.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends we all take steps to clean and sanitize high-touch surfaces in our homes. Below, we get into the weeds of how long the virus might last on surfaces, which disinfectants may kill it, and the steps you should take to keep clean.
To Keep Yourself Virus-Free
Wash Your Hands
You’ve heard it a million times by now, and you’ll hear it a million more, but the best way to lower your risk of contracting Covid-19 (or pass it on to someone else) is to wash your hands after you cough, sneeze, touch your face, use the restroom, or are about to leave one place for another. You should wash your hands when you leave and return from the grocery store, for instance.
If you can find any, hand sanitizer also works wonders. (Here’s how to make your own.) It’s no substitute for washing your hands, though. When you’re able, home soap and water can be a little easier on your hands. It won’t necessarily kill all pathogens, but it’ll wash them away. The World Health Organization has detailed instructions (which we’ve all seen in meme form) on how to properly perform the 20-second hand wash.
It’s also important to liberally moisturize your hands. Dry, cracked skin is at greater risk for all kinds of infections, so after you wash, apply a little moisturizer. It’s nice!
Most moisturizing lotions have similar ingredients, starting with water and glycerin, so the brand doesn’t really matter.(Here are some hand lotions on Amazon.) If your hands are extra dry, look for something dermatologist recommended with an “intensive” label, like Eucerin Advanced Repair or Neutrogena Hydro Boost.
(Note: If you buy something using the links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Here’s how this works.)Stay Home
Even if you’re not sick, just stay home if you can. Being in large crowds or going out to restaurants pose unnecessary risks not just to yourself but to the people around you. The more you’re in public, the more chances the novel coronavirus has to hitch a ride on your hands, clothes, or person. Millions of people are very vulnerable to this virus. Putting yourself at risk also puts them at risk.
“There will be a sizable portion of people who are older, or who have other health conditions, and if they get sick all at once, they’re going to overwhelm the health care system. So we’re trying to decrease the number of transmissions,” Dr. John Townes, head of infection prevention and control at the Oregon Health & Science University, told WIRED.
Stay home as much as possible, avoid large gatherings, going out to bars, restaurants, etc.
Stay at least six feet away from other people in public.
Again, wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds (or use hand sanitizer).
If you’re coughing or sneezing, wear a protective mask.
Why You Should Avoid Face Masks (for Now)
They serve an important purpose for people who are sick or are caring for an ill person, but face masks are in short supply and needed by health care workers and those who are sick with the virus. Wearing a mask may also give you a false sense of security, causing you to put yourself at greater risk.
“You may in fact be touching your face more often because you’re adjusting your mask. Or you may be trying to keep your eyeglasses from fogging up, then the portal of entry might be your eye,” Townes said. “I think we need to deemphasize wearing masks in public as a strategy.”
As far as we know, the novel coronavirus is transmitted through person-to-person contact, or respiratory droplets. Those droplets don’t stay suspended in the air, they fall to the ground within about six feet of the infected person.
To Keep Your Home Virus-Free
Clean and Disinfect
The first thing you’ll want to know is that cleaning and disinfecting are two very different things. The CDC recommends we all do a bit of both, even if nobody in your home is sick.
Cleaning is about removing contaminants from a surface.
Disinfecting is about killing pathogens.
Do both daily if anything or anyone has entered or exited your home.
Transmission from person-to-person is a much greater risk than transmission via surfaces, but the CDC recommends we clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in our homes at least once daily just to be safe, assuming we have had contact with the outside world in some way, either a person leaving and returning or goods coming in.Target Your Home’s High-Touch Surfaces
Researchers have found that the novel coronavirus is capable of living on surfaces such as cardboard for 24 hours, but up to two or three days on plastic and stainless steel. So disinfecting high-touch surfaces is a step we should all take.
High-Touch Surfaces to Clean and Disinfect Daily:
Doorknobs
Table surfaces
Hard dining chairs (seat, back, and arms)
Kitchen counters
Bathroom counters
Faucets and faucet knobs
Toilets (seat and handle)
Light switches
TV remote controls
Game controllers
Everyone’s home is a little different, so just think about the surfaces you interact with most. For me, that includes the above, plus desk surfaces and mousepads (we’ll get to gadgets in a bit). Now that you know what you’re cleaning, here’s how you should do it.
First Clean, Then Disinfect:
First, clean the surfaces, removing any contaminants, dust, or debris. You can do this by wiping them with soapy water (or a cleaning spray) and a hand towel.
Then apply a surface-appropriate disinfectant. The quickest and easiest way to do this is with disinfecting wipes or disinfectant spray.
That’s it. Just adding these to your daily routine can help lower the risk of infection for you and anyone else in your household.
The EPA has a full list of disinfectants that will kill the novel coronavirus, but here are a few essentials to keep an eye out for. You can find most of these disinfectants online at Amazon or Walmart if your local grocery store is out of stock. Most disinfectants should have a label that lists the viruses they’re effective against, and that’s what you’ll want to look out for more than any particular active ingredient.
“If [a disinfectant product] has an indication for killing influenza, RSB, SARS virus, or other coronaviruses, then it should work against this one also,” Townes said.
Disinfectants:
Disinfecting wipes (Clorox, Lysol, or store brand will do)
Disinfectant spray (Purell, Clorox, Lysol, all make sprays that will work)
Isopropyl alcohol
Hydrogen peroxide
If You Cannot Find Store-Bought Disinfectants
Store shelves are bare in a lot of places, especially in the cleaning section, but you still have plenty of options. Thankfully, the CDC has a recommended recipe for a homemade cleaning solution using household bleach.
How to Make Homemade Bleach Disinfectant Spray:
4 teaspoons household bleach
1 quart water
Pour both into one quart spray bottle, shake vigorously
Spray on surface to disinfect, let sit for 10 minutes, wipe away with wet cloth
Bleach is excessive in most cases. You should never ever mix bleach solution with any other cleaning chemical, and it’s likely to damage or discolor sensitive surfaces. Use it as a last resort if you can’t source or acquire any other kind of disinfectant. With bleach, remember to wear gloves, open your windows (ventilation is your friend), and be careful.
Yes, mostly. Just washing your clothing with regular laundry soap and drying it at a slightly higher temperature than you might have otherwise is all you have to do to disinfect your clothes.Most Popular
Clean and disinfect the hamper like you would any other surface, and wash your hands thoroughly after handling dirty laundry from someone who is ill. The CDC recommends using a liner in your hamper.
Don’t forget to clean your coat and backpack. Wiping the inside off with a disinfectant wipe should do the trick unless your jacket is machine washable.Should You Disinfect Food and Snacks?
No, not without reason. According to the FDA, there is no evidence to suggest that food or food packaging can transmit the novel coronavirus, so there is currently no need to disinfect food or food packaging any more than you usually would. Just observe standard food safety.Should You Disinfect Packages and Mail?
PHOTOGRAPH: JULIE CLOPPER/GETTY IMAGES
Yes, lightly. According to the USPS, mail and packages are relatively low-risk for transmitting the novel coronavirus, and packages from China pose no special risk compared to packages from anywhere else. That said, researchers have found that it can live on cardboard for around 24 hours, so giving packages a once over with a disinfecting wipe isn’t a bad idea.
Here’s where cleaning and disinfecting can get tricky. Your devices might be all that’s keeping you sane during your self-isolation but, as we all know, they’re magnets for germs. They’re high-touch surfaces you carry with you everywhere, so you need to clean and disinfect them, too. To avoid repeating myself, let’s just say it here: Disinfecting wipes are the best way to clean your devices, hands down. But some devices have special considerations.How to Disinfect Your Phone or Tablet
If you have them, disinfect an iPhone or Android phone with a disinfecting wipe or alcohol solution (at least 70 percent). Make sure you pay special attention to the screen, the buttons, and anywhere dust and pocket lint tend to get trapped. Also make sure you remove any case that’s on your phone or tablet, clean underneath, put it back on, and clean the outside. Following the CDC recommendations for other high-touch surfaces in the home, a once-daily disinfecting isn’t going to hurt your devices.
Laptop displays aren’t always made of glass (matte displays are plastic) so avoid using a disinfecting wipe on the screen, just in case. The display should be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol (70 percent) solution and a soft towel. Make sure you wipe down the keyboard, the trackpad, the exterior, and where your wrists rest on the laptop.
Most desktop computers are already in sore need for a cleaning. The best way to do that is with a disinfecting wipe or isopropyl alcohol solution and a soft towel. Again, avoid disinfecting wipes on the monitor, just in case—stick to isopropyl alcohol there. But otherwise, just make sure you wipe down the mouse (top, sides, and bottom), the keys on your keyboard, the exterior of the keyboard, and any mousepad you might have.Don’t Forget Accessories
For any other electronic device, if the exterior is largely plastic (gaming mice, gamepads, TV remotes) it’s safe to give them a once-over with a disinfecting wipe or isopropyl alcohol solution.
Stay Home, Stay Safe
There’s a lot going on right now. It’s stressful. It’s scary. It can be hard to know what you should do or what’s going on. If you have more questions, and who doesn’t right now, we have a lot of thoughtful, thoroughly researched news and articles about the novel coronavirus. You can read more here. Stay safe out there, and please, if you can, stay home.
Buying a home can be intimidating if you’re not familiar with the terms used throughout the process.
To point you in the right direction, here’s a list of some of the most common language you’ll hear along the way.
The best way to ensure your homebuying process is a positive one is to find a real estate professional who will guide you through every aspect of the transaction with ‘the heart of a teacher.’
Costa Mesa
ORANGE COUNTY TRENDS 