Tips on how to coronavirus-proof your home

With the help of physicians and infectious disease experts, we built a tip sheet to make sure you don't bring the virus back with you.

You can download a printable version here -- available in English, Spanish and Chinese.

Note: Recommendations for Covid-19 may change as officials learn more, so monitor your local health department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for updates.

Make a game plan

Designate one person to be your errand-runner to limit your outside exposuresSet up a disinfecting station — an area outside your home or in a room with low foot traffic where you can disinfect packaged food

When you're out

Avoid coming within less than six feet of othersWipe handles on carts or baskets while shoppingSome states mandate you wear a mask when you go into a business. Also, wash your hands frequently while you're out and avoid touching your face

When you get back

Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds [Click here to learn how to do so properly]Disinfect takeout boxes and packaged foods at your disinfecting stationThoroughly wash produce before putting it in your kitchen

Disinfect

Disinfect everything you touch — doorknobs, light switches, keys, phone, keyboards, remotes, etc.Use EPA-approved disinfectants (these include Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and certain Lysol sprays) and leave surfaces wet for 3-5 minutes

Delivery

Ask workers to drop deliveries off on your doorstep or in an area of your complexIf they need you to come to the door, keep six feet of distancePay and tip online when possibleAfter you pick up mail from your mailbox, wash your hands

Laundry

Wash clothes, towels and linens regularly on the warmest settingDisinfect your laundry hamper, too, or place a removable liner inside itDon't shake dirty laundry to avoid dispersing the virus in the air

Guests

You shouldn't allow guests over right nowIf you need to house a family member or friend, avoid shared living spaces as much as you canIf they need to enter shared living spaces, ask them to keep six feet of distance

If someone in your house gets sick

First, consult your doctorIsolate them in another room and ask them to use a separate restroomDisinfect frequently touched surfaces every dayAvoid sharing items with themWear gloves when washing their laundryContinue to wash your hands frequentlyAsk them to wear a face mask if they have one

Supplies you'll need

EPA-approved disinfectants

If you don't have disinfectants, make a bleach solution: Mix four teaspoons bleach per quart of waterOr Use a 70% alcohol solutionLaundry detergentTrash bagsPrescription medicines (you can mail order these)Canned foods — fruits, veggies, beansDry goods — breads, pastas, nut buttersFrozen foods — meats, veggies, fruits

Pets

Supervise your pet in your backyardIt's OK to play with them outside — just keep your distance from other humansIf you're sick, ask someone you live with to take care of them while you recoverIf you must care for them while you're sick, wash your hands frequently

Our sources

Dr. Leana Wen, former Baltimore City Health Commissioner, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington UniversityDr. Koushik Kasanagottu, an internal medicine resident physician at John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, and who is among the thousands of health care professionals treating patients with coronavirusDr. Richard Kuhn, a virologist, director of the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease and editor-in-chief of the journal "Virology"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention