Pinky Tobiano Shares Essential Cleaning Tips to Keep Us All Safe Amid The Pandemic And Beyond - LA Lives

Reverting to MECQ or not, we all have to take extra care in staying clean and healthy. Luckily, Chemist Pinky Tobiano is here to smoke out all your worries.

Caution is a word that many would associate with when it was declared that Metro Manila would be under MECQ once again, or at least extra consideration of it. A lot of fear into how safe we actually are in our homes started to simmer again months into the pandemic. To quell these fears, we speak with Pinky Tobiano to share some cleaning tips that you may not have known about and how she spreads this awareness of cleanliness and sanitation, upholding her words that, “Safety is not a privilege, it is the right of every Filipino.”

Read more: The Green Way: Chef Xavier Btesh On How Filipinos Can Eat Healthier

Back in the early days of the lockdown in April, Pinky started her online show, Essential Cleaning Tips with Pinky Tobiano, to spread awareness on how people can avoid being infected by the virus, “We [came] up with a very informative show and being a chemist [specializing] in formulating disinfectants …to come up with practical cleaning tips to help prevent against COVID.” This show helped amplify her message that staying clean is the key first step in prevention. But outside of the show, she has been in constant work to aid front liners during the pandemic. “Ever since the pandemic started, my laboratory (Progressive Laboratories, responsible for producing disinfectants such as Viralcyde Max, which she adds that they’ve been donating to medical establishments which includes East Avenue Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines and others) has been working 24/7,” she shares. “Our team has been working in the back end supporting the front liners. It was really tough, everyone was working non-stop because when the pandemic started, there was a scarcity of disinfectants,” she reveals, shedding light on the initial lack of disinfectant that she tried to remedy early on in the pandemic.

A behind-the-scenes shot from her online show.

Pinky also shares the charitable aspect of her show aside form its pragmatic tips: “What is nice in our show, aside from giving practical COVID-19 prevention tips, we also give back…In our last episode, we gave a tribute to jeepney drivers and through the generosity of my guest Gov. Chavit Singson and Sen. Manny Pacquiao, they gave away a total of P500,000 to 10 lucky jeepney and tricycle drivers—Who were badly affected by the pandemic.” To tease on the future of the show, Pinky imparts, “We are on break now and we shall be starting a new show called A MEANINGFUL LIFE, it will be a show reaching out to the people who were greatly affected by the pandemic and we will still have practical cleaning tips in the end.”

Read more: A Resilient Heart: Keri Zamora Continues To Be A Woman For Others A Year After Chemotherapy

“Our team has been working in the back end supporting the front liners. It was really tough, everyone was working non-stop because when the pandemic started, there was a scarcity of disinfectants.”

When asked about certain things at home that people tend to overlook when it comes to staying clean, Pinky points to one particular home item—the kitchen sponge. “Something that people take for granted is the kitchen sponge at home. Based on studies in John Hopkins, the kitchen sponge is the dirtiest item in the home. And cleaning people use it for cleaning the pots and pans and the sink, but fail to clean the sponge thoroughly.” To remedy this, she suggests focusing in cleaning the sponge itself after use, “Wash the sponge with soap every evening and place this in the microwave for one minute in high heat to kill all the bacteria and germs that may be present in the sponge. Make it a point to change sponges every week.” Pinky adds on this point of home sanitation with certain home products that we can use to maximize sanitation, “As a chemist, I suggest that you sanitize your home everyday with a reliable liquid disinfectant (Viralcyde Max). Make sure to clean the door knobs daily. I also strongly recommend to use Sanivir Smoke Air disinfectant to protect your homes and cars every 14 days. Sanivir Smoke not only kills the surface viruses but the airborne coronavirus and it disinfects every corner of your homes, especially those places we can’t reach. It is best to do liquid disinfection together with Sanivir Smoke. Liquid disinfection together with Sanivir Smoke will ensure you that your home is protected against the coronavirus.” 

“Safety is not a privilege, it is the right of every Filipino.”

To end, Pinky remind us of the basics. With all the extra precautions we can take to stay safe and healthy, these essential daily habits will ensure that through the pandemic:

1. Always wear your mask.
2. Make handwashing a regular habit, wash them as often as possible with soap.
3. Avoid physical contact with surfaces that people often touch as much as possible (Elevator buttons, handrails, etc).
4. Avoid physical contact with other people for now – instead of a handshake, you can wave or use another gesture to greet them.

All photos from Pinky Tobiano’s Facebook page.

Order your print copy of this month's LIFESTYLE ASIA Magazine:
Download this month's LIFESTYLE ASIA digital copy from:
Subscribe via [email protected]