The toughest part about cold and flu season is how to stop the viruses from circulating through your family. If your husband or kids get sick, it feels inevitable that you’ve got a bug coming sooner or later.
Not necessarily.
The fastest way to good family health can be found in 5 simple, daily cleaning habits:
1. Get some new air
Your mother was right: you need some light in here. Throw open the windows and let fresh air roll in. Open the blinds and nab some vitamin D. Light a fresh-smelling candle, and you’re starting your cleaning day on the right foot.
2. Gather your arsenal
Disinfectant spray will be your best friend during your germ battle. Some people are also partial to disinfecting wipes which are great, just make sure your cleaning products actually kill viruses.
Stock up on paper towels and microfiber cloths — anything that can be thrown away. Stay away from reusable sponges.
3. Wash every day
During the sick days, everyone should be using a different towel each day. Near the end of the flu, strip the bed, flip your mattress and wash your linens with hot water. Pay extra care to pillowcases and face towels.
If you’ve got young kids, throw washable toys like stuffed animals in with the bedding to be cleaned. For non-washable toys, disinfect or scrub with a steam-cleaning brush.
4. The bathroom needs your attention
Scrubbing the bathroom sink should be a priority — it’s the base camp your home’s germs have been using all week. Spray, scrub, and disinfect the faucet, handles, and bowl and then work on the toilet seat and handle.
Keep all your toothbrushes separate to avoid trouble. If your sick loved one’s toothbrush is of the inexpensive, disposable kind — ditch it.
5. Disinfect the biggest targets
Grab your disinfectant spray or wipes and go to town on cold and flu germs’ favorite home: the surfaces you and your family touch every day. Doorknobs, light switches, and railings are most common, especially the ones close to the bedroom and bathroom. Refrigerator door handles, kitchen drawer pulls and pesky germy wastebaskets should be next.
Your kids have probably been watching a lot of TV while they’ve been laid up, so don’t forget to regularly sanitize remote controls, laptop keyboards and phones.
You’re on your way to a speedy recovery and a happy, healthy home.