Keeping Your Home Clean During Flu Season
As if COVID weren’t bad enough, we’re heading into flu season which means coughing, fever, aches, and general misery. The good news is that keeping your home clean goes a long way towards preventing (or further spreading) the flu virus.
Let’s take a look at some home cleaning basics to keep you and your family healthy during flu season.
Different Types of Cleaning
Cleaning your home means scrubbing dirt and grime from surfaces, usually by hand using soap and water. But cleaning doesn’t generally kill the nasty bacteria that could be present.
That’s why disinfecting and sanitizing your home is so important during flu season. To sanitize means using a product to reduce the amount of bacteria present on surfaces or laundry. Using a dishwasher or carpet steamer also helps reduce bacteria.
On the other hand, disinfecting means actually destroying bacteria or viruses (like influenza and rhinovirus) on hard, nonporous surfaces. Be sure to check the label on the product you’re using to see which germs it protects against.
Addressing Hot Spots
Certain ‘high-traffic’ areas of the home are more likely to host the germs that cause the flu. Sanitizing and disinfecting these areas helps reduce the risk of getting the flu.
Bathrooms
In the best of circumstances bathrooms are germy places. Which is why it’s even more important to keep them clean and to take precautions during flu season.
If someone in the household is sick with the flu, use paper cups in the bathroom, and do not share bath and hand towels. Use paper towels instead.
Keeping the infected person’s toothbrush separate from everyone else’s is also an excellent preventative measure.
Instead of using the bathroom trash can for used tissue paper, dedicate one bin to the infected person’s bedroom. Line it with a plastic bag and empty the bin, replacing the liner, at least once a day. You can disinfect the bin itself using one half cup bleach to three-fourths gallon of water and let it stand for two minutes before flushing it out with water.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is full of high-traffic areas including refrigerator and microwave handles, sink faucets and counters.
Disinfect refrigerator and microwave handles at least once a week, and more if someone in the house has the flu.
Spray a 10% solution of vinegar and water on counters and allow it to sit for a few minutes before wiping away.
Regularly disinfect the garbage can using a bleach and water solution and don’t forget to clean and disinfect kitchen faucets and handles too.
The Home Office
Home office desktops, keyboards and computer mice are all hot spots for both grime and germs. Regularly disinfecting these items with alcohol wipes can reduce the amount of bacteria they can host--- especially if you share them with someone else.
Also be sure to wash your hands regularly, not only as a general precaution but because most of us spend many hours a day touching our keyboards.
Phones
Touching your phone allows germs to transfer from your hands to your mobile device--- and surveys show that 80% of men and 69% of women use their phone while on the toilet.
In fact, cell phones carry roughly 10 times more bacteria than most toilet seats. Given that Americans check their phones on average every 12 minutes, it’s not hard to see why disinfecting your phone is a must--- especially during flu season.
To disinfect your phone, use a ratio of 60% water and 40% rubbing alcohol and gently wipe your phone with it using a cloth. Doing this once or twice a month is sufficient under normal circumstances, but if you or someone in your home has the flu, plan on disinfecting your phone daily.
Remote Control
60% of all remote controls test positive for influenza virus in the home of a sick person (not surprising since most of us watch a lot of TV while convalescing). And since the virus is transmitted by touching something a sick person has touched, disinfecting your remote control is essential.
Calling In the Experts
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the idea of flu-proofing your home, it may be time to call in the experts. At Custom Maid, we pride ourselves on providing customers with a quality cleaning service tailored to fit their needs--- during flu season and all year round.
Why not give us a call today to get a quote?