This flu season has been brutal! When it hits someone in your household, how do you disinfect your home to keep the rest of the family from getting sick too? It’s all about disinfecting your home of the flu!
1. Designate a special area for the sick person – Designate which bedroom and bathroom the sick person will use and have them stick to those areas. This helps cut down on the area you need to disinfect and helps prevent spreading flu germs throughout the house.
2. Disinfect surfaces first – The flu virus can live on a hard surface for over 24 hours. Plenty of time for it to spread to other family members. Disinfect your countertops, tables, remote controls, computers, tablets, door knobs, light switches, faucet handles, cabinet pulls, sinks, tubs and toilet (seat and handle). Follow the directions for disinfection found on the back label of the cleaner you’re using. If you aren’t sure, a good rule of thumb is to apply enough cleaner for the item to be visibly wet for about four minutes and then let air dry.
3. Sanitize kid’s items – Sanitize toys, cups, dishes, nipples, bottles, teething rings and other kids items by washing thoroughly, then sanitizing in a solution of two teaspoons of bleach per gallon of water. Soak then rinse with warm water and let air dry.
4. Open windows to circulate fresh air – For a couple of minutes each day, open the windows to circulate out stale, germy air and let fresh air in.
5. Be careful with laundry – When you transport clothes and bedding from the sick person’s room to the laundry, remember those items have flu germs all over them. Carry them in a basket, wash your hands after handling and disinfect the basket when finished with it.
6. Use paper towels instead of cloth for drying hands – While you have the flu in your home, switch to paper towels to dry hands and throw them away immediately instead of cloth towels that can harbor germs.
7. Use disposable cups and dishes for the sick person – This will make it easy to just throw the germs away instead of trying to sanitize dishes.
8. Disinfect your mop and broom – After using your mop and broom to clean the floor, soak them in a solution of 1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water. Fully submerge and allow to soak for 5 minutes. Rinse with warm water and let air dry.
When the flu hits your household, you can prevent its spread by disinfecting your house of the flu germs. These top tips will help you sanitize and kill the germs in your home to prevent the flu from spreading.
