When someone in your family contracts the cold or flu, it doesn't take long for the entire household to come tumbling down like a proverbial house of cards. Maintaining a clean environment in the face of illness is essential in order to contain infection. practice these healthy habits around the house to protect your family in both sickness and in health.
When someone in your family contracts the cold or flu, it doesn't take long for the entire household to come tumbling down like a proverbial house of cards. Maintaining a clean environment in the face of illness is essential in order to contain infection. practice these healthy habits around the house to protect your family in both sickness and in health.
BEDROOM BASICS
When cold or flu strikes, the bedroom is prone to become a veritable petri dish of disease. rest is the best medicine, after all, and what better place to recuperate than snuggled up under the covers? even when you're not the one who is sick, you may still find that afflicted family members will come knocking at your door, looking for a little tLC.
If your spouse is ill, it's a good idea to avoid the bedroom altogether and sleep on the couch or in the guest room until the risk of infection subsides. if you do find yourself sharing a bed with a sick person, remember to always sleep behind them. that way, you'll be out of the line of fire if and when they sneeze or cough.
No matter who has the sniffles, make sure that used tissues don't end up in a pile on the floor beside the bed. throw them away immediately--preferably in a trash can with a lid.
Perhaps the most effective way to stop the spread of germs in the bedroom is to wash pillows and bedding daily with hot water and bleach when someone is sick. research has shown that laundering fabrics in hot water (81 to 90 C) reduces the risk of infection by about 30 percent.
PREVENTION IN THE PLAYROOM
In a mere 30 minutes, a child is liable to touch as many as 300 objects. Germs love those odds. even in health, curious little fingers are bound to come into contact with a contaminated surface. And when you've got a sick kid at home, crosscontamination is practically inevitable. parents need to be extra vigilant and step up the disinfecting if they want to have any chance at preventing the spread of illness.
For hard plastic toys, wash, wipe and rinse with water to start. then soak toys for 10 minutes in a mixture comprised of 180 millilitres (3/4 cup) bleach and 3.8 litres (1 gallon) water. Always rinse and allow toys to air dry before putting them back in your children's hands.
And don't forget about their stuffed animals! plush toys can and should be laundered regularly right in the washing machine. Simply place in a pillowcase and tie it closed to protect the precious cargo.
BATHROOM MAKEOVER
Most of the time, routine cleaning and a bit of hygiene common sense are enough to protect your family in the bathroom. but when someone is sick, its shared facilities make the space a hotbed for crosscontamination, and it's important to take some extra precautions.
For starters, be sure to disinfect all surfaces daily, including the mirror, countertops, sink and faucet, toilet, etc. (See "don't Forget to disinfect..." for a comprehensive list of household surfaces where germs can hide.)
You may also want to switch from a communal hand towel to disposable towels or assign each family member their own reusable towel. Launder (in hot water, of course!) all bathroom towels more frequently--daily if possible--in the face of illness.
Around the sink, a few small changes can make a big impact. First, replace any common water glasses with disposable cups for the duration of the infection. Second, if you use bar soap, keep it in a self-draining holder that can be cleaned thoroughly between bars. Finally, store each person's toothbrush separately when someone in the house is sick.
KITCHEN CLEAN-UP
Of all the rooms in the house, the germiest, gnarliest, by far, is the kitchen. this hot zone not only harbours cold and flu viruses, but also food-borne diseases. As such, the following tips are good practice year-round, beyond bouts of seasonal illness.
As in the bathroom, use paper towels instead of shared hand towels and disinfect the sink and counters daily. don't use sponges or non-disposable cleaning cloths unless you change them every day and launder them in hot water. Germs thrive on moist surfaces. A sponge or dishrag can actually spread bacteria from one surface to another.
Instead, always keep a stash of Clorox disinfecting Wipes on hand in the kitchen ( clorox.ca).With proper use, they kill 99.9 percent of germs, including the viruses that cause the flu as well as common bacteria, such as staphylococcus, salmonella and e. coli. the durable wipes are even tough enough to tackle baked-on grease while still gentle enough to use on most kitchen surfaces--from laminate to stainless steel to tile. To disinfect, wipe down the surface, allow to remain wet for 10 minutes, then let dry. Surfaces that may come into contact with food should be rinsed after disinfecting. When you're done, simply toss the wipe in the recycling bin and consider yourself germ-free!
DON'T FORGET TO DISINFECT...
Germs are hiding in your home, even as we speak. Use this handy checklist of household hotspots to ensure that you have all your surfaces covered.
- door handles
- Light switches
- banisters
- telephones (keypads and handsets)
- pdAs
- personal entertainment devices (e. g. ipod, Nintendo dS, etc.)
- remote controls
- Video game controllers
- Computer keyboard
- Mouse
- Stapler
- desktop
- Children's toys and stuffed animals
- Stroller
- Change table
- diaper pail
- bedside tables
- kitchen counter
- kitchen sink and faucet
- Cabinet doors and handles
- Major appliances (i. e. microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, oven)
- Countertop appliances
- dish cloths and sponges
- Garbage/recycling receptacles
- High chairs and high chair trays
- pet's food and water bowls
- Litter boxes
- Mirrors
- bathroom sinks and faucets
- bathroom counters
- bathtub
- Shower
- toilet seats and handles
- toilet paper holders
---------
DID YOU KNOW...
The germiest household surface? top prize goes to the kitchen sink, followed by the dishrag or sponge.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Information courtesy of the National Post for public health benefit. Feb. 17, 2010
BEDROOM BASICS
When cold or flu strikes, the bedroom is prone to become a veritable petri dish of disease. rest is the best medicine, after all, and what better place to recuperate than snuggled up under the covers? even when you're not the one who is sick, you may still find that afflicted family members will come knocking at your door, looking for a little tLC.
If your spouse is ill, it's a good idea to avoid the bedroom altogether and sleep on the couch or in the guest room until the risk of infection subsides. if you do find yourself sharing a bed with a sick person, remember to always sleep behind them. that way, you'll be out of the line of fire if and when they sneeze or cough.
No matter who has the sniffles, make sure that used tissues don't end up in a pile on the floor beside the bed. throw them away immediately--preferably in a trash can with a lid.
Perhaps the most effective way to stop the spread of germs in the bedroom is to wash pillows and bedding daily with hot water and bleach when someone is sick. research has shown that laundering fabrics in hot water (81 to 90 C) reduces the risk of infection by about 30 percent.
PREVENTION IN THE PLAYROOM
In a mere 30 minutes, a child is liable to touch as many as 300 objects. Germs love those odds. even in health, curious little fingers are bound to come into contact with a contaminated surface. And when you've got a sick kid at home, crosscontamination is practically inevitable. parents need to be extra vigilant and step up the disinfecting if they want to have any chance at preventing the spread of illness.
For hard plastic toys, wash, wipe and rinse with water to start. then soak toys for 10 minutes in a mixture comprised of 180 millilitres (3/4 cup) bleach and 3.8 litres (1 gallon) water. Always rinse and allow toys to air dry before putting them back in your children's hands.
And don't forget about their stuffed animals! plush toys can and should be laundered regularly right in the washing machine. Simply place in a pillowcase and tie it closed to protect the precious cargo.
BATHROOM MAKEOVER
Most of the time, routine cleaning and a bit of hygiene common sense are enough to protect your family in the bathroom. but when someone is sick, its shared facilities make the space a hotbed for crosscontamination, and it's important to take some extra precautions.
For starters, be sure to disinfect all surfaces daily, including the mirror, countertops, sink and faucet, toilet, etc. (See "don't Forget to disinfect..." for a comprehensive list of household surfaces where germs can hide.)
You may also want to switch from a communal hand towel to disposable towels or assign each family member their own reusable towel. Launder (in hot water, of course!) all bathroom towels more frequently--daily if possible--in the face of illness.
Around the sink, a few small changes can make a big impact. First, replace any common water glasses with disposable cups for the duration of the infection. Second, if you use bar soap, keep it in a self-draining holder that can be cleaned thoroughly between bars. Finally, store each person's toothbrush separately when someone in the house is sick.
KITCHEN CLEAN-UP
Of all the rooms in the house, the germiest, gnarliest, by far, is the kitchen. this hot zone not only harbours cold and flu viruses, but also food-borne diseases. As such, the following tips are good practice year-round, beyond bouts of seasonal illness.
As in the bathroom, use paper towels instead of shared hand towels and disinfect the sink and counters daily. don't use sponges or non-disposable cleaning cloths unless you change them every day and launder them in hot water. Germs thrive on moist surfaces. A sponge or dishrag can actually spread bacteria from one surface to another.
Instead, always keep a stash of Clorox disinfecting Wipes on hand in the kitchen ( clorox.ca).With proper use, they kill 99.9 percent of germs, including the viruses that cause the flu as well as common bacteria, such as staphylococcus, salmonella and e. coli. the durable wipes are even tough enough to tackle baked-on grease while still gentle enough to use on most kitchen surfaces--from laminate to stainless steel to tile. To disinfect, wipe down the surface, allow to remain wet for 10 minutes, then let dry. Surfaces that may come into contact with food should be rinsed after disinfecting. When you're done, simply toss the wipe in the recycling bin and consider yourself germ-free!
DON'T FORGET TO DISINFECT...
Germs are hiding in your home, even as we speak. Use this handy checklist of household hotspots to ensure that you have all your surfaces covered.
- door handles
- Light switches
- banisters
- telephones (keypads and handsets)
- pdAs
- personal entertainment devices (e. g. ipod, Nintendo dS, etc.)
- remote controls
- Video game controllers
- Computer keyboard
- Mouse
- Stapler
- desktop
- Children's toys and stuffed animals
- Stroller
- Change table
- diaper pail
- bedside tables
- kitchen counter
- kitchen sink and faucet
- Cabinet doors and handles
- Major appliances (i. e. microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator, oven)
- Countertop appliances
- dish cloths and sponges
- Garbage/recycling receptacles
- High chairs and high chair trays
- pet's food and water bowls
- Litter boxes
- Mirrors
- bathroom sinks and faucets
- bathroom counters
- bathtub
- Shower
- toilet seats and handles
- toilet paper holders
---------
DID YOU KNOW...
The germiest household surface? top prize goes to the kitchen sink, followed by the dishrag or sponge.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Information courtesy of the National Post for public health benefit. Feb. 17, 2010
