Coming down with a cold or flu makes winter even worse.
The aches, the pains, the sore throat and the sneezing. It’s all too much.
Plus, those stomach bugs can seem to spread quickly making your home feel like a contamination zone.
Once one person falls sick it feels like it is inevitable that everyone in your home will catch the bug as well.
Here are our nine tips on what to clean in your home to stop those bugs changing hands.
1. Hand towels – You dry your hands on hand towels several times a day and guess where you have been sneezing into? Your hands.
It is important to change all hand towels in the house daily to help avoid the spread of germs.
2. Clean bathrooms – It is important to disinfect and wipe down the sink, benches and toilets as these are the places you are most likely to visit right after the sick person.
3. Common areas – Use sanitising wipes or rubbing alcohol to clean areas that are frequently touched by everyone in the house. These common areas include:
- Door handles
- Light switches
- Fridge handles
- Soap pumps
- Drawer handles and knobs
- Keyboards
- Toilet flush buttons
- Taps
- Appliance handles
- Stair railings
- Phones
- Remote controls
4. Bedding – You can sweat a lot when you are sick.
It is a good idea to place an extra sheet underneath your fitted sheet to help protect the mattress.
You can also place a pillow protector over your pillow when you are sick as well for extra protection.
Wash pillow cases, quilts, covers and throw blankets when the illness is over. Wash on a high temperature to help kill the germs.
5. Toys – Place plastic toys in the top rack of the dishwasher to give them a clean. Wash stuffed toys in the washing machine on a gentle cycle.
6. Tables – Kitchen table, coffee table and play area tables can host the cold and flu virus because these are common areas that are touched often. Don’t forget to give them a wipe over with sanitising wipes.
7. Toothbrushes – Place all toothbrushes in an antibacterial solution and let it sit for a couple of hours. It is also a good idea to replace toothbrushes when the illness is over or every three months.
8. Air out the house – If it isn’t snowing outside it is a good idea to open up some windows to air out the house. This helps to remove stale air and allow fresh air to circulate throughout the house.
9. Wash clothing – It is important to wash any clothes that have been worn when sick in hot water if the clothing allows. This helps to remove any germs that may still be hanging around
