When cold and flu season comes around, it’s important to be diligent about home cleaning to stop sickness from spreading. The occasional cough or sneeze becomes a chorus of sick loved ones as contagious germs infect your whole household. No one wants to deal with the headache, fatigue, and misery of being ill. Not to mention the potential danger to vulnerable groups like infants and seniors.
Proper cleaning can help avoid catching or passing on contagious respiratory illnesses caused by viruses. Hiring a professional cleaning service can also provide an extra level of protection. We share advice from health experts on using cleaning supplies and disinfectants effectively.
The Risks of Cold and Flu Germs at Home
Cold and flu virus can live for prolonged periods on the surfaces in your home. Flu virus can survive for up to 48 hours on hard surfaces like countertops, doorknobs, and tables. Soft, porous surfaces like blankets, tissues, and clothing allow flu viruses to live even longer – up to 12 hours.
Children and elderly individuals face the greatest risk from influenza exposure at home. Their immune systems have a harder time-fighting infection. However, even healthy adults can become infected through indirect transmission by touching contaminated surfaces.
Viruses on surfaces can also fluctuate and increase over the course of flu cold and flu season from Fall to Spring. As influenza cases rise in communities, more viral particles make their way into homes on clothing, shoes, bags, and more.
Best Home Cleaning Routines for Flu Season
As flu season approaches, it’s crucial to establish effective home cleaning routines to protect your family’s health. Dr. Jane Smith, a family and community medicine specialist at New York Medical College, emphasizes the importance of these practices in disease control.
Here’s how to keep your home clean during flu season:
Frequently Disinfect High-Touch Surfaces
Germs and viruses spread rapidly through contact with high-touch surfaces in your home. These are areas that hands come into frequent contact with, allowing illnesses like colds and flu to transmit easily. Be sure to regularly disinfect the following high-touch surfaces to stop the spread of sickness:
Sink and faucet
Toilet flush handles and seat
Shower/tub controls and walls
Light switches and doorknobs
Cabinets and Countertops
Appliance handles and buttons
Kitchen table/chairs
Electronics
Targeting high-touch areas with frequent disinfecting is crucial to preventing the spread of contagious illnesses this cold and flu season. Be sure to sanitize these surfaces often.
Bathroom Cleaning
Flu germs spread through tiny droplets when someone coughs or sneezes. They can live on sinks, countertops, and other bathroom surfaces for hours.
Disinfecting cleaning removes dirt and kills microbes. Use disinfectant sprays or disposable cleaning wipes on surfaces like the sink and faucet. The bathroom countertops are another hot spot for germs, so make sure to give those a thorough disinfecting wipe down. Also remember to sanitize the toilet bowl and seat, as these tend to get neglected but need disinfecting too. The bathtub and shower walls are prime spots for lingering germs to hide out, so spray or wipe them regularly to keep them clean. Light switches and doorknobs in the bathroom should be wiped often as well since they are high-touch surfaces that spread germs.
Bleach solutions effectively eliminate germs, but warm water works well for cleaning most bathroom surfaces if you don’t want to use harsh chemicals. Be sure to ask family members to wipe down surfaces after each use to stop the spread of lingering germs. And don’t forget about laundry baskets in the bathroom – they can harbor germs too!
Consider hiring home cleaning services that use hospital-grade disinfectants to deep clean the bathroom. Professional cleaners can thoroughly sanitize all surfaces and help prevent the spread of illness.
Kitchen Cleaning
Kitchens contain lots of high-touch surfaces that allow flu germs to spread rapidly. Germs can pass from contaminated hands to cabinet handles, appliance buttons, faucet handles, and more in the kitchen.
Be sure to disinfect daily, and consider extra cleaning if someone has flu symptoms. Use disinfecting wipes or sprays on high-touch areas like countertops, tables, and chairs. Appliance handles and buttons pick up germs, so give your refrigerator handle, oven buttons, and other appliances a good wipe-down. Cabinet knobs and pulls should be disinfected as well. Don’t forget about the kitchen sink faucet and other hard surfaces like microwaves.
It’s a good idea to wash dishes with hot water and soap to kill any germs lingering on plates and utensils. Take out the kitchen garbage regularly to avoid germs multiplying in overflowing trash. Keeping the kitchen clean helps prevent the spread of sickness this flu season.
Living Room and Bedroom Cleaning
Germs can spread from contaminated tissues or unwashed hands onto surfaces like tables, remotes, phones, toys, and more in living rooms. Bedrooms can also pick up both the common cold and flu viruses through the air or from someone who is sick.
Be sure to disinfect these high-touch living room and bedroom surfaces frequently:
Door handles and knobs in both rooms need to be wiped down regularly to stop germ transfer. Tabletops like coffee tables and nightstands pick up viruses easily, so sanitize them often. Light switches in both rooms get a lot of hand contact, making them a hot spot for spreading sickness. Don’t forget about remote controls, phones, tablets, and other electronics. Germs can live on the surfaces, so disinfect them but make sure to dry thoroughly so cleaning solutions don’t damage the devices. Kids’ toys, bedside tables, and lamps also need regular disinfecting to prevent illness.
Use disinfecting wipes or sprays on all these high-touch surfaces. Proper cleaning in living spaces and bedrooms helps keep your family healthy. While cleaning is important, the flu shot remains one of our most powerful tools against influenza.
Home Cleaning Tips for Cold and Flu Season
According to health and hygiene experts at the American Cleaning Institute, establishing regular disinfecting routines is crucial for keeping your home flu-free during cold and flu season. Implementing these consistent cleaning habits removes up to 99% of viruses and bacteria on household surfaces.
Proper disinfecting is key, but other cleaning practices help prevent illness this cold and flu season.
Good Hygiene
Practicing good hygiene is crucial. Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when soap isn’t available. Cough and sneeze into tissues or your elbow, not your hands. These steps limit viral transmission.
Proper and frequent hand washing and respiratory etiquette are vital to combating cold and flu germs. Avoid touching your face and remind family members about hygiene.
Waste Disposal
Take out trash bags daily once flu season begins. Letting waste accumulate can foster bacterial growth. Use a lined bin for sick room waste like tissues. Wash hands after disposal to prevent cross-contamination.
Keep the Air Clean
Maintaining proper ventilation is a must. Clean air ducts before winter. Stagnant air and dust promote germ and mold buildup. Consider air filters and purifiers to remove harmful viruses.
Good airflow and clean ducts support optimal health.
Vacuum and Deep Clean
Vacuum carpets and mop hard floors weekly to prevent germ buildup. Steam clean soft surfaces and launder bedding to kill germs. Look for all-natural cleaners to avoid toxins. Remember to replace cleaning rags frequently or use disposable options. If you suspect mold growth, consult a mold remediation company promptly.
Be Mindful of Shared Items
Avoid sharing personal items like phones, cups, and towels, especially with someone ill. Disinfect surfaces like remote controls and door knobs frequently. Remind children to not put toys in their mouths. Proper cleaning habits reduce disease transmission.
“Practicing proper respiratory etiquette and maintaining a clean home environment are crucial preventative measures,” says Dr. Smith. She recommends stocking your cleaning cabinet to combat the spread of germs effectively.
The Benefits of Hiring a Professional House Cleaning Service
Deep cleaning your entire home yourself takes a lot of time and effort. Consider hiring professional cleaners to safely sanitize your house during flu season.
Hospital-Grade Disinfectants
Professional companies use EPA-registered hospital-grade disinfectants that kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses. These commercial cleaners contain strong antimicrobial ingredients to effectively eliminate cold, flu, and COVID-19 germs.
Specialized Home Cleaning Tools
Cleaning pros have industrial steamers, HEPA vacuums, electrostatic sprayers, and other equipment homeowners don’t have. This allows them to thoroughly disinfect every nook and cranny in your home.
Efficiency and Convenience
It takes an entire experienced team just a few hours to scrub every room, surface, and fabric at a deeper level than you can alone. No need to spend your precious weekends on your hands and knees scrubbing when you can hire professionals to do it for you.
Healthier Air Quality
Companies use truck-mounted vacuum systems to clean ducts and vents, removing dust and improving air circulation. They also sanitize A/C coils and change filters, creating cleaner indoor air.
Peace of Mind
After a deep clean by seasoned professionals using medical-grade disinfectants, you can rest assured your home is germ-free. This peace of mind helps reduce stress during cold and flu season.
Hiring disinfecting cleaners gives homeowners a powerful illness-prevention tool this flu season. The thoroughness, efficiency, and effectiveness of professional companies enhance the safety of your home during peak sickness season.
Bottomline
Keeping a clean home goes a long way in stopping sickness during flu season. The good news is there are some simple, effective steps you can take! Staying on top of daily cleaning habits and teaching family members good hygiene makes a huge difference. With some extra attention to home cleaning and sanitizing this season, you’ll keep those flu bugs far away from your loved ones.
