Try as we might, it is nearly impossible to completely stop the spread of cold and flu bugs around our kids’ schools. While kids may not be the best at being cautious about reducing the spread of these ailments, we parents can definitely do our part at home in order to reduce the impact and even the spread of common cold and flu infections. The fight definitely begins and ends at home! We wanted to spend some time today sharing our research into how you can best disinfect your home when a child or other family member gets sick this year. Heck, you can even use these tips year ‘round even if someone isn’t sick in order to help everyone in the house stay that way. Read on for more tips and tricks on disinfecting your home, just in time for Back To School season!

Sanitize “Public” Objects And Spaces

We all have our personal objects that only we ever touch throughout the course of the average week like our hairbrush and toothbrush or coffee mug, but what about things that just about everybody touches everyday? Those are the things you’re going to want to sanitize first. To sanitize, we recommend using a small rag or cotton balls soaked in rubbing alcohol or a diluted bleach and water solution. Here are a few things to get you started:

• TV remote
• Door knobs, especially bathrooms and bedrooms
• Game controllers and other entertainment devices
• Cell phones and especially landline phones (if you have one!)
• Tablet computers
• Keyboards and mice for each shared computer
• Replace all kitchen and bathroom hand towels immediately with clean ones and then replace those every 48 hours until all illnesses are gone
• Toilet seats and toilet flushing handles
• Refrigerator door handle
• Light switches in high traffic areas
• Repeat this list as needed or every 48 hours until sickness is over

General Tips

Help stop the spread of germs and viruses by helping your children wash their hands more often during these times and to wash them for longer than usual. Also remind them to refrain from sharing beverages and utensils and from touching their eyes or face in general. 

• Change Bedding:

• • Don’t forget to change out the bed sheets and especially pillow cases on the whole house as soon as you hear that someone is feeling ill and then change them again once everybody is feeling better. 

• Sanitize Toothbrushes:

• • You can also have everybody sanitize their toothbrushes during these times as well. To do so, simply dip them into hydrogen peroxide for 20 to 30 minutes and then rinse with warm water. If you don’t have hydrogen peroxide, you can instead soak them in mouthwash and then rinse as well. 

• Sanitize Shared Toys:

• • It may be a big hassle but it could help to stop the spread. Quickly sanitize your kids’ toys, especially ones that have been used recently or that get used often. 

In Conclusion

When a kid comes home with a cold or flu bug, it is definitely a bummer, but there are plenty of things that we can do to help stop or reduce the spread. With these things in mind and a little luck, you will make this year and every year a great back to school experience.

Contact us if you or someone you know may be in need of a residential or commercial cleaning service like ours. We can’t wait to hear from you. Give us a call or email us here. Have fun and stay safe out there!