Aug
20
2019
How to Refresh Your Home After Someone Has Been Sick
If you or someone in the family has been sick with a cold or the flu, you want to ensure that no one else is going to catch it. Beyond frequent hand washing and proper disposal of tissues, proper cleaning of the house is your first line of defence. When someone is ill with a contagious illness such as the flu or a stomach virus, germs can transfer onto common surfaces and spread to anyone who comes into contact with them.
To prevent the spread of germs and illnesses, cleaning your home is a must. Here are the best ways to refresh your home after an illness, ensuring you and your family stay healthy.
1. Ventilate the house
One of the first things to do if anyone’s been sick in the house is to open up the windows. Letting fresh air in allows old stale air to circulate and ventilate out, replacing sick germy air with fresh air. Fresh air will also help you to feel more energized and focused, which helps if you’ve been feeling all blocked up with a stuffy nose from the cold. Fresh air also helps to improve immunity, refreshing white blood cells which are responsible for fighting germs and bacteria.
2. Disinfect surfaces and fixtures
In order to kill bacteria and germs, make your own natural disinfectant solution at home using vinegar and water. Simply add 1 part vinegar to 1 part water and add 5-15 drops of essential oil such as tea tree. Take a clean white cloth, dip into the home-made disinfectant solution and apply to the surfaces that need cleaning. Begin by wiping down common gathering areas such as the kitchen bench, table, chairs and barstools, and high-germ areas like the toilet and bathroom sink. When disinfecting, don’t neglect points of contact such as light switches, TV remotes, and doorknobs. For these smaller objects, you can either take a cotton ball or q-tip and dip it into the solution before applying. While there are germs in the house, you want to frequently wipe down the following:
- Sink and shower handles
- Toilet seat and flush buttons
- Trash cans
- Food preparation areas
3. Keep floors clean
Careful cleaning of your floors will help to stop any germs and bacteria being transferred as people walk through. If you have infants or crawlers, then this step is an absolute must. If a cold or flu has broken out in the household, you want to make sure that the floors are cleaned so that your child doesn’t contract any nasties. The best way to keep your floors disinfected is by using your homemade vinegar solution in a bucket and applying it with a mop. Then, leave the floor to air dry.
In between disinfecting, you should also use a non-toxic natural floor cleaner to keep your floors and surfaces clean and smelling fresh. Pay extra attention to the spaces where your family spends most of their time, such as the bedroom. Regularly cleaning your bedroom floors with a floor cleaner is the safest way to prevent any more germs from transmitting onto your family.
4. Dispose of the trash
If we’ve been sick with the cold and flu, one of the most common side effects is a blocked and runny nose. Make sure that you and your family dispose of tissues correctly, putting them into the trash as soon as you’ve finished blowing your nose. Otherwise, germs can be quickly transferred upon contact. Invest in a bin with a lid, so that germs and smells can be trapped inside.
Once the bin has become full, dispose of the trash right away in the main rubbish chute. You should clean out your rubbish bin regularly to prevent the spread of bacteria. The best way to do this is to rinse out the plastic rubbish bin with hot water and some washing detergent before scrubbing it out, rinsing it off, and letting it air dry.
5. Wash bedding, towels and clothing
If you’ve been sick, chances are you’ve spent a lot of time in your bed. Make sure that once you’re feeling well enough, you change your sheets and bedding and put them in the washing machine to be washed in warm water with detergent. Germs and bacteria easily spread onto our pillowcases and blankets, clinging to the fabric. The same goes for clothes or pyjamas worn during illness. Wash every item straight away to stop the spread of germs. For kids who have been sick, don’t forget to wash their toys and stuffed animals that they’ve been holding onto.
Keep your home clean and germ-free
Keeping your household clean with a regular refresh routine will help to prevent the production and spread of the germs and bacteria that cause us to be sick. Always use a Natural Floor Cleaner to clean floors and Multi-Surface Cleaner to clean surfaces, for the health and safety of your beloved family.
