How To Clean Your House After Being Sick

There is so much sickness going around our area right now - and it probably is where you live, too. Unfortunately, many people are just passing it back and forth between their family and coworkers. It would be nice if we could just shut down the whole state for a week, let everyone get their illness out of their system and then try it again.

But since we can't, let's talk instead about why it's so important to have our homes as germ-free as possible and what steps we can take to stop sickness in its tracks.

When someone in your family is sick, there are going to be germs and bacteria everywhere. Not a pretty picture, I know, but it puts the spotlight on how thoroughly you clean. Spreading this nasty stuff is so easy, and short of wearing a HASMAT suit, disinfecting every way you can is the best way to fight back.

So what are some simple, practical ways to keep germs at bay during and after a sickness?

1. Wash the bedding. This includes on the beds, the couch and anywhere else you've been down and out. Use the hottest setting you can. While those are washing, dust the bedroom and use a disinfectant on the mattress and pillows.

2. Clean all the hard surfaces. Think lamp switches, door knobs, tv remotes, computer keyboards and phones. Find the cleaning products designed for each and put them to good use.

3. Tackle the bathroom. Regardless of what the illness was, the bathroom probably has more germs than any other room after the bedroom. Wash towels, disinfect the vanity, toilet and shower and replace toothbrushes.

4. Replace the filters in your furnace and humidifier (or dehumidifier as the case may be). You want to have the cleanest air possible in the days following a sickness, and this will definitely help.

5. Speaking of clean air, open the windows for a few minutes. It may be a little chilly, but that fresh winter air will go a long way to clearing away the germs.

6. Throw out sponges and wash towels and dish cloths from the kitchen. Wipe off the refrigerator door handles, knobs on the cupboards and all of the counters. One of the easiest places to transfer germs is in the kitchen, where you're preparing meals. Do everything you can not to spread sickness when you're feeding the rest of the family.

7. And finally, since you have the washing machine running anyway, make sure you clean all of the clothes you can get your hands on. Again, use a hot setting and a full cycle.

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