During the winter months, colds and influenza are widespread, and it often seems that nobody is safe from getting sick. Cold temperatures suppress immunity, which greatly increases your risk of becoming ill. However, staying indoors where it’s warm, aside from being impractical, won’t necessarily protect you against these viruses. Most people don’t realize that their house is just as likely to be a source of illness.
While everyone understands that public surfaces harbor a plethora of germs and viruses, few people think of their own homes as potential disease vectors. In truth, there are likely illness-causing pathogens on all of the most-used surfaces in your house. This serves to highlight the importance of not only proper hand-washing habits but also regular and thorough housekeeping. Here are some of the areas of your home you should pay the most attention to this cold and flu season.
The Bathroom
Due to the nature of bathrooms, they’re one of the most germ-laden areas in your house. Bathtubs, toilet seats, flush handles, faucet taps and even the soap pump can all harbor viruses and bacteria that could make your family sick. To minimize the risk, be sure to clean all of these surfaces regularly with an antimicrobial cleaner or diluted bleach.
The Kitchen
Surprisingly, studies show that your bathroom isn’t the dirtiest place in your home. That dubious honor goes to your kitchen. Pathogens can be found on everything from your refrigerator handle to your dish sponge. Your counter tops can also present a hazard. How often do you come home from the store and set your groceries there? Chances are good that other people touched the products before you did, or that they were sitting on a dirty shelf. When these items come into contact with your counter, they’re leaving germs and viruses behind where they can get into food. To reduce your risk, wipe your counters, taps, refrigerator handle and even your soap bottle down with a mild bleach solution. You should also change out your dish rags or sponges regularly.
Electronic Peripheral Devices
The objects in your home that pose the greatest threat are the ones that are touched the most. For most people, these include peripheral devices like game controllers, keyboards, mice and remote controls. What’s more, not many people think of them as part of their routine house-cleaning circuit. The easiest way to kill germs on these surfaces is to spray them with an antimicrobial product, but rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs provide a more thorough cleaning.
Carpets
Your home’s carpets don’t just harbor dust, pet hair and debris. They also harbor airborne pathogens. Unfortunately, when you vacuum, these become tossed back into the air where they can be inhaled by you and your family. One easy solution to this is to hire a carpet cleaner like Grimebusters Ltd. A professional carpet cleaning won’t just remove more filth from your carpets than a vacuum. It will also sanitize them, killing any germs in the process.
Just because it’s cold and flu season doesn’t mean illness is inevitable. Although you can’t control the cleanliness of everything you touch, you can take steps to protect yourself at home. By following these tips and understanding the importance of a clean house, you can reduce your family’s odds of getting sick.
