Did your family experience a flu wave recently? Clean all of these things to prevent a second wave!
Being struck by a bout of flu is no fun at all. In families with children, it can be especially tedious. First, one kid is felled by the flu, then the next and before you know it you have it as well. The only solution is to get through it and take your time getting better, or you’ll be sick again in no time at all. Do you want to prevent yourself from getting sick again? Then you should clean these nine things after the flu epidemic in your home has passed again.
Disinfect all of these items if you want to prevent a new wave of the flu.
1. Remote control
There you are, lying on the sofa or in bed feeling exhausted. Once you’ve caught the flu, you can do little more than lying down, sleeping and perhaps watching some TV if you’re lucky. Since you touch the remote control a lot when you’re ill, it’s a good idea to disinfect it when you’re healthy again. The flu virus can survive for 24 hours on these kinds of surfaces! Before you know it, one of your family members has been infected too. You can easily clean the remote control with a wet cleaning wipe.
2. Phone
Just like the remote control, we touch our phones very often. When you’re ill, you don’t want to lose touch with the outside world so we often spend a lot of time scrolling through social media. Disinfect your phone every day with a wet cleaning wipe and let the rest of your family do the same when someone is ill.
3. Bedding
The flu virus can’t survive for very long on soft surfaces, but when your partner is ill or when your ill child has slept in your bed, it is wise to change the bedding to prevent you from getting ill as well. When the flu wave is nearly over, it’s also time to change the bedding. Make sure you wash the sheets at a high temperature.
4. Blankets
Of course, it’s very comforting to get underneath a blanket when you’re ill. But, just like with your bedding, you might pass on the flu to someone else. If the fabric can take it, you should wash the blanket on as high a temperature as possible. Is the blanket made out of wool or another type of fragile material? Put it in a plastic bag and seal it completely. The virus will die within 24 to 48 hours.
5. Stuffed animals
Your sick child probably won’t like it, but their stuffed animal will have to go through the washing when the kid is starting to get better again. Give the stuffed animals a nice warm bath in the washing machine or put them in a sealed plastic bag for a few days to kill the virus.
6. Toothbrush
You brush your teeth twice a day, so your toothbrush is definitely a huge source of bacteria. When you have the flu, this becomes even worse. Make sure the toothbrush of the ill person isn’t sitting in the same cup as other people’s toothbrushes and replace it as soon as the flu wave is over again.
7. Bathroom
While you’re at it with all the cleaning, make sure you clean the bathroom as well. The toilet, especially, is a source of bacteria and viruses. Empty all of the trash cans that possibly have tissues or other infected items and disinfect the toilet and the shower. Don’t forget the faucets and door handles.
8. Kitchen
You have to clean your kitchen regularly anyway, but if the flu wave has reached your home you have to be extra careful. Be wary of dishcloths and tea towels and replace them every day. Also disinfect the counters, doors and handles.
9. Your hands
Yes, you wash your hands after every visit to the toilet (right?!) but if you have the flu, or people around you do, it’s smart to wash your hands a little more often. You can reduce the risk of contamination considerably by doing this. Use anti-bacterial soap and wash your hands every time you’ve touched an ill family member.