The flu season comes around the same time every year and brings that familiar concern for your family’s health. Our busy lives, often filled with work, commutes, schools, and social activities, make it incredibly simple for germs to enter our homes.
While you can’t entirely prevent contact with germs, it helps to keep your living environment clean as Hire a Maid experts suggest, and disinfected to reduce the risk. Flu is usually more of an inconvenience than a serious threat, but it makes sense that you would want to prevent it if possible.
To give you some peace of mind and hopefully help you avoid catching any colds this winter, here’s a guide on cleaning your home to prepare for flu season.
1. Make a Thorough Cleaning Routine
A consistent cleaning routine is the foundation of a healthy home, and now it’s time to upgrade yours. Make sure to focus on areas where dust, grime, and allergens build up. Though these may not directly cause illness, they can impact your immune system and make it easier for germs to stay in your space.
Make sure that your new routine includes frequently cleaning and disinfecting high-traffic areas, bathrooms, kitchens, and your kids’ rooms and spaces. Of course, you should start with a deep clean to set a baseline for easier upkeep.
2. Sanitize High-Touch Surfaces Often
You can minimize the spread of germs if you diligently disinfect all high-touch surfaces. Focus your attention on spots like doorknobs, light switches, faucet handles, and remote controls. These surfaces – and many more – see a lot of contact every day, so it’s easy for them to become germ hotspots.
Invest in a proper disinfectant solution that you can use often without any side effects, and regularly wipe down surfaces to prevent germs from spreading. Don’t forget to extend the practice to phones, tablets, and computer keyboards!
3. Keep Entryways Tidy & Functional
Your entryway is the first point of contact with the outside world, which also makes it a prime spot for bringing outside germs into your home. To prevent this, keep this area clean and organized to minimize the spread.
Even better, make it into a zone where anyone who comes from the outside has to remove their shoes and hang up their jacket before getting encouraged to wash their hands immediately. Sanitizing mats or trays are also a great idea for here! A practical and well-maintained entryway reduces the chances of germs entering the house.
4. Wash Textiles in Your Home Often
Bed linens, towels, and any other textiles in your home also make for an easy place for the germs to hide, especially if someone in your home is already not feeling well. To reduce the risk of spreading viruses, make sure to wash whatever you can as often as possible.
Focus on pillowcases, bedsheets, hand towels, and bath towels, because these come in direct contact with skin. Dry every piece thoroughly before using. Don’t forget about decorative textiles, upholstery, rugs, and any soft furnishings either. Vacuum as much and as often as you can!
5. Deep Clean After Illness
If someone in your home has already caught the flu, they should try to isolate themselves from other family members, but in most cases, it’s not realistic to contain someone to only a single space. However, what you can do to prevent the spread of germs is a deep clean after their symptoms pass. Disinfect all surfaces they may have touched, wash their bedding separately, and sanitize all common areas.
A thorough cleaning routine after an illness helps reset your home’s hygiene and helps you minimize the risk of others getting sick too.
Staying Ahead of the Flu Season
This flu season, take charge of your family’s health and create a home environment where germs struggle to survive. Prioritize a spotless home with an extra focus on disinfecting high-touch surfaces. Remember that a strong immune system is your best defense, so support your family’s well-being with healthy habits. And remember, scheduling professional cleaning services is always a great option and can be a smart strategy for maintaining a healthy home. A healthy home keeps the flu away!
