How to Keep Your Home Safe and Healthy During Coronavirus

How to Keep Your Home Safe and Healthy During Coronavirus

The coronavirus and the flu are the talk of the town these days. With coronavirus cases rapidly spreading throughout the country, you may be wondering what you can do to reduce the risk of respiratory illnesses in your own home. We’ve got you covered! Here are some housekeeping hacks from our Coast Live appearance.

We’ve listed out these tips and a few additional ones below that you can start using right away around your house to help keep your family and home healthy this season. After all, a clean home is (usually) a healthy home! You can also check out the CDC’s list for flu and coronavirus prevention and treatment.

10 Tips to Keep A Clean and Healthy Home

• Turn your thermostat down. There is a reason why hospitals are always a little chilly. Germs do not spread as quickly in cool air.  In fact, bacteria thrive in warm environments, so hospitals combat this with their cooler temperatures, which help slow bacterial and viral growth. Operating rooms are typically kept at 65-69 degrees.
• Don’t forget to clean your toothbrush if you’re sick! You can let your brush soak in hydrogen peroxide for 10 minutes to help kill the germs, then remove and rinse. Or, simply buy a new one.
• Don’t forget to run your children’s or pet’s plastic toys through the dishwasher regularly. Their stuffed toys are usually safe to throw in the laundry, too.
• When changing the bed linens, don’t hug the linens to your body as you take them to the washing machine. Put them in a laundry basket and then wash them on hot water to kill those germs.
• Visiting the doctor’s office and need to fill out paperwork or sign a receipt? Try to bring your own pen from home and not use the ones in the cup sitting on the counter.
• Who wants to pick up the used tissues? Whether you are the one that is sick, or the caregiver, picking up those wads of tissues can be, well, disgusting. Make your own tissue trashcan by taping an empty box onto the box of tissues for the patient. When they are done with the tissue, you can simply empty the “trash” or throw the whole thing away – without touching those germs.
• Frequently disinfect surface areas that are used by multiple persons in a home, particularly if one of those people has been sick. Examples include: TV remotes, light switches, door handles, faucets, stair banisters, electronics (including keyboards on shared computers), etc.   To properly disinfect, you will want to spray the area and let the disinfectant sit at least 10 minutes before wiping away. Can’t find hand sanitizer or disinfectant at the store? Check out our DIY sanitizer recipe! For more tips on tidying your home with existing household items if you can’t find cleaning products at the stores, read our Tidy Tips blog.
• Avoid coming in close contact with people that are sick. This may sound obvious, but if you are the one that is sick, try and minimize your contact with others in your home – including your pets.
• Wash your hands frequently – especially before eating, preparing food, after using the bathroom or after coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose. The best way to wash your hands is for at least 20 seconds (sing the happy birthday song twice) using warm water and soap. If you aren’t able to get to soap and water, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Handy tip: keep some of the travel hand sanitizers in your purse, kids’ lunch bags or backpacks, your car, etc.
• Last but not least, keep your home tidy and clean. Reducing the amount of clutter helps to reduce the amount of dust and places where germs can fester. Call in Home Clean Heroes at 844-439-4376. if you need help!

While we can’t guarantee a germ-free season, by following our tips, you can help reduce the amount of germs yourself and family are exposed to within your home.