Feeling slightly under the weather this morning? It could be that you are a Patriots fan, or that you ate one too many bowls of your Uncle’s chili while watching the Super Bowl yesterday. But if you’re not a football fan, then you probably have been hit by the latest rampage of cold and flu going around. Here are a few tips to keep the germs under control in your home:
• Wash your hands: This one is a given, especially before eating or preparing food, after coughing or sneezing, or using the washroom. Remember that soap and water alone do not kill germs, but loosen the skin oils where germs live. Keeping a bottle of hand sanitizer near the faucets in your home is a great way to stop the spread of germs.
• Disinfecting surfaces: Rhinoviruses (the virus that most commonly causes colds) lives on surfaces for up to 2 days!
• Be aware of what you touch: The most common areas in the home in which germs love to congregate include the refrigerator and dishwasher door handles, light switches, telephones, remote controls, faucets and salt & pepper shakers.
• Let in the fresh air: While leaving your windows open won’t kill germs, having them closed 24/7 may help germs breed (especially if you run a humidifier in your home). Take advantage of this amazing weather we are having, and enjoy the crisp clean winter breeze!
• Dishrags, sponges and mops: Allow them to dry completely; bacteria cannot survive in a dry environment. Place mops in water with disinfectant for 10 minutes after you finish with it.
While we are all bound to get the sniffles every now and then, following the above steps will not only help prevent the spread of those germs, but decrease the chances of the viruses recurring. Now where did I put the rest of Uncle’s chili……..
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