Fall and winter mean the start of cold and flu season, washing your hands, avoiding people who are sick, covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough and not touching your face are great preventative measures but even when we are careful, illness still happens.

After recovering from the cold or flu there are areas of your home that should be cleaned and disinfected. Cleaning prevents reinfection, viruses like the cold and flu can live on surfaces for up to 48 hours.

You can purchase disinfectant cleaners or make your own using ¼ cup of bleach and a gallon of warm water. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends bleach to kill stomach viruses (novovirus) on surfaces, and flu viruses can be killed with cleaners that have a base of hydrogen peroxide. Mix 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide with 1 cup of water. Refer to the care instructions to find out what products are safe to use for the surfaces and items around your home.

Bathroom

Start with the bathroom, this is a prime location for germs. Scrub and disinfect the tub and shower, toilet, sink, fixtures, and countertops. Mop the floor and launder towels and washcloths. Empty the trash and wash the trash container. Launder bath rugs and mats and wipe down the clothes hamper. Clean all objects that were handled by an ill person, bottles, toothpaste tubes and other personal care items.

Bedroom

Since most of us spend much of our sick time in the bedroom be sure to clean it thoroughly. Wash bed sheets, blankets, mattress covers and pillows in the hottest water recommended on their care labels and wipe down all surfaces.

Kitchen

Wipe down and disinfect kitchen counters and other surfaces, scrub the kitchen sink, wash all dishes and utensils that were used while you were ill. Wipe down dining room tables and chairs and all appliances.

Air It Out

If the weather permits open the windows to clear the air. Open the curtains to let sunlight into the home. The UV light in sunlight has germicidal properties.

Doorknobs, Light Switches & Hard Surfaces

Wash and disinfect all doorknobs, light switches, touch panels, stair railings and cabinet knobs and handles.

Towels, Linens & Clothing

Launder all towels, washcloths, linens and clothing you wore while you were ill in hot water. Adding laundry sanitizer will kill bacteria that regular detergents could leave behind. Use bleach on items that allow it.

Vacuum & Mop the Floors

Wash any area rugs and mop the floor using the recommended cleaner, vacuum the carpets to remove dust and debris.

Filters

If you use an air purifier, wash the filter after an illness, furnace filters can also be changed.

Toys

Use soap and water to wash hard or plastic toys, wipe book covers with disinfectant wipes, most stuffed animals can be cleaned in the washing machine, follow the care label instructions, if they are delicate toss them in the dryer for a few minutes, or put them in the freezer. The heat and cold will kill the germs.

Phones and Other Electronics

Use wipes designed for electronics to clean remote controls, game controllers, phones, tablets, computers, keyboards and mice, video games and any other electronic devices you have. Unplug the devices before cleaning them.

Toothbrushes

Provide the whole family with new toothbrushes after any illness, toothbrushes harbor germs even after they are rinsed. Thoroughly clean the toothbrush holder.

Garbage Cans

Garbage cans are germy areas to begin with but worse after an illness. Take the trash out and wash the trash can with soap and water or bleach cleaning solution and insert a fresh trash bag.

House & Car Keys

We don’t often think of cleaning our keys, but they can harbor germs. Wash them with disinfectant wipes.

Automobile

Wipe down the steering wheel, door handles, dashboard controls, gear shift, seatbelt straps and buckles, grab handles, turn and wiper levers, rearview mirror, garage door opener and other surfaces with disinfectant wipes.

Final Thoughts

After recovering from an illness, you may not feel up to cleaning, but it’s an important step to make certain you remove any viruses or bacteria that are still present. This can help protect your family and guests from getting sick or becoming reinfected.