We all know the name of the virus that is the talk of the world as of late, which means that everybody is in full panic mode right now. Relax, friend. Although the unknown is a little scary, that doesn’t mean that everyone needs to fly into a fit of hysteria. If we each do our part to practice good habits, then we can keep the worst of it at bay.
- Keep a Clean Home
Keeping a clean home doesn’t mean that you need to have it Pinterest-perfect at all times, never looking lived-in. Contrarily, it means that you don’t need to tidy your house, it means that you need to clean it. Give your bathroom and kitchen a deep cleaning. Take out the trash regularly and do laundry. The bottom line is that you want to get to messes that could become potentially germy if left unattended.
This also means that disinfecting commonly-touched surfaces is imperative to prevent the spread of disease. Using an all-purpose cleaning solution, recycled cleaning rags and some form of disinfectant (a Lysol wipe, bleach solution, etc.), walk through your home and thoroughly clean areas like:
- Doorknobs and locks
- Light switches and switch plate covers (you might consider unscrewing the covers and tossing them in the dishwasher)
- Kitchen and bathroom handles, knobs and buttons
- Wash Your Hands!
In preschool we teach little ones to always, always wash their hands, so why are some adults choosing to ignore that practice? This is truly the number one way to prevent sickness and spread germs. The CDC’s five-step method is the best way to kill germs through proper handwashing, which means that you should wash your hands:
- Anytime you handle an animal: Feeding it, petting it, picking up its feces, etc.
- Before, during and after preparing, eating and coming into contact with food
- After using the restroom, changing a diaper or helping someone else use the toilet
- Anytime you come into contact with bodily fluids (sneezing, coughing, tending a wound)
- Every time you touch garbage (take it outside, open the lid, etc.)
Don’t forget also to wash your hands for the appropriate amount of time as well; quickly wetting them, soaping and rinsing does you no favors. If you need a reminder, sing happy birthday twice.
The secret to staying healthy isn’t really so secret after all. If you are trying to avoid getting sick and want to keep your family healthy, keep a clean house and remind all family members that handwashing is essential.
