The threat really isn’t what is in your home, but what you might bring into your home from the outside, particularly in light of the fact infected people may infect others before they even realize they are sick.
The threat really isn’t what is in your home, but what you might bring into your home from the outside, particularly in light of the fact infected people may infect others before they even realize they are sick.

While washing your hands and limiting your contact with sick people is of course critical, there are some methods for sanitizing your home that people may not be aware of that can stop the spread of the virus within your home.

Tips for ridding your home of germs:

• When cleanings surfaces, use a disinfectant and follow the product directions. Many people don’t realize disinfectants only work on a clean surface. So you first have to clean an area to remove dirt and germs, then apply the disinfectant. You also need to let it sit for 10 minutes to take effect; don’t wipe it off as soon as you spray it on.

• Be careful not to cross-contaminate surfaces when cleaning. Cotton cloths simply pick up germs from one surface and transfer them to another surface. We use a high-quality microfiber towel from PerfectClean. The smaller the size of the microfiber, the better job it does of picking up germs and holding onto them.

• Viruses, particularly flu viruses, are airborne, so you can easily catch them by touching a surface after someone sneezes or coughs on it. Also, viruses can live on a surface for up to two hours, so limit your contact with high-touch points, such as shopping cart handles, door knobs, phones and keyboards. This means using microfiber towels to avoid cross-contamination and disinfecting surfaces on a regular basis.