4 Cleaning Tips to Get Rid of Germs

by contributing writer Angie

Whether it’s a summer cold (aren’t those the worst?!) or the dreaded winter time sickness that hits the entire country, colds and sniffles that sometimes pop up can be a real damper to your happy, carefree days. Although you won’t necessarily be able to keep summer or winter colds and sniffles completely at bay, here are a few quick cleaning tips might help keep some of those germs away.

4 Cleaning Tips to Get Rid of Germs

Disinfect Toys and Other Play Materials

Summertime might mean more friends over to play in your home. This also means that you’ll have all sorts of new germs coming into your home. Even if your children and their friends are past the age when everything goes in their mouths, they may still get in a hurry and not wash their hands after using the bathroom.

One cleaning solution to disinfect toys and other items that might make their way into children’s mouths is one tablespoon of bleach added to one gallon of cool water. When I worked at a therapist office with young children, this was state agency approved for proper toy disinfecting.  It was considered both effective and safe.

Cleaning Frequently Touched Areas

Door knobs, light switches, cabinet door pulls, refrigerator door, and hand rails are breeding grounds for germs. They are frequently touched every day and also frequently overlooked when cleaning the house. A quick cleaning can help cut down on illnesses around your house. These are especially important to clean when sickness has already been making the rounds at your house.

Another area to absolutely not miss is computer keyboards and other frequently used electronics. Make sure to read directions and use a cleaner that is safe for those surfaces. If anyone in your family who has been sick works outside the home, you might want to encourage them to clean off any of those same types of surfaces at their workplace.

Clean or Change Toothbrushes

While it is a good practice to change your toothbrush regularly, it’s also advisable to clean your toothbrush to keep you and your mouth healthier. To clean a regular toothbrush, you may be able to run it through your dishwasher or just run the head of the brush under boiling hot water.

One of my personal new favorite things for cleaning a toothbrush is putting my Sonicare toothbrush head into a special UV light cleaner that we purchased at the same time, which kills over 99% of germs. We had heard such good things about the brush’s cleaning power, but the ability to use that UV light to get them extra clean was what really sold us.

Wash all Towels in Hot Water

While this is especially important for hand towels, all of the towels that have been used around your home during a sickness are best washed in hot water. You can even go a step further and add some vinegar to the wash, as this will help fight germs as well as act as a fabric softener.

As long as you’re busy doing laundry, it’s also a great time to wash bed sheets and blankets that may have been in contact with the sick person.

What are some of the things that you’re sure to clean after someone in your house has been ill?