By: Lisa Eclesworth
About the Author:
Lisa Eclesworth is a notable and influential lifestyle writer. She is a mom of two and a successful homemaker. She loves to cook and create beautiful projects with her family. She writes informative and fun articles that her readers love and enjoy. You can directly connect with her by email – [email protected] or visit her website www.lisaeclesworth.com.
Bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens present in your home heighten the risk of you and your loved ones contracting infections and allergies. While we often seem to ignore what we can’t see, viruses are always part and parcel of our homes. Therefore, we always need to practice healthy living tips and minimize the pathogens in our homes.
Bacteria and viruses in our home transmit from one person or point to another through numerous ways such as touch, air, or water. Here are some principles and ways to minimize or eradicate the pathogens in your house.
Ensure Your Kitchen Is Always Clean
A general rule in the kitchen is to always wash your hands before handling food. In addition, it is essential to your health that you constantly keep the kitchen and its appliances clean. That way, you get to prevent bacteria from getting into your meals which you directly ingest.
The kitchen has items and appliances that can provide perfect host platforms for bacteria, pests, and viruses to settle in. For instance, after the Covid-19 breakout, a study provided prominent kitchen surfaces such as copper, cardboard, stainless steel, and plastic as perfect living spots for the coronavirus. Here are other areas to watch out for in your kitchen:
Keep Sponges and Towels Clean
Sponges and dish towels used in cleaning and drying off your utensils or body hold in their millions of pathogens. Always clean and rinse your sponges and towels in hot water after dishwashing and store them in a dry, sunny area away from constant moisture.
Apply Food-Safety Tips
Foodborne infections are commonly associated with raw beef, chicken, or fish meats. The foods often possess harmful bacteria, common examples being E.coli in uncooked meats or salmonella. Therefore, always ensure you cook your meat well and also avoid burning it. Also, it is best if you avoid using the same cutting boards for vegetables or fruits and meats. To avoid bacteria from meat contaminating other meals, wash your cutting board with hot water and soap.
Sanitizing Countertops and Floors
After every meal, we recommend that you clean, wipe and sanitize your countertops and all appliances you used to prepare the meal. That keeps check on loose food or leftovers that may attract pests and eliminate any bacteria lurking in your countertops and utensils. The same applies to your house floors.
Disinfect the Areas In your Home with High Human Interactions
Some areas in our homes experience high human traffic and interaction, such as the living room, phones, toys, favorite pet points, or the door/window handles. Constantly clean and disinfect these areas after visitors or each morning/night based on your routine. Disinfecting allows the elimination of most bacteria and viruses within some hours. Making a routine to wipe down such areas with a disinfectant solution is crucial to keeping your home bacteria-free.
Maintain Good Human Hygiene Practices
Cleanliness in your home starts with you keeping yourself clean and following good hygiene methods. Some of which include.
- Handwashing with an anti-bacterial hand wash soap, drying and sanitising your hands afterward. When there is no soap or water available, hand sanitisers are a good alternative to keep hands clean. We often wash our hands depending on activities we perform, such as before and after cooking, after using the toilet, petting your cat or dog, or handling garbage and dirt.
- Always cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough and wash your hands afterward
- Avoid recurring use of the same handkerchiefs or toothbrushes
Bedroom Cleanliness Habits
You spend close to 6-8 hours in your bed daily; as such, where you sleep should always be safe. Our beddings can accumulate dust and bacteria from our clothes or bodies every time we sleep on them. Ensure you clean your bed sheets or blankets in hot water via efficient dry cleaning every other week.
Your drycleaners should always be at effective peak performance level, Laundry Hygiene Australia ensures all your laundry is properly disinfected. If in the presence of sick occupants in your home, wash up every three days. Another tip while cleaning your beddings is to avoid washing them with other clothes that may be even dirtier.
If you have a pet, ensure their bed is also clean to avoid them transferring dirt and pet dander to your bed. Your bedroom caters to sleep, not to eat. Having meals or the midnight snack on your bed can invite pests and bacteria if you leave crumbs and tiny food particles in your room.
Vacuum Your Carpets
Your carpets and rugs can have a tremendous effect on the quality of your air. They provide perfect dust settling areas that can aggravate existing breathing conditions and allergies. It is best to vacuum the carpets once a week and routinely change them to air them out.
Our homes are the backbone of our habits, health, and comfort. Constant cleanliness and dirt or pathogen awareness can help keep our homes healthy and free us from illness-causing bacteria and viruses