How To Keep Germs Out Of Your House

How To Keep Germs Out Of Your House

Whether it’s a global health pandemic or the seasonal flu, germs can wreak havoc on your family. These tips will help you keep germs out of your house!

Though there’s no known way to eliminate all risk of contracting a virus, there are certain steps you can take to lower your family’s risk.

One of them requires you to curb the inflow of germs into your abode.

Simple Tips To Keep Germs Out

Exposure to the flu or other viruses is most likely to happen outside of the home.

A family member is typically infected at work, school, or in a social setting. Then they bring it into the house where the confined nature of the living arrangements makes it easy for the virus to spread and infect even more people.

Here are a few tactics you can use to limit the number of germs that enter into your house and also neutralize and kill off the ones that do:

1. Be Smart About Shoes

A large percentage of the germs, toxins, and bacteria in your home actually originate outside of the walls of your house and are tracked inside via people, pets, and items that are carried indoors,” Houston-based Green Residential mentions. “Dirty shoes are one of the biggest culprits.”

In fact, one report suggests that as much as 80 percent of the dirt and grime in an average home is tracked in via shoes.

In light of this, there are two proactive steps you should take:

  • Install doormats outside of every entry point into your house and instruct all family members to wipe their feet prior to entry (regardless of whether the weather conditions are wet or dry).
  • Have a “no shoes” policy inside the house. Create an organized storage space at the main entryway where all family members – adults and kids – are required to slip off their shoes before going further.

Even if you do nothing else in this article, implementing this first tip will dramatically reduce germs inside of your home and keep the whole family healthier.

2. Use A Whole House Air Purifier

Today’s houses are extremely well insulated (compared to previous decades). And while this is good for energy efficiency and comfort, it also comes with its disadvantages.

For example, an airtight home doesn’t breathe. This minimizes the exchange of fresh air with the outside and allows contaminated air to be trapped inside.

We’re not recommending that you de-insulate your house. You may, however, consider installing a whole-home air purifier.

These systems use advanced technology to eliminate and/or neutralize bacteria and viruses from your home’s air. This improves the quality of the air you breathe and may reduce your risk of exposure.

3. Be Aware Of Germ Hot Spots

Certain areas within your house are going to be hot spots for germs. Make sure you’re aware of them so that they can be cleaned frequently.

The sink, the telephone, children’s toys, and doorknobs are popular landing sites for viruses and bacteria,” ThisOldHouse notes. “If someone is sick at home, disinfect daily, especially the remote control and the phone.

Out of all the hot spots, remote control is the biggest problem point. (It’s the one item that almost all sick people come into contact with.)

If you have a smart TV, consider having each family member download the accompanying app so that they can control the TV via their personal devices.

If that’s not possible, keep disinfecting spray next to the remote and ask each person to spray before and after using.

4. Disinfect Hard Surfaces

Flu viruses can live on hard surfaces upwards of 24 hours. Thus, it’s important that you constantly disinfect any surfaces that a sick person has touched or used.

In addition to the germ hot spots mentioned in the previous point, consider using antibacterial cleaners on spots like door handles and drawer pulls, tabletops, bathroom surfaces, kitchen countertops, light switches, etc.

Keep Your Household Safe

Nothing will interrupt your family quite like a virus. Whether it’s the seasonal flu or a global pandemic, the best approach is to be conscientious of the risk and proactively work to minimize exposure and/or transfer of germs.

And by following tips like the ones outlined in this article, you’ll discover that a cleaner home is a happier home.

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