How to Properly Clean Your Home After Being Sick

Being sick is no fun, but do you know what’s even worse? A contagious illness spreading throughout your home and family. Cold and Flu season is here, and unfortunately, you or someone in your home is likely to catch a virus this winter. Properly cleaning your home after someone has been ill is crucial to keeping you and your family healthy. But what exactly needs to be cleaned and disinfected? That’s a question many of us have. Let’s dive into the different areas of your home that need a good cleaning after being sick.

Bedrooms

When you’re feeling sick, your bed feels like a sanctuary while you rest up and wait out your sickness. Your bed also takes the brunt of nasty contagious germs. As soon as you’re feeling up to it, you should wash your bed linens to prevent reinfection. Remove your bedding and let your mattress air out for a couple of hours to dry up any moisture that could have gotten absorbed through your sheets. It’s not a bad idea to disinfect your mattress with a fabric friendly disinfectant. You’ll want to wash your dirty bedding as soon as possible to prevent contaminating your laundry room. Wipe down surfaces with a disinfectant including your bed frame, nightstands, door handles and light switches. It’s best practice to wipe down these surfaces with disinfecting wipes at least once a day while an illness is circulating throughout your home. Don’t forget to wash the pajamas or robe you’ve been lounging in while sick as well. 

Bathroom

Your bathroom will certainly need a good deep cleaning after illness has made its way into your home. You’ll want to start with washing your bath and hand towels as they can be a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. Clean the main areas of your bathroom including the toilet, sink, counters, faucet, waste basket, bathtub handles and door handles with a disinfectant. Give the floors a good mopping and wash your bath rugs. Don’t forget about the toothbrushes and other items that touch your face including cosmetics and brushes. Sanitize these items to prevent spreading sickness or reinfecting yourself.

Kitchen

We spend a good amount of time in the kitchen and it can get hit hard when you or a family member are sick. It’s a good idea to try and keep the sick person out of the kitchen. Wipe down and disinfect the counters, appliances, and other items that are frequently touched such as tables, cupboards, door handles, light switches, and garbage can. Wash your dishes with hot water to kill germs and bacteria. Commonly overlooked are the items you use to clean up with such as rags, sponges, and dish scrubbers. Be sure to sanitize and disinfect them before using them again. Paper towels and disposable disinfectant wipes make life much easier while cleaning up after being sick. 

Living and Family Rooms

Like your bedroom your living and family rooms are highly frequented when feeling unwell. Unfortunately, that also means that germs and icky bacteria are likely to be lurking. Clean your furniture with spray disinfectant and wash throw pillow covers and throws. Be diligent about keeping frequently touched items sanitized including tables, end tables, door handles, TV remotes, toys, and books. Don’t forget to wipe down your electronics such as your computer/laptop, tablets, and phones. Move stale air out of your home by opening the windows and letting it air out.

Don’t Forget Your Car

Like your home your car also needs to be cleaned after illness. Wipe down your steering wheel, clutch, door handles, and keys. If you have seat covers it’s not a bad idea to put them in the wash or at the minimum spray them with a fabric disinfectant.

There you have it. We hope you don’t have to use these tips anytime soon but if you find yourself or a family member sick cleaning your home properly will help stop the spread of germs and prevent viruses from reinfecting you and your family.