How To Sanitize & Disinfect Your Home After Flu?

It is that time of the year when flu strikes. How To Sanitize & Disinfect Your Home After Flu? This season, it’s the novel coronavirus or Covid-19, not very different from flu but without a cure or a vaccine to blunt its spread. The globe is witnessing the worst of it. It is killing people in the thousands even as it infects several thousands more. But, God willing, even this will pass! And then, it will be time to disinfect the house and clean-up, after the flu!

Stop spread of bacteria, viruses

How To Sanitize & Disinfect Your Home After Flu? Real work begins after the flu – sanitize, disinfect. Only then will work finish. The most essential is cleaning. A must stop the germs – viruses — from continuing to infect any number of other people. Those who unknowingly or inadvertently come in contact or walk into your virus-infested house.

The house. The office. The flu virus spares none and nothing. Cleaning and disinfecting involve identifying surfaces and appliances and other household items that should be cleaned, the ones which have to be disinfected after the flu, so to speak, no matter what. Also, is there a particular way to clean surfaces and household items?

No binge cleaning

Apparently, there are experts to whom you can turn to. Spree-cleaning or binge cleaning, the whole house in one go, is not recommended. The flu-struck normally take it easy. But even these people should look at the reality. There are certain spaces in the house that need cleaning and disinfection posthaste after the flu-like shared items and surfaces in the bedroom and the kitchen and bathroom.

Focus on these spaces. Clean and disinfect all shared areas and surfaces. Try to recall and retrace where all the flu-struck family member(s) must have gone, which all household items and appliances he/she must have touched or leaned on? Disinfect, for example, countertops, refrigerator handles, faucets, bathroom cabinets, toilet seats et al.

Clean the germ breeders

Add to these TV remotes and broom handles and bedsteads. They are all germ-breeders, essential to be cleaned and disinfected, definitely after the flu. The reality is the flu virus can survive on such items and surfaces for over 48 hours. Disinfecting tabletops, remote controls, doorknobs, and light switches are mandatory to stop the flu from relapsing.

What else? The flu-hit spend lots of time in bed. Therefore, it is essential to disinfect bed-sheets, pillowcases, and mattresses. Also mobile phones and tablets/laptops. They are all breeding grounds for germs and viruses. Electronic gizmos that kept the flu-hit in bed ought to be cleaned and disinfected.

Maintain high standards of hygiene

And “after the flu” does not mean you stop washing hands time and again with soap and hot water; rub the hands with alcohol-based hand rub/sanitizers. Keep at it till as long you can, it hardly takes much time. And as far as habits go, this one is very good, must be encouraged.

There is also the question: When to start cleaning and disinfecting? The answer to that in two words is “don’t delay”. Start even as someone, family or friend, who frequents the house every so often, gets the flu. Don’t wait for him or her to get well. Keep cleaning and disinfecting, day after day, even hour after hour!

Clean, clean and clean

Don’t wait for the weekly cleaning day, says the expert. But if that is not being followed, make sure that action starts as soon as the symptoms weaken. Then it is time to send the sheets and curtains and blankets to the laundry.

Which brings us to the next query: What all cleaning products should be used to clean and disinfect and sanitize after the flu? Let’s not forget that choosing the most effective product is germane to the job. Experts are one in agreement that preventing the flu from going berserk is “serious business”.

Use only quality disinfectants

Care must be taken to ensure that only registered disinfectants are used. The ones that are government and industry-recommended. Those that target specific flu viruses. Bathrooms can be cleaned with bleach mixed with water. Make sure to wipe all toilet surfaces – faucets, sinks, and counters.

Wash the clothes worn by the sick person and his bedding with a laundry sanitizer. They are far superior to regular detergents. They kill viruses once and for all, leaving none alive. The key is to not leave any surface unwiped. Bacteria and viruses find a home to breeding on any and every surface. From countertops to tabletops to kitchen counters to light switches, doorknobs, refrigerator handles… The one advice every expert stresses is that surfaces remain wet after they are wiped for at least 15 seconds.

How To Sanitize & Disinfect Your Home After Flu? –
Concluding thoughts

In conclusion, it is imperative to clean-up and disinfects the house after the flu, especially after the coronavirus, if and when Covid-19 is banished from our lives. Ill people living under a roof in close proximity with near and dear ones is hardly enjoyable. But after the illness passes, it’s best to remove all traces of the viruses that brought the flu into the house in the first place. This can be done only with vigorous and rigorous disinfecting.