How to Disinfect a House After Illness

Hand washing is the best prevention against a contagious illness. However, when you or members of your family do become sick, it is a good idea to disinfect your house. This will reduce the amount of bacteria and viruses and may help prevent re-infection.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Try to keep your sick ones in one area if possible. It is always nice to have an extra bathroom that they can use and have the other one for the people who are not sick yet. Clean up is a lot easier if it is not spread all over the house.
2. Take out the trash. If necessary, wear rubber gloves when handling tissues and toilet trash. Place it in bags and remove it from the house before you begin to disinfect.
3. Remove all linens and wash them in hot water, including towels and washcloths.
4. Disinfect the bathrooms. When cleaning the toilet, do not forget the flush handle. If used before hand washing, it can be one of the most contaminated areas of the house.
5. Sanitize any dishes used by the sick person. A dishwasher is helpful, but hot water and a bleach solution will do the job, too.
6. Clean surfaces with a solution of bleach and water with a 1:10 ratio. Do not use straight bleach. It only takes a small amount to kill germs. When wiping down surfaces, don't forget phones, doorknobs and counter tops.

Tips & Warnings

• Use paper towels to clean so they can be thrown away after they are used.