10/17/09 Stop the Spread of H1N1 Influenza in Your Home
While most of us would like to ignore the news, it’s getting harder and harder to turn away from the reports about H1N1, or swine flu. Each and every day it seems there is a new story about this flu and about how it might impact New Jersey as well as the rest of the world. The good news is that this particular strain of flu seems to be a weaker one, though that doesn’t mean you can simply ignore it.
Are You at Risk?
Most often, people with the H1N1 flu will feel quite horrible for a few days, but then they will recover without any long term effects. But there are groups who are at a higher risk of developing significant problems. Younger children and pregnant women seem to be two groups that are susceptible to dangerous complications, but those with chronic health troubles might also suffer serious illnesses. Thus, it becomes clear that we all need to do our part in order to ensure that this flu doesn’t hit home.
Can You Really Keep the Bug Away?
What many people don’t realize is that they have the power to greatly reduce their chances of getting the flu – if they take up some residential cleaning as well as more stringent personal hygiene practices. First of all, simply washing your hands for at least 30 seconds in warm and soapy water will help to reduce your risk of catching the flu. Keep your hands away from your mouth and eyes before you wash your hands as this is the most common way the virus is transmitted.
But there are house cleaning things you can do around your home as well to ensure that viruses don’t stick around to get inside of your body.
- Wipe down countertops and other surfaces with antibacterial cleansers – There are many germ killing sprays available today to help you get rid of germs. However, warm soapy water will also work.
- Target door handles and drawer handles – Since this is where your hands are going to be much of the time, make sure you wipe down all handles of the house, especially when someone is sick.
- Focus on the kitchen and the bathrooms – Not only are these two rooms your family visits most often, but they are also more likely to harbor germs. Make sure to clean and disinfect these rooms at least once a day during flu season.
But if you don’t have time to handle regular cleaning on your own, talk to us at Maid for Mommy. Our maid house cleaning services will help you stay healthy, even during the height of flu season. You don’t have to be bedridden by the flu with our residential cleaning service and its attention to detail. Germs can run, but they can’t hide from our trained maids.