O'FALLON, Mo. — With a big jump in flu cases around the area in the last couple of weeks, you might need to get rid of the germs in your house.
That's what the cleaning crew at Assumption School in O'Fallon, Missouri is doing right now after nearly 150 students were out sick Wednesday. A deep clean is underway at the school as every desk, table, chair and doorknob is wiped down with disinfecting wipes.
At home, like school, surfaces that get touched a lot and shared spaces are things to get on your list for priority cleaning.
Disposable disinfectant wipes may have an advantage over spraying a surface and wiping it down with a paper towel. When you use a wipe, there is still residual disinfectant that is left to dry. That allows more time to kill germs and may also have some residual impact.
Paper towels are better than sponges and cloth towels which are more likely to spread the germs as you move from surface to surface.
From the kitchen table to the nightstand in the bedroom, tables should be wiped down.
In the bathroom, wipe down the handles on all the faucets. Plus, you probably don't want to dry your hands with the same hand towel if someone is sick in your house.
From the bedroom, sheets, blankets and towels should be washed with hot water and with high heat in the dryer.
If you have small children, those cute stuffed animals may be a source of germs. Some may be washed, others could be sprayed with a disinfectant and set aside for a few days to let any viruses die.
Computer keyboards and your mouse should be wiped down.
When was the last time you wiped down your remote control? It's not one of those things you frequently clean, but can be loaded with nasty cold and flu viruses.
How about your phone? Both cell phones and land lines can be loaded with cold and flu viruses, some that can survive for a few days.
Washing your hands with soap and water or using hand sanitizer is good practice every day. When someone is sick in your house, more often is better.