5 Eco-Friendly Tips for Keeping a Germ Free Home
Once you bring a new baby into your home, you start to think about things differently. Keeping a germ free home is one of those areas. According to the CDC, “cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu can help slow the spread of influenza.” That new baby is soon going to be exploring it’s new territory, so it’s important to keep in mind these green cleaning tips to keep our homes safe for the little ones.
If you are one who usually pours bleach on everything, it’s time to consider other options. Standard cleaning products can contain toxic ingredients, making them unsafe for those with small children. Instead of using harsh chemicals, opt for non-toxic cleaning products that can get your house just as clean, if not cleaner, than standard cleaning products.
Germs are everywhere, so it’s not possible nor necessary to kill all the germs in your entire house. Instead, focus on the places that harbor the most germs in your house and follow these green cleaning tips for an eco-friendly, clean, and safe home.
Kids can carry so many germs, so it’s a good idea to regularly disinfect toys and baby gear. Between runny noses, crawling on the floor, and discovering their mouth, your baby needs all the help he can get when it comes to staying germ-free. With a developing immune system, you can greatly reduce your baby’s risk of picking up an illness by cleaning their toys.
One easy way is to use baby safe cleaning wipes. Since your baby will be playing with these toys — and probably sticking them in his mouth, it’s important that your cleaning products are non-toxic.
One benefit of using wipes is that they are so much easier than sprays and can save you a ton of time. Keep these wipes close by and quickly wipe off toys when your little one is done playing.
Big and Little Hands
Remembering to wash your hands with your eco-friendly hand soap often is a great way to keep a germ free home. The CDC also states, “Keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others.” Regularly washing your hands reduces illness by 58%. A few ideas of when to wash your hands can be after coming home from the store, before and after preparing food, before and after playing with kids, and before meals.
[bctt tweet=”Make hand washing fun for your kids by keeping a hand washing chart. ” username=”ecocentricmom”]
It’s important to get your whole family involved if you really want to cut down on germs. Make hand washing fun for your kids by keeping a hand washing chart. Make sure they wash their hands after coming home from school, playing with friends, or using the bathroom.
A study done by CBS News reports that your dish sponge or rag contains more germs than any other place or item in your home. “In the study, 77 percent harbored coliform bacteria, and another 86 percent contained yeast and mold. Even scarier, 18 percent contained staph bacteria.”
However, there is no need to soak your sponge in toxic chemicals. Instead, opt for natural ways to disinfect your kitchen sponge or rag. A simple way to disinfect your sponge is to microwave it for two minutes. The USDA found that over 99 percent of bacteria, yeasts, and molds were killed by this method. You can do this every day to keep germs away.
Another way to kill germs is to soak your sponge overnight in white vinegar. The next morning, rinse and squeeze the sponge — it will then be ready for use!
You will spend more time in your bedroom than any other room in your house, so it’s one of the most important places to keep germ free. Dead skin cells are one of the things you are bound to find on your sheets, especially since your body sheds about a millions cells a day. Microscopic bugs called bed bugs feed off the dead skin cells, so it’s no surprise that they are present on almost all beds. In addition, your sheets most likely have body oils and sweat as well.
Between dead skin cells and dirt, your sheets can easily become infected with germs. Make sure to wash your sheets with a natural laundry detergent at least once a week. Don’t forget about your pillow, either! Those should be washed several times a year.
Knobs and Handles
Touching door knobs and faucet handles is one of the quickest ways to spread germs. CBS New reports, “coliform bacteria were found on nine percent of bathroom faucet handles. Not to mention that 27 percent had molds and five percent carried staph.”
It makes sense seeing as how you can’t wash your dirty hands until you turn on the faucet! Using an all purpose cleaning spray is a quick and easy way to disinfect your sink and counter tops. Make sure to do this daily to reduce the spread of germs.
Trying to cut down on germs in your home is vital for the health of everyone in your home. It can even help if you are your family members have certain allergies. And there no need to use toxic ingredients either! You can get these areas just as clean if not cleaner without using harsh chemicals.