How To Disinfect House After Flu: Tips And More
Tips for disinfecting the house after having flu or other viruses include wearing gloves, opening windows, and wiping down hard surfaces with disinfectant cleaners or diluted bleach.
When disinfecting their homes, people should make sure they are doing so safely by following manufacturer instructions on cleaning products and considering the tips we outline in this article.
Individuals with conditions that affect their breathing, such as asthma, may need to take extra safety precautions.
This article discusses when and how to start disinfecting the house after experiencing flu, as well as how to reduce the risk of flu transmission.
If a person in the household is experiencing flu, people may also want to use disinfectant products or bleach solutions to clean hard surfaces.
While cleaning surfaces with water and soap or detergent products helps remove most pathogens, disinfectant products or bleach solutions help kill most remaining pathogens. People should make sure to clean surfaces before disinfecting them.
A person may want to use the following tips when disinfecting their home to prevent flu transmission:
Wear gloves and other protective equipment. Disposable vinyl, rubber, or latex gloves can help protect a person’s hands from pathogens on surfaces, as well as skin irritation from harsh chemicals.
In some cases, a person may want to use other protective equipment, such as goggles or masks.
When disinfecting the home, it’s important to open the windows and doors or use a fan to help circulate the air.
This can help prevent a person from inhaling fumes from disinfectant products.
They can make a bleach solution by following the instructions on the bleach bottle. Alternatively, a person can mix 5 tablespoons of bleach per gallon of room temperature water or 4 teaspoons of bleach per quart of room temperature water.
However, it’s important to never mix different cleaning products or chemicals together.
Leave the diluted bleach solution on the surface for at least 1 minute before removing or wiping unless the bleach manufacturer’s instructions say otherwise.
People should also make sure to check manufacturer cleaning instructions to find safe products to disinfect keyboards, cell phones, and other electronics.
A person will want to include surfaces that people frequently touch.
For example, in the bathroom, a person can disinfect toilet handles and faucets. In the kitchen, this may include light switches, doorknobs, and food preparation surfaces, like chopping boards.
People may also want to consider washing any bedding that a person with flu has been in contact with once their symptoms start to go away.
If someone in the household has flu, a person should clean hard surfaces with soap or detergent products and then disinfect them.
People should look out for disinfectants that have been registered by the EPA, or they can use bleach solutions as a disinfectant. Other tips for disinfecting the house after having flu include wearing gloves, ensuring good ventilation, and following the manufacturer’s instructions on disinfectant products.
Make sure to never mix cleaning products or chemicals when disinfecting the home.