Germ Busters:
Tips for Preventing Household Germs

Germs of every description, billions of them, are lurking on your phone, your countertops, your carpets, even your skin! Germs are usually spread through the air or through food. Germs tend to thrive in warm, moist environments, the places you’re most likely to see germs will be the bathroom, kitchen, baby changing areas and on any toys or objects that have been in the baby’s mouth. So how do you keep your family safe from these germs?

Well, there’s no 100 percent fail-proof method, but here are a few tips to help you eliminate as many germs as possible.

Hands: washing hands often with antibacterial soap and warm water helps prevent the spread of germs..

Beds: Sheets and pillow casings should be washed in 150 degrees Fahrenheit every seven days.

Stuffed animals: Vacuum weekly and/or throw them in the dryer at a high setting to kill germs.

Bath toys: Water that gets trapped inside bath toys is also a combination of shed skin cells and fecal contamination, which are microscopic remnants remaining after cleaning your child. Clean water-retaining tub toys after each bath with a mixture of one part 0.5% chlorine bleach to 15 parts water. The weak bleach mixture is perfectly safe and becomes even more diluted after rinsing. Squeeze out as much of the dirty bathwater as you can, then allow the toy to "suck in" as much of the cleaning solution as possible. Swish the water around, then let the toy sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Rinse well, making sure the toy pulls in clean water.

Toothbrushes: Toothbrushes left on bathroom countertops can become contaminated with fecal bacteria, which could, at least in theory, cause diarrhea or stomach flu. When you flush the toilet, the bacteria can stay floating in the air for at least 2 hours and settle on your toothbrush. Run toothbrushes through your dishwasher's hottest cycle or replace brushes every 3 to 4 months.

Shopping-Cart Handles: Can contain mucus, saliva, blood or fecal bacteria. Place a cotton/polyester, machine-washable pad over the child-seat area and handle of a shopping cart or wipe down handles with antibacterial wipes before letting your child in the cart.

Dust mites: Vacuum your mattress, carpeting and drapery at a very high setting. Encase your pillows and mattresses with covers made specifically to prevent dust mites from coming through.

Source:
www.babiestoday.com
www.health.com
www.child.com