Germs are spread within households for a variety of reasons. Even families who think they’re staying on top of germ eradication tend to make a number of shortsighted mistakes. With flu season currently underway and an active pandemic now closing out its third year, being mindful of germs – and the ways in which they’re spread – is vitally important for every household. Families looking to stop germs in their tracks would do well to study up on some of the most common reasons they’re spread within households.
Improperly-Washed Hands:
Proper hand washing practices should be present in every household. Unfortunately, even people who think they’re good at keeping their hands clean often fail to wash them right away. So, if you or any other member of your household is at all unclear on how hands should be washed, take the following tips to heart.
To start with, you’ll need to wet your hands with warm water. Next, lather them up with soap and proceed to scrub the fronts and backs of your hands and wrists for a minimum of 20 seconds. After that, thoroughly rinse your hands under warm water before proceeding to dry them with a clean towel.
Lastly, for a bit of added protection, turn off the faucet with a towel. In addition to adopting this method of hand washing, make sure every other member of your household does the same.
Irregular Cleaning:
A broad assortment of germs and bacteria reside on your home’s many surfaces. In fact, the more people a household has, the more germs and bacteria are likely to be present. Furthermore, the less cleaning you do, the germier your surfaces are likely to become. As such, anyone interested in keeping surface germs at bay would be wise to stay on top of cleaning.
Of course, this isn’t to say that your entire home should receive a meticulous cleaning on a daily basis. Certain areas, however, should absolutely be cleaned daily – such as parts of your home that receive a fair amount of foot traffic. Kitchens and bathrooms, for example, should have their respective surfaces wiped down each day, especially in larger households.
To help make this process easier, consider alternating cleaning duties with other members of your household. This will ensure that no single person is perpetually saddled with cleaning the aforementioned surfaces and help prevent everyone from becoming overwhelmed by this new approach to germ eradication.
For an additional layer of protection, consider investing in cleaning clothes and clothing created with antimicrobial textiles.
Exposure to Contagiously Sick Individuals:
Exposure to individuals who are sick with contagious illnesses can cause outbreaks within even the most cautious of households, particularly during cold and flu season. Furthermore, with COVID-19 and its many variants continuing to tear through the country, it behooves everyone to be on their guard for potential spreaders.
Given the highly contagious nature of the novel coronavirus, every member of your household will need to take measures to avoid contact with infected individuals until such time as they’re fully COVID-free. If any friends, family members, coworkers or neighbors are contagiously ill, take care to keep your distance.
While you can still communicate with these individuals through call, text, email and various other means, interacting with them in-person places both your health – and the health of every other member of your household – at risk. By extension, make sure the other members of your household are adhering to the same rules regarding contact with infected individuals.
One bad decision has the power to facilitate a household-wise outbreak – and multiple infection clusters. So, regardless of how much flak you catch for enforcing these rules, make sure to stand firm. Certain family members – especially children – may not appreciate your dedication to safety, but in the end, you’re acting in the best interest of your loved ones and everyone with whom they interact.
At times, keeping germs outside of one’s home can often seem like an uphill battle. Unsurprisingly, the more people a household has, the harder curbing the spread of germs is liable to prove. However, with COVID-19 still a very real threat and flu season currently upon us, it behooves every family to make an effort. Fortunately, keeping various germs at bay doesn’t have to be an arduous undertaking – especially if you have a solid understanding of the most common reasons for which germs are spread within households.
