The season between the holidays and spring seems to be when this never ending sickness takes over our homes. When one kid gets sick, the rest of the family follows like dominos.
The question we all have is: What is going around? This National Cold & Flu Map helps show what’s going around in our specific area. Click the link and then click on Idaho. From there, you can narrow it down to your neighborhood. This explains why we hear everyone coughing everywhere we go!
As parents, we long for quiet moments when the kids are all snuggled in bed. When the kids are snuggly and quiet because they don’t feel good – that’s the worst. It is in those moments where we wish for the crazy kids that wear us out. Let’s get them back to that monster running around the living room that we all know and love.
In order to keep the germs from spreading, use this checklist of 10 things to clean when the kids are sick.
Sick Kid House Cleaning Checklist
- Open Windows: It’s cold. We know this. Also, the whole “we’re not heating the outdoors” saying comes to mind when making this suggestion but hear us out. The goal is to bring some fresh air indoors and put the air in motion. 15 to 20 minutes of airflow will do.
- Clean Handles and Knobs: This is far more than just a wipe down. We’re talking disinfecting wipes to the door handles, the toilet handles, the sink knobs, the drawer pulls, the cupboard handles – anything that has been touched by germs in the past 48 hours. This process may seem a bit tedious but it will be worth it when your little one is feeling better and everyone is healthy.
- Replace Toothbrushes: This is one of the germs’ favorite places to live. If you have a toothbrush disinfector, definitely take advantage of the features. If not, perhaps getting some cheap toothbrushes to use for a couple of days and then use a fresh toothbrush when the kids are healthy.
- Wash Bedding: The washer and dryer will get a bit of a workout. A tip is to wash bedding on hot. Germs can survive on cold and even warm cycles.
- Disinfect Phones: Have you heard that cell phones have 10 times more germs than most toilet seats? Makes you want to wash your phone all the time, doesn’t it? The phone is a must-clean item for when there are germs inside the home. If you have an iPad, go ahead and give that a quick swipe as well.
- Wash Hand Towels: A super helpful tips is to designate a “sick” hand towel. Everyone else can use a different one. Keep the sick towel clean and continue to replace it.
- Wash Hands with Antibacterial Soap: It seems like the obvious answer but what often happens is hands are washed but not with anti-bacterial soap. Be sure to look for “antibacterial” on your hand soap to ensure that you’re washing those germs away.
- Disinfect Surfaces: Avoid sponges or towels. Instead, use disinfecting wipes for surfaces, bathroom counters, and even tables. Some surfaces rarely get wiped down so this is a great time to get ahead on some cleaning.
- Disinfect Remotes: Just like our phones, remotes hold all types of germs. It’s a super simple and quick step in the cleaning process to grab a disinfecting wipe and make sure the remote has been cleaned. Don’t forget game controllers as well
- Disinfect Stuffed Animals & Favorite Blankets: In a lot of cases, this is a challenge for us to be on our game. Perhaps when the kids are sleeping, you swoop in and grab that favorite blanket or stuffie and throw it in the washer and dryer. Just like with the bedding, wash on hot in order to kill the germs.
With the weather being so mild (and on some days not mild), you can still winterize your home. If it feels better to call it pre-spring cleaning, we would be a fan of that, too.
Follow these 5 Easy Steps for Winterizing Your Home. You won’t regret feeling a bit more fresh – especially if you’ve already disinfected everything.
