Sanitize Home and Office - Don't Miss the Obvious!

With the flu virus going around, its in our best interest to do what we can to minimize the risk to others and ourselves. Everywhere I go today, I find alcohol wipes and hand sanitizer. Even my local grocery store now has a cart sanitizer station at the entrance. There is a one gallon jug of hand sanitizer at the receptionists' desk at our office. The local shopping mall has sanitizing stations throughout. These are all good steps, but I find it interesting that we often miss the obvious places.

Sanitize your home and work by paying attention to everything that you touch daily!

Spend a few extra moments today and pay attention to everything that you touch in your home and office. You will be surprised at how many different things that you touch. In your home, do not forget the doorhandles. Since everyone has to use them, they are more likely to carry germs and viruses than anywhere else. Make sure that you sanitize cabinet handles. We all focus on our toilets and sinks, just don't forget the parts that we actually touch daily, like the faucet handles. If you share your car, sanitize your door handles and steering wheel. At home and work, sanitize your keyboard and mouse, just make sure to not get any fluid into the devices. If you use a sanitizing wipe, wring it our first to reduce and chance of liquid getting into your devices. Don't forget about your cell phone and your home phone!

Easy Steps to Keep From Getting Sick

These easy to follow steps really do work.  I have been doing these things naturally for the last several years and I haven't gotten sick.  This was really important last year as the Swine Flu was passing through our town.  I came home from a business trip the day my son was diagnosed with the Swine Flu.  This was pretty early on in the epidemic, so we really didn't know what to expect.  He was really sick and soon after my wife and daughter also came down with it.  For the next week and a half I had to take care of them, while trying not to get the flu myself.  During this period I took these steps to the next level and was going over every surface with a disinfecting wipe as soon as the infected person left.  I even sprayed down the couch with Lysol whenever they got up.  My wife thinks I was a little paranoid, but I never did get the Swine Flu.  And after watching their suffering; I'm glad I didn't.  So remember these basic sanitizing tips and maybe you won't get sick either.

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How to Kill Swine Flu, Bird Flu or any Flu Virus

Swine flu has been in the news for the last several weeks. Many people are starting to panic because they don't know much about the virus and the news media is really hyping this story. As of today, it looks like this variant of the virus (H1N1) is only about as deadly as the normal seasonal flu. This can change quickly as the virus evolves and largely depends on what hosts the virus can spread to. If kept unchecked, this could become much worse later in the year as the real flu season starts. This is the best time for everyone to become educated on what they can do to help stop the spread of this flue. Just remember that the swine flu can be killed in the same ways as regular or avian flu. This virus has many weaknesses.

The first thing to remember is that the flu is passed by bodily secretions. As people cough and sneeze, blow their noses and touch things, they can leave the virus on various surfaces. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to wash your hands frequently. You should wash your hands for 30 to 60 seconds. If you have kids remember to help them wash long enough. Washing your hands does not kill the virus. Washing your hands mechanically removed the virus from your hands and washes it down the drain. You can use waterless hand sanitizer to kill the flu virus, but make sure it is at least 60% alcohol.

On hard surfaces the flu virus can be killed with any cleaning product that states that it is a "disinfectant." Be sure to check the label as it should state specifically if the disinfectant kills the influenza virus. Things like Lysol and Clorox wipes will kill flu virus.

The following environmental factors can also kill the flu virus:

1. Any heat above 160 degrees Fahrenheit. So your stove, dishwasher and dryer will kill the virus.
2. Cooking any foods above 165 will kill any virus in food products.
3. Alcohol solutions of at least 70% alcohol and hand sanitizer at least 60% alcohol.
4. Antiseptic cleansers like Lysol and Clorox Wipes.
5. Bleach will kill flu virus when mixed one cup bleach to one gallon water.

Tomorrow we will talk about where the flu virus and other germs hide in your house and office.

The Germiest Places in Your House

In the last few weeks, the swine flu as started to spread throughout North America and the world. The World Health Organization has raised alert level of a pandemic to 5 out of 6. Many people are worried about how this flu is spread. Don't forget that you can kill the flu virus easily. The more difficult task is finding where it hides. Here are my top 7 places that germs like to hide in your house and office:

1. Door Knobs
2. Light Switches
3. Appliance Handles
4. The Telephone
5. Faucets
6. TV Remote
7. Computer Keyboard and Mouse

Everyone in my household uses and touches these items everyday. Whenever someone gets sick, I always try to keep these clean using a bleach wipe or spray with Lysol. I have two school age children and have not been sick in over a year. Cleaning these basic areas and obsessive hand washing have been my recipe for success. Sadly, my wife hasn't been so lucky.

Think about the things your family uses everyday and remember to clean those with extra care. For further information on how to kill the flu and germs read our tips on how to kill the flu virus and germs.

You may also be interested in The 12 Germiest Places.