Ah! It’s that time of the year when Pumpkin spice-everything and Halloween decorations surround us. It’s also the time when little ghouls and goblins come out for candies and most of them are already showing the symptoms of seasonal flu.

In Canada, flu season starts in early November and typically lasts until late April. But, this year Health officials are expecting to see an increase in the number of flu cases. Flu is highly contagious and spreads through touch or by inhaling airborne particles. As 80% of harmful germs are spread through hands, regular handwashing and hand sanitizer is highly recommended to kill the germs. Kids at schools and daycares are more exposed to germs and therefore fall sick during the flu season. To stop the germs from spreading, disinfect regularly; especially when a family member is recovering from flu.

Disinfect Commonly Touched items:

A general rule of thumb is to disinfect household items that are in regular use.

Door handles, and light switches hide in plain sight and can spread flu and cold germs. According to a study, a germy doorknob can infect an entire workplace within hours. Disinfect them to kill the bacteria.

Bedding and towels are among the shared items in a household making it easier for germs to spread from one person to another. When it comes to spreading germs and infection, used towels are the worst. Bacteria on used towels grow rapidly as they sit in moist and warm toilets. Replace towels after four days with fresh ones and wash them on a high temperature to kill germs. Regularly wash and replace bedsheets, pillows, and towels especially when a family member has recovered from flu.

If you thought that a toilet seat is the dirtiest place in your house, think again. The airborne particles from the flush can travel up to 6 feet and stay active for two hours. Scientists found Toothbrushes and toothbrush holders to have the most germs (3318477/10 sq. cm). Regularly disinfect the holder and replace toothbrushes after a family member recovers from flu. Disinfect bathroom faucet and toilet handle will prevent the spread of germs.

Electronic Appliances:

We know that germs spread through commonly touched items, such as a TV Remote. Remember those Netflix nights you enjoyed with a greasy snack and ignored to clean it? Most illness-causing germs including flu and cold spread through hand-to-hand and hand-to-mouth. Watch out for electronic appliances including TV remotes and disinfect them.

Kitchen:

Common places and items in the Kitchen are often overlooked during the cleaning routine. Did you know that a kitchen sink has 100,000 times more harmful bacteria than the washroom? Most foodborne viruses and cold and flu bacteria are spread by hand-to-food contact. Disinfecting countertops, cutting boards, refrigerators and garbage bins to remove signs of contamination will prevent it from spreading around your home.