We all want to prevent swine flu, and cleaning is the way to do it. The main point authorities and experts are hammering home, of course, is personal hygiene: wash your hands, do it often, and do it well - that means fifteen to twenty seconds of rubbing soap into your hands beneath warm water (for younger children, coach them to sing the ABC song while they wash their hands).
But your home and office are a concern, too. Bacteria can survive and remain infectious for between 2 and 8 hours on surfaces as varied as a doorknob, a piece of paper, or, yes, a bathroom tap.
Prevent swine flu with basic hygiene
If you're looking to prevent swine flu, begin by making sure you properly dispose of tissues, dental floss, and any other object that has come in contact with a person's bodily fluids (whether or not they have symptoms of H1N1). After touching waste, wash your hands thoroughly. Use a paper towel to turn off taps in public washrooms, and use that same towel to open the door.
Cleaning your home to prevent swine flu
In your home, you may wonder how to prevent swine flu from spreading if one member of the family is exposed. The main thing to remember is that you want to use a disinfectant as a cleaner. It should definitely be antibacterial, and you'll want to wipe down bedside tables, bathrooms, kitchens, and even children's toys according to the directions. Make sure you're using these cleaners properly: you don't want to wipe a child's toy with a poisonous cleaner and then have the child pop it in their mouth!
Remember that swine flu is not a plague, only a highly contagious strain of the flu. In other words, take the same cleaning precautions you would normally. For example, don't share a fork with someone displaying swine flu symptoms. But don't worry about washing that fork separately in a vat of boiling bleach, either.
One area you can focus on to prevent swine flu is laundry. Carry laundry in a basket or bag -- do not hug it to your body as you can wind up collecting H1N1 germs. After handling dirty laundry, immediately wash your hands thoroughly. And it goes without saying you should always use soap whatever you're washing: hands, laundry, or cutlery.
In other words, there are no special cleaners you can buy that show you how to prevent swine flu. Simple, trusted, and true cleaning methods are the best way to prevent swine flu and protect your family this season.
