What to Clean in the House After Someone Gets Sick

When illness sweeps through your home, you may not feel like cleaning because you yourself are in bad shape or you are caring for a family member who needs it, or maybe both. Unfortunately, when someone in the family has the virus, it is more important than ever to continue to sanitize your game. But how much cleaning do you really need to do? It can be difficult to know where to start, especially if you’re feeling unwell, so here’s a guide to where to start.

Disinfection is more important than just cleaning

Now we need to not only clean, we need to disinfect . Disease-causing viruses can remain on surfaces after routine cleaning, so you’ll need to take extra steps to eliminate them. Look for products that have the word “disinfectant” written front and center, or make your own sanitizer using diluted bleach. You may also consider using an EPA-certified disinfectant . Don’t spend too much effort at this point, though: Lysol is an effective disinfectant, and you can buy two cans for less than $14 .

Start by washing surfaces with soapy water as usual (this is a great place to stop if no one in the house is sick). During flu season or after someone gets sick, the next step is disinfection. Spray surfaces with disinfectant or diluted bleach, then let sit for 10 minutes before wiping.

Which surfaces to prioritize when someone in the house is sick?

Work smarter, not harder, when you clean during and after a bout of illness, and focus on the surfaces and areas that matter most. These are the most commonly used places like the following:

• Bathroom including toilet, faucets and all hard surfaces.

• The kitchen, including dishes and cups touched by the sick person, as well as drawer and refrigerator handles, shelves, keypads on appliances and all hard surfaces.

• All the door handles in the house

• Any fabrics that have been touched by the sick person, including clothing, gowns, towels, stuffed animals, and bedding (which should be machine washed on the hottest setting).

• All hard surfaces, including light switches, tables, remote controls, and especially anything that is in an area where a sick person would normally be.

• Electronics such as phones and tablets

• Garbage cans around the house

• Keys, wallets and anything that is regularly grabbed, touched or carried.

All these items must be cleaned and disinfected. Some viruses can survive on surfaces for days or even weeks, so disinfect them regularly for at least two weeks after you think the illness has passed.

Other steps to consider:

• Throw away the family toothbrushes and replace them with new ones. The same goes for sponges in the kitchen or any other disposable cleaning products that you use for a short time.

• When cleaning each room, use different rags, sponges, or cleaning products to avoid transferring germs from one place to another.

• Change pillowcases daily, especially for sick people, and leave the final cleaning of bedding until the illness has passed. As mentioned, all bedding should be washed at the highest temperature in the washing machine. Wash them yourself and use a disinfectant cleaner just in case.

How soon should you clean if you are sick?

Keep as clean as possible when you are sick. Take out the trash and disinfect jars daily. Wipe down surfaces and try to have a supply of clean laundry on hand. The faster you rid your home of germs stuck to your things, the better—even if the most you can do when you’re sick is spray everything with Lysol, that’s a good start.

Unfortunately, viruses can survive on different types of surfaces, so it is important to begin disinfection procedures as soon as the first person becomes ill.

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