Infection Control Tips
10 Tips for Infection Control in the Home
Some germs are good as they can help your body develop antibodies to fight off infections. However, too many germs is not a good thing and can keep you in your sick bed if you are not careful. It is often said that your home could be the biggest germ factory in your life, spreading infection and preventing faster recovery times.
With some easy adjustments to your regular home routine, you can cut down on the infectious germs that cause sucrr-illnesses as the cold, flu, allergies and _even gastrointestinal issues.
There is no need to invest in too many antibacterial products as they can be counterproductive. Instead, regular disinfectants and soap and water work wonders. Here are some other ways to avoid infection inside the home:
- Cut down on allergens like mold, pollen and dust by investing in a HEPA filter for your central air and heating. Don’t forget to replace your air conditioning filter about once a month as well.
- If you are trying to avoid allergens like dust, pollen and mold, avoid using fans as they stir things up in the air you breathe. Also, stick to air conditioning over opening windows.
- When the home is humid, invest in a dehumidifier to keep the humidity levels under 50%. This will prevent mold from growing and releasing spores in the home.
- Get rid of carpeting as they harbor dust as well as a number of microorganisms both harmful and benign. Ditch Venetian blinds as they are dust catchers as well. Instead look to hard wood or laminate flooring and simple window shades for the windows.
- Keep the shower and bathtub areas clean of mold. If you spray a mold killer after every shower or bath, you would not have to clean as often. Just remember to rinse the tub out before bathing!
- Always wash your hands before handling food products. In addition, if you are handling raw meat, wash your hands before doing any other activity such as handling plates or touching vegetables. Also, wash your work area to ensure that harmful bacteria like salmonella will not contaminate your food.
- Wash your bed linens in hot soapy water because this will kill any harboring germs in your sheets and pillow cases.
- Use a clothes dryer or hang your clothes inside to dry. When you hang clothes outside, pollen and other allergens from outdoors becomes trapped in the fibers causing you to have potential allergy attacks.
- Airborne germs are quite easy to contract. Therefore, always watch the weather channel for forecasts that are the perfect stage for allergens and other germs to be plentiful. Hot, windy days are the absolute worst.
- Many bugs harbor germs and can transmit diseases. Therefore, you should always wear protective clothing and use an insect repellent to avoid getting bitten or stung.
There are countless measures at the home you can take to avoid infections. However, always remember that there are some good bacteria too so try and be cognizant that antibacterial products will not necessarily be the best cleaning solution for you. Practicing the handy tips above will help you stay healthy but not totally bar you from the germ exposure you need to develop a better immune system either.