South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

South St. Louis County News

St. Louis Call Newspapers

Sanitize your way to healthier cold season

Even if you can’t escape the coughing and sniffling of the cold and flu season, you can take steps to protect yourself and your family.

Vitamins and washing your hands can be your first line of defense, but the real challenge is stopping the spread of germs once someone is sick.

About 5 percent to 20 percent of the population gets the flu every year in the United States and the common cold virus accounts for nearly 22 million missed days of school and 20 million missed days of work, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Viruses and bacteria left on such surfaces as doorknobs, tables and desks can live for up to two hours. When a family member begins getting sick, it’s important to disinfect linens and surfaces to stop the spread of the virus. But what about disinfecting pillows and stuffed animals that may be damaged in a washer? Laundry appliance manufacturers have added a sanitization cycle to their dryers to help consumers sanitize items that can’t be washed or cleaned using normal methods.

Stopping the spread of germs also can be accomplished by doing the following:

• Keep sick family members in one area because cleanup is a lot easier if it isn’t spread all over the house.

• Use bleach and water with a 1:10 ratio to sanitize surfaces; don’t forget phones, doorknobs and countertops when cleaning.

• Wear rubber gloves when handling used tissues and trash and remove such items from the house before cleaning.

• Wash all linens in hot water, including towels and washcloths.

• Sanitize bathrooms and don’t forget the flush handle on the toilet. If the toilet handle is used before hand washing, it can be one of the most contaminated areas of the house.

• Clean any dishes used by the sick person. A dishwasher is helpful, but hot water and a bleach solution will do the job, too.

For more information on preventing the spread of the common cold and flu virus, visit the CDC Web site at

.

More to Discover