If the pandemic has done anything positive, it’s made us all much more aware of the spread of germs and smart things we can do to protect ourselves from unnecessary sickness and illness on an ongoing basis. And though you can’t control every environment, you have a lot of influence over your own house. Read on to learn more about specific ways you can stop the spread of germs in your home.

5 Tips to Lower the Spread of Germs

Germs have an incredible knack for multiplying and spreading when not properly dealt with. The good news is that you can kill them at the source by implementing just a few new habits into your family’s lifestyle. Let’s explore a few of them:

• Wash Hands

Most people only think to wash their hands after using the restroom and/or directly prior to eating a meal. But in reality, you should be washing your hands much more frequently. At the very least, you should wash your hands every time you enter the home, prior to preparing snacks or meals, and directly after using a computer keyboard/mouse or phone. 

• Take Shoes Off at the Door

If you don’t already have a house rule of taking shoes off at the door, you may want to institute one. Researchers have analyzed the microbial environment on people’s shoes after they walk in various locations and found that bacteria and viruses cling to shoes and then rub off on other surfaces. Wearing shoes inside of the home can lead to dangerous microbes spreading on carpets, flooring, and even furniture. 

Dr. Leila Karimpoor, an internist and hospitalist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center, encourages every household to have a rule of removing shoes at the front door. And if you have to use your hands to remove the shoes, you should wash them immediately afterward.

“In general, your living space should be as clean as possible,” Dr. Karimpoor says. “The same way you wouldn’t walk in mud and then bring a trail into your house, you also wouldn’t want to go to a place that could be crowded where you could pick up a pathogen and trail it back into your house.”

It all comes down to smart habits. It may feel odd at first, but like anything else, you’ll eventually get used to it. 

• Practice Smart Toilet Habits

You might think your bathroom habits are fine, but think again. Here are two simple ways you can be smarter when doing your business:

• Stop relying on toilet paper and make the switch to a bidet. Bidets are safer and healthier alternatives. Not only are they less harmful to the environment, but they keep your hands away from the mess and lead to better overall hygiene.                                                                                                                  
• You’d be surprised to know how many germs can be launched into the air (and onto faucets, doorknobs, and even toothbrushes) when the toilet is flushed. Always close the lid to the toilet prior to flushing. 

It goes without saying that washing your hands immediately after using the toilet is a necessity – no matter what kind of business you did. Simply touching the toilet handle is enough to transfer thousands of microbes to your hands. 

• Clean High Touchpoints

There are certain touchpoints in your home that get more action than others. By cleaning them on a regular basis, you reduce the likelihood of germs spreading from one person to another. 

High touch point areas include door handles, remote controls, keyboards, light switches, refrigerator handles, and phones. Clean these areas with a disinfectant every few days. (If someone in the home is sick, you should clean them at least twice a day.)

• Clean Your Washing Machine

Your washing machine is supposed to keep your clothes clean…but is it? Your washing machine actually gets dirty over time. And if you aren’t careful, it can become a hot spot for viruses and bacteria. Keep it clean by disinfecting with bleach once per week. This will kill the germs and keep your house clean.

Keep Your House Safe and Healthy

Don’t wait until a virus has entered your home to get serious about cleanliness. By making your home a safe space around the clock, you can keep your family safer and healthier all year round. Start by implementing the tips discussed above and then look for additional tweaks you can make to keep germs at bay.