Guide To Hygiene in the Home

Man putting dirty coffee mugs into dishwasher in kitchen

Guide To Hygiene in the Home

When it comes to helping to protect your child from the spread of germs, it helps to understand germs in the home, and to know what steps to take to remove them.

Eliminating germs in your kitchen

Many germs in the home can be traced to the kitchen. Make sure to regularly disinfect key kitchen hotspots, including faucets and chopping boards, and regularly decontaminate and dry kitchen sponges/cloths after each use. Remember that surfaces that come in direct contact with food must be rinsed off with water. Don’t forget frequently touched surfaces too, like cabinet/door handles and light switches.

Eliminating germs in your bathroom

Most people think that the dirtiest place in the bathroom is the toilet seat, however the toilet flush handle might actually beat it as the germiest. Make sure to regularly disinfect key hotspots, including faucets, handles and the toilet flush. Mould can be a problem in damp bathrooms, so make sure the room is well-ventilated and regularly disinfect areas like shower seals. Encourage your family to put the toilet seat down before flushing. This will reduce bacteria being spread around the bathroom by the force of the flush. Make sure to regularly disinfect shower heads to help prevent the spread of germs.

Routines to follow at home to help prevent your child from spreading germs at school

Keep their school bag clean, especially if they carry food items like a packed lunch. Ensure your children bring home their gym clothes weekly for washing. Remove germs by washing clothes at a high temperature (60°C or higher). If you need to wash at a lower temperature, add a laundry sanitiser such as Pine O Cleen Antibacterial Laundry Sanitiser. Make sure your children practice frequent and proper hand washing, as well as proper cough and sneeze etiquette. Encourage these habits both in and out of school.

Practicing proper hygiene at school

To help reduce the spread of germs, your children should be washing their hands before and after different activities throughout the school day, such as before lunch and after recess. Children should also wash their hands after using the toilet, coughing, sneezing or blowing their nose, touching or handling classroom toys, and whenever they have touched a dirty surface.