As if the COVID-19 pandemic weren’t already enough to deal with, it’s winter and flu season is here as well. Nobody wants to get sick, but they might not know what to know to decrease the odds of that happening. With people still spending more time at home than before the pandemic, taking steps to clean and sanitize their living area just makes sense.
To ensure the health and wellness of your family, consider these tips to protect your home from COVID-19 and other illnesses.
Natural Sunlight Protects Home from COVID-19
Spending time outdoors with natural sunlight can be a healthy habit as long as people follow commonsense sun safety practices. Unfortunately, this may not be an option in the winter depending on the typical climate in an area. The good news is that opening the windows to allow sunlight to come into the home throughout the day can have a similar effect.

Sunlight kills bacteria, and less bacteria in the home means a reduced chance of contracting COVID-19 or the flu. Keeping the shades pulled can also mean a better night’s sleep since sunlight helps to set the body’s internal clock.
Disinfect All High-Touch Areas in the Home
People surely know by now that the COVID-19 virus can live on surfaces after a person sheds it. The same is true of the flu virus that has an average survival time of two to eight hours. Doorknobs, countertops, light switches, the kitchen table, and other areas that people living in the home touch a lot are especially vulnerable to retaining the COVID-19 or flu viruses.
The best way to disinfect these surfaces is to wipe them down regularly with antiviral wipes. When people don’t have wipes available, spraying high-touch areas with white vinegar and then quickly wiping them with dry paper towels will also do the trick.
Follow Good Hygiene Practices
Washing hands several times a day for at least 20 seconds each time is a frequently repeated recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for coronavirus and flu prevention. People should also remember this advice when preparing food, washing their hands before and after assembling a meal. It’s all about good hygiene.
If anyone in the household is already sick, they should not have direct contact with food shared by the rest of the family. That person should use separate dishes and utensils and place them in the when finished and turn the setting to hot. Cleaning dishes completely with soap and water if no dishwasher is available will also help to keep the viruses in check.
Replace Sponges and Use Paper Towels for Cleaning Spills if Possible
Kitchen sponges can be a breeding grounds for germs, so it’s important to replace them at least every few weeks. For those who prefer not to buy new sponges that often, placing a used sponge in the microwave for 60 seconds and then running it through the dishwasher helps to get rid of germs.
Dishrags, mops, and other cleaning tools that people push around repeatedly can harbor bacteria and germs just as easily as a sponge. A great way to protect your home from COVID-19 and other viruses and bacteria is to wipe spills and wash the floor with super-absorbent paper towels. If that isn’t an option, washing cleaning tools with soap and hot water and then drying them right away reduces the build-up of germs.