How Germs are Spread Through the Home

5/20/2020 (Permalink)

You may want to reconsider wearing outdoor shoes inside your home by taking your shoes of at the door.

Germs can spread quickly in the home if not careful. Imagine having a tiring day at work and coming home with dirt particles all over the clothes and shoes, your body is full of dirt. You walk in the door, and your children and pet run to greet you. You can't help but carry a baby or pet running towards you in anxiety, happy to have you back home only to transfer germs onto them. We may not realize this, but this and many more are ways germs are spread at home.

Germs are everywhere. Most germs are not especially harmful to humans, but many can cause serious health problems to humans. It is essential to control the spread of germs. Yet sometimes the things we do, or neglect to do, allow germs to thrive in our midst. 

Germs can spread by:

• Not washing your hands after getting home from outside. One can't tell what germs he or she may have been in contact with outside the home. That is why it is a safe practice to wash your hands the moment you walk through the door. It is a good idea to change clothes once you come in for the day as well.

• Neglecting to clean surfaces frequently put a family at risk of contracting germs. The kitchen floor and counter tops should be cleaned daily. Door knobs, light switches, tables, paintings, windows, and other surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

• Not getting rid of shipping boxes. Discard shipping boxes after removing contents from them. They may carry germs with them and you don't want that inside your home.

• There are germs on the floor of your office, malls, stores, and roads. When you go to these places, your shoes carry germs from the floor along with it. You may want to reconsider wearing outdoor shoes inside your home by taking your shoes of at the door.

• Pets pick up germs from the floor the same way as shoes, so it is beneficial to clean the paws of pets when they come inside. Another way to prevent the spread of germs by pets is to treat your yards and make sure the surroundings are clean.

Other ways germs can spread in the home:

• By wearing the same clothes frequently
• By not washing the kitchen sink regularly after dishwashing 
• By not keeping the bathroom clean
• By not cleaning children’s toys
• By not changing your towels
• By not taking your bath regularly

Make a schedule for regular cleaning each week and make a schedule for washing hands and changing clothes when you come in for the day. All of these tips will decrease the spread of germs.