With all the many preparations needed for a new baby, nine months might not seem nearly enough time. One of the major things you'll need to prepare is your home. You want to keep it as clean as possible to reduce the germs and bacteria that can sometimes make your baby sick. Learn how to control the spread of germs and important cleaning tips.
Germs: What They Mean for You and Your Family.
Germs are everywhere. As a mother, you'll want to protect your newborn from the harmful germs as much as possible.
Germ Growth at Home. The main sources of germs in your home are usually people, pets, food, and water. Some germs, particularly bacteria, like to live in warm, moist places. They can grow and multiply quickly in places where water and waste matter accumulate, such as in sinks, toilets, wet cleaning cloths, sponges, mops, and towels.
Controlling Germs: Cleaning vs. Disinfection Cleaning and disinfecting are not the same thing. Cleaning removes only some of the germs from surfaces, whereas disinfecting actually destroys them. Therefore, through its "Ounce of Prevention" campaign, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stresses that it's important to routinely clean and disinfect surfaces.
While surfaces may look clean, many infectious germs may still be lurking. In some instances, germs can live on surfaces for hours - and even days.
Disinfectants are registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and contain ingredients that destroy bacteria and other germs. Check the product label to make sure it says "Disinfectant" and has an EPA registration number. Since cleaning and disinfecting are not the same thing, you'll need to decide which is appropriate in each situation.
Source: Looking After You and Your Baby
Get your home clean from top to bottom. Your extreme nesting instincts may take care of this, and you may be compelled to rid your house of all dust bunnies. Besides your daily cleaning, don't forget about these items that need cleaning.
Window Treatments - Bring all window treatments to the cleaners. You would be so surprised how much dust is held in your beautiful curtains. Dust leads to allergies. Make sure to also dust your mini blinds.
Get your home clean from top to bottom. Your extreme nesting instincts may take care of this, and you may be compelled to rid your house of all dust bunnies. Besides your daily cleaning, don't forget about these items that need cleaning.
Kitchen -Make sure to keep all kitchen surfaces clean. Use disinfecting wipes to clean up kitchen surfaces, or use paper towels along with antibacterial kitchen cleaner. Then, throw the germs away! If cloth towels are used, launder them often, using hot water.
Get your home clean from top to bottom. Your extreme nesting instincts may take care of this, and you may be compelled to rid your house of all dust bunnies. Besides your daily cleaning, don't forget about these items that need cleaning.
Floors - Keep in mind that when babies crawl on the floor, they are at higher risk of picking up micro-organisms, some of which could make them sick. This risk increases if you also have pets. Before putting your baby on the floor, check that the area has been recently vacuumed or washed, and disinfected if necessary. You may find it easier to cover the floor with a play-mat that you can disinfect or launder after use or whenever it gets dirty. Use LYSOL® All Purpose Cleaner to help clean and disinfect your floorings and other surfaces. Also, check that there are no small, loose objects that your baby could choke on, or any other hazards like unguarded heat sources or exposed electrical cords.
Get your home clean from top to bottom. Your extreme nesting instincts may take care of this, and you may be compelled to rid your house of all dust bunnies. Besides your daily cleaning, don't forget about these items that need cleaning.
Germ Hot Spots in the Home. Use LYSOL® to kill 99.9% of Cold and Flu* viruses and bacteria on commonly touched items like:
Doorknobs
Toilet Handles
Telephone Receivers
Countertops
Faucets
Light Switches
High Chairs**
Plastic Toys**
* LYSOL® spray and LYSOL® wipes kills 99.9% of germs on hard surfaces when used as directed
** Rinse all direct food contact surfaces thoroughly with potable water after disinfecting
Get your home clean from top to bottom. Your extreme nesting instincts may take care of this, and you may be compelled to rid your house of all dust bunnies. Besides your daily cleaning, don't forget about these items that need cleaning.
Clean as you go - With a new baby, time is of the essence. Spot clean and disinfect surfaces throughout the day. Keep LYSOL® Disinfecting Wipes throughout the house for quick cleanup.
Get your home clean from top to bottom. Your extreme nesting instincts may take care of this, and you may be compelled to rid your house of all dust bunnies. Besides your daily cleaning, don't forget about these items that need cleaning.
Ask for Help - Enlist the help of a willing husband, family members, or hire a cleaning person to help you get your house ready for bringing baby home. You'll appreciate a clean house for the exhausting weeks ahead, and your baby will appreciate a fresh, sanitary home.
Get your home clean from top to bottom. Your extreme nesting instincts may take care of this, and you may be compelled to rid your house of all dust bunnies. Besides your daily cleaning, don't forget about these items that need cleaning.
Hand Washing -
To keep your baby's environment a healthier place, make sure to wash your hands before and after picking up your newborn. Hand washing is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as one of the most important means of preventing germs from spreading. Make sure anyone that touches the baby, especially after changing diapers, has clean hands. While out and about, make sure to have LYSOL® Healthy Touch™ Gentle Hand Sanitizer Foam in the diaper bag or in your handbag. It's gentle enough for the whole family to use.
Get your home clean from top to bottom. Your extreme nesting instincts may take care of this, and you may be compelled to rid your house of all dust bunnies. Besides your daily cleaning, don't forget about these items that need cleaning.
Car - Get the cars detailed. It is worth the money. The odors, spills, stains and dirt will be just a memory. The car will be a disaster once baby starts throwing her Cheerios, but it is best to start with a clean car. You don't want to put a brand new, clean car seat in a dirty car.
