P-R-O-T-E-C-T YOUR HOME FROM GERMS AND VIRUSES

During cold & flu season it’s important to safeguard your home and family from germs and viruses. Follow these easy steps you can take at home to P-R-O-T-E-C-T your family.

P

Prevention is key to reducing the spread germs & viruses. When it comes to the home, ensure you have a highly effective cleaning agent like bleach (sodium hypochlorite) to hand.

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Remove germs from commonly touched surfaces in your home such taps, toilets, kitchen counters, door handles, and floors using bleach.

O

Observe your family for common cold symptoms such as a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat, fever, or a general feeling of being unwell. Seek medical advice if you are concerned. See here for further guidance from the NHS.

T

Take hand sanitizer with you when you’re out and about, preferably one with a high alcohol content (min 69%). Apply regularly, covering all surfaces of your hands.

E

Ensure hand washing with soap is a family priority. If anyone in the family does become ill, avoid sharing towels, facecloths, toothbrushes, and utensils. Wash clothes at a higher temperature (at least 60ºC) to avoid the spread of germs & viruses in the home. Read this article from Cleanipedia to find out how to clean deep clean your clothes.

C

Contain anything in your home that comes into contact with germs. Put tissues go straight into lined bins or down the toilet and flush immediately – Don’t forget to regularly disinfect your toilet with bleach. Sneezes can travel up to 3 meters spreading unwanted germs, so cover your nose when you sneeze and your mouth when you cough then wash your hands straight away.

T

Tell friends & family about the steps they can take to help protect their homes – we all need to be responsible for helping prevent spreading colds & flu.

We’re on a mission to ensure our homes and families are protected from cold & flu. For more information on how to protect yourself against possible viral infections see the NHS Keep Well, Keep Warm guide.