Being sick is really unpleasant, especially if you have planned a family gathering, vacation or you have an important project to finish at work. Unfortunately, sometimes your immune system cannot handle the stress, the viruses in the air and the poor diet. The situation gets even worse if you work in the customer service sphere and you meet hundreds of people every day. All these factors make your body prone to catching a cold or an allergy. So, being sick means you have no choice but to slow down and spend some time in bed. However, instead of taking various medicines and hoping to get well soon, you’d better take some measures and prevent the spread of the virus:
- Changing towels is surely a part of your domestic cleaning, but if you get sick, don’t wait and change them once again. It is important to use your own set of towels for your face and body and don’t let any other family member use them. In order to disinfect the towels, wash them separately from the other clothes and set the washing machine to the highest possible temperature.
- Don’t forget to wash your hands regularly. That’s a rule you have been told when you were two or three years old, but yet, many people tend to neglect that procedure after they use their phone or touch the door handle. In point of fact, these are two of the germiest items in every home, so make sure you do your best to eliminate bacteria. Wash your hands with hot water and soap. It has been scientifically proven that bacteria and viruses can be eliminated by water much hotter than your skin can stand, but that should not be an excuse for skipping the hand washing.
- Strip off the bed and wash pillowcases, comforters, blankets, quilts and so on. Once again, set the washing machine to the hottest temperature and let the bedding dry exposed to a direct sunlight. It is a well-known fact that the sun eliminates bacteria. When you get better, change the bedding once again and repeat the procedure.
- It is a good idea to consider mattress cleaning and get rid of bed bugs that cause unpleasant allergies and skin and eye irritations.
- Speaking of germy mobile phones, you should definitely pay attention to the pieces of electronics and disinfect them. Get a clean microfiber cloth and scrub them with rubbing alcohol. Alternatively, you can use vinegar that also has wonderful sanitising properties. Apart from the mobile phone and tablets, don’t forget about the remote controls of the TV and the air conditioner. Antibacterial wet wipes can also remedy the situation.
- Sanitise bathroom and common areas. Get a powerful detergent and clean the door and window handles, the door of the fridge, the kitchen table, the chairs, the faucets and anything else that you and the members of your family touch without washing your hands after that.
- It might sound gross but the toothbrush you use has more bacteria than the toilet seat. That is why it is important to change the toothbrushes regularly. So, when you get better, throw your old toothbrush.
- If your symptoms include coughing and sneezing, you should think about minimising the dust levels. Get an old sock and dampen it with vinegar. Then, dust the surfaces that attract dust like a magnet, namely the TV and computer screen and the wooden furniture. In point of fact, you are advised to perform a thorough carpet cleaning or at least vacuuming. Carpets also attract a lot of dirt and dust, so vacuuming will definitely help you reduce the unpleasant coughing, sneezing and running eyes. If you have skipped the professional carpet cleaning in the past months better change that – it will not only eliminate bacteria efficiently but it will freshen up your rugs.
- If you have kids and you want to protect them from catching the flu, take care of their toys and sanitise them with rubbing alcohol. Toss the stuffed ones in the washing machine, but follow manufacturer’s manual regarding the temperature of washing or you can ruin them.
Being sick makes you feel unproductive and under the weather. It deters you from doing the things you love such as catching up with friends or going for a picnic in the park. Yet, a minor sickness should not change your positive attitude and ruin all your plans. Utilise the time you spend at home to make yourself a cup of green tea (it is an incredible antioxidant that will help you get better soon) and read the book you never managed to find time for. Browse through the tasks you had to perform, re-schedule the meetings and if you feel kind of useless staying in bed, rolled up in a blanket, complete some tasks so your first day in the office after the sick days would be a bit more bearable.