Keeping a child healthy means more than providing good food and regular check-ups with the doctor. It can also mean maintaining a clean environment for them at home.
Getting into a new cleaning routine can be difficult for new parents. in fact, research from the American Institute of Purification found that nearly 3 in 5 new or expectant parents (57%) felt less prepared to properly and safely use themselves around a new baby.
Having the right cleaning routine can go a long way in keeping your home – and your baby – happy and healthy.
The way to improve health
There are three types of cleaning you can do around your home. It is important to know the differences.
Cleaning removes unwanted contaminants such as dirt, grime and oil from your face, materials or hands. This is usually done with soap and water or a suitable surface cleaner.
Sanitization when you count the number of bacteria on a safe surface, reduce, but not necessarily eliminate. These levels are determined by public health codes or regulations.
Disinfection uses chemicals to kill germs on surfaces or objects. These may contain bleach or alcohol solutions that can kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
When you bring your baby home from the hospital, it’s important to brush regularly. This includes:
- Regularly clean frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, electronics, faucets, tables, and toys.
- Cleaning the kitchen, including the refrigerator, microwave and floors, at least once a week.
- Wash your hands after cleaning the house. Especially after changing diapers or taking out the trash.
- Do laundry at least once a week. If you wash cloth diapers, you should do this every day.
- Clean the baby’s high chair after every meal.
Things to consider
Children’s immune systems are not as strong as adults. Therefore, it is even more important to clean it when the child is sick. If you have a sick child, you should:
- Disinfect frequently touched surfaces regularly.
- Everyone in the household should wash their hands frequently, following proper hand washing techniques.
- When washing with soap and water is not possible, have hand sanitizer available.
When washing clothes, blankets and bed of a sick child, you should also take additional measures. Wash using a hot cycle on your washing machine with a deeper wash.
When the child feels better, you should wash or disinfect all the toys that they touched when they were sick. Proper cleaning and disinfection of toys depends on the type of toy.
For toys with a porous surface (made of a material with small holes):
- Make sure the toy is machine washable before cleaning.
- Place the toy in a mesh laundry bag or pillow that is tightly sealed at the top.
- Wash it on the delicate cycle using cold water and normal detergent.
- Store the toy in a bag or pillowcase when you put it in the dryer on low.
For toys with plastic or hard surfaces:
- Wash off any dirt or grime with soap and water.
- Disinfect or decontaminate with an EPA-registered product. Be sure to read the label for proper use.
- Let the disinfectant dry, then wash the toys before giving them to your child.
Toys that a child can put in their mouth should be sanitized and washed between uses. You should also regularly disinfect your child’s play areas.
