There are many reasons to keep your home bacteria free, and the first among them is the need to protect your loved ones who spend most of their time within these walls.
It is a general belief that homes are the safest places, and
that is why we tend to keep ourselves indoors when there is an outbreak of
disease. Shockingly, homes provide the most favourable condition a germ would
love. Dust particles form the point of attachment for the germs.
Who are most Vulnerable to Germs At Home
There are two groups of people who are most vulnerable to the germs at home, the pregnant women and newborn babies.
Pregnant women need to deal with the baby (a totally new entity) within themselves. At this phase their immunity is the lowest because the body tends to produce the least amounts of antibodies so that the baby in tummy is not affected. Thus the body of a pregnant woman can easily be affected by germs.
Pregnancy is very tricky in the point of view of both mother and child because the health of the mother is directly linked to the child’s health too.
New Born Baby on the other hand enters a new environment from a safe cocoon and thus is very much susceptible to sudden infections. It’s always important to keep the child as safe as possible. Even common cold can cause serious reverberations in the child’s future health.
Also if the child keeps getting numerous infections he/she will become dependent on medication which is one thing which is strongly a no. It is very important to grow your baby in a safe home and make him/her strong enough to fight diseases naturally, for this a safe germ free home is a must.
How do Germs Enter Home
Microbes can thrive anywhere warm and moist. Viruses need a live host; however they can also thrive on other bacteria or insects/pests. Germs can enter your home through air, tiny dust particles or though common insects like housefly and mosquito.
These germs also can enter though people who frequent your home – from their hands usually through touching infected people or contaminated surfaces. Germs can also travel through water droplets expelled from our mouths and nose when we cough, sneeze or talk.
Common sources of germs in the home are:
- Contaminated food and water.
- Regularly touched surfaces like walls, doorknobs, taps, TV remotes and telephones.
- Cleaning and waste areas like bins, sinks and toilets.
- Household waste like used or stale food, used tissues and soiled nappies.
- Cleaning items like cleaning cloths, sponges and dirty toothbrushes.
- Pets and other animals like rodents and flies.
- Other people.
How To Make Home Germ Free
You must have understood the importance of making your home germ free by now, now let me discuss how to make your home germ free, so that you will be able to protect your child from within the womb. The protection must be an inclusive one so that you make sure that all the entry points of the germs are sealed well enough.
Protect Your House From Insects
The first step towards keeping your home germ free is stopping the carriers namely dust, contaminated water and insects. Seal the outer walls thoroughly and equip the windows with right meshes so that no dust or dirt is carried into your home through air. Insects also can be kept at bay with this.
An effective way of keeping microbes at bay is by covering the doorstep with diluted turmeric water. This will make sure those microbes, which may have been carried by the feet of people passing by, is cleaned off. Also place a camphor vaporiser near the door; you can effectively reduce the insects.
Spray some neem water on the outer side of your home once every two days.
2. Protect The Inner Walls Of Room
The inner walls of the rooms you use can be protected from harbouring bacteria by using an Anti-Bacterial Paint – A recent introduction by Asian Paints– the Royale Health Shield.
It kills 99%* infection causing bacteria on walls. This paint is the first anti-bacterial paint that is equipped with Silver Ion Technology and the silver Ion Technology is recommended# by the Indian Medical Association for its powerful Anti – bacterial activity. Several research studies also have proved the same. We have been aware of use of silver as antibacterial medicine especially in eye drops and even colloidal silver for getting rid of bacteria in your body. Silver ions hinder the microbial growth and deplete them of much required nutrient supply. Silver nanoparticles are completely safe for humans.
Royale Health Shield paint is thus very effective in keeping your interior walls bacteria free and healthy.
3. Make A Cleaning Routine
Make cleaning your home a routine. Dusting and sweeping must be done every day, use a mild floor cleaning disinfectant to mop the floor. You not only need to clean the room which is used but also need to clean the entire house. Here are some pointers for you.
Make a Cleaning Schedule: Instead of trying to clean your whole house at once, make a cleaning schedule, this will help to clean routinely. Cleaning a little every day is the easiest way to keep your home germ-free. Instead of reacting to dust, mold, and other germs, you can proactively prevent germs from building up in the first place.
Wash Your Bedding: Wash all of your sheets, towels, and other bedding materials regularly in hot water. Dust mites accumulate rapidly in these items, and you tend to be in contact with them frequently.
Clean Curtains and Ceiling Fans: Vacuum or wash your curtains and drapes and dust off your ceiling fans. Both of these areas can trap a lot of germs and dust that are not easy to see.
Put Down the Toilet Seat: Toilets are some of the most germ-infested places in your home. Clean toilets daily, use disinfectants thoroughly. Try to put down the lid of your toilet seat prior to flushing, to prevent bacteria and germ-infected water from landing on other surfaces in your bathroom, where it can survive for a couple of hours.
Shake Your Shower Curtain: Shaking out your shower curtain after showering can prevent moisture from building up in your bathroom by causing excess water to evaporate.
Your Toothbrush: Leaving your toothbrush out in an open dish on your bathroom counter can cause it to become infected with germs. Toothbrushes should be stored in separate containers and put away in drawers.
Disinfect Your Sponge: Sponges are filled with germs and bacteria, and a simple rinsing will not eliminate them completely. Instead, put your sponge in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or run it through the dishwasher. Routinely check your dishwasher to make sure it is running at a high enough temperature to kill bacteria.
Change Your Filters: Change your vacuum, furnace, and air conditioner filters frequently, so that you are cleaning and purifying the air and carpets, rather than adding more germs and dust.
4. Use Indoor Plants That Clean The Air
There are a number of indoor plants such as peace lily, sansevieria, and English ivy and so on. Indoor plants not only make the home beautiful or become a part of the interiors, but there is more health benefit associated with it. Plants, in general, purify the air by absorbing carbon dioxide in the air and giving out oxygen. Thus, they take away our dullness and make us feel fresh throughout the day. Other benefits are
- They are natural humidifiers and are good for people with respiratory problems.
- They improve our mood.
5. Don’t Let Your Home To Be Too Moist
Moisture is germs best friend. They would colonise easily in moist places, so always keep an eye for the rooms’ general moisture content.
Use your fans to keep the room dry. Using a room heater for a few minutes is advised to make the air dry enough so that it does not carry too much moisture with it.
6. Use Silver and Copper Vessels For Water
Silver and copper vessels to store and drink water are a very effective way of staying away from germs. These metals naturally fight against microbes and hence guard you from infections.
Germs are of different kinds and always try and thrive in every condition possible, constant attention to your living conditions, environment and cleanliness is the only way to keep them at bay.
Disclaimer
#Royale Health Shield with Silver Ion technology, within 2 hours of exposure kills 99% bacteria on walls.
*Fomite Infections (bacteria) can spread through infected walls among other indoor surfaces in homes and offices
For complete disclaimer and more information, please visit www.asianpaints.com/healthshield
