The holidays bring a festive atmosphere to your home. They also bring the risk of cold and flu.

Opening your home to guests is part of the joy of the season, but that doesn’t mean you have to make your home welcoming to illnesses that are so common in the cold weather. Our homes are closed up tighter in the winter to keep the heat in. We wear more clothes and curl up with more blankets. All these layers trap viruses and bacteria that lay in wait for a new host to infect. But a few cleaning tips can help protect you, your family and your guests from getting the unwanted gift of a bug this holiday season.

• Replace the cloth hand towels in bathrooms with a roll of paper towels. Nothing screams “welcome” to a virus louder than a moist hand towel.
• Keep plenty of alcohol-based hand sanitizer around the bathrooms, entryways, kitchen and bedrooms. If hand sanitizer is convenient, it will be used.
• Have disinfectant wipes available to wipe down bathroom and kitchen surfaces before use. The only way to truly make sure you have a clean toilet, sink or counter is to give it a wipe down before you use it. Don’t rely on the last person to clean up after themselves.
• Doorknobs are among the most “dangerous” places to touch. Treat them like bathroom surfaces.

Remember, viruses and bacteria can survive on surfaces for up to 48 hours, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control.

If someone in your home is sick, give them their own bathroom, if you have an extra. Not letting a sick guest or family member share a bathroom with healthy people is the best way to keep germs from spreading.

A professional cleaning service such as Master Clean can prepare your home for guests in just a few hours. You can also call Master Clean to disinfect your home after guests have left.  We clean carpets, floors, and remove the dust that harbors illness-causing bacteria and viruses. Ask for a new customer discount!