From Halloween costumes to candy trades and cooler weather, fall brings a sense of excitement. However, it also increases exposure to viruses and germs that can spread rapidly through busy households.
Whether your family is gearing up for trick-or-treating or preparing for holiday routines, now is a great time to take simple, everyday steps to help reduce germs without disrupting the fun.
Here are five tips to help reduce the spread of illness-causing viruses this season:
- Wipe down high-touch surfaces. Fall often means more time indoors, especially around shared items. Make it a habit to wipe down commonly touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches and remote controls. Lysol® Disinfecting Wipes and Lysol® Disinfectant Spray kill 99.9% of viruses and germs when used as directed, making them a quick way to help limit the spread of germs in high-traffic areas.
- Clean up after costumes. Halloween fun can bring germs home in many ways. Encourage kids to leave costume accessories like masks, capes and treat buckets by the door—and wipe them down with Lysol® Disinfecting Wipes before putting them away. If you’re planning to reuse a costume or pass it along, make sure it’s freshly cleaned first.
- Reinforce cough and sneeze etiquette. With colder air and more sniffles going around, fall is a good time to remind kids to cover coughs and sneezes using their elbow (not their hands) and to throw tissues away immediately. For younger children, practicing the “Dracula sneeze,” or pretending to pull a cape over their face, can be a fun and memorable lesson.
- Disinfect shared electronics and toys. If your household has multiple kids or regular playdates, make sure shared devices, tablets, toys and game controllers get disinfected regularly. These items are handled often but cleaned less frequently, making them easy targets for lingering germs.
- Keep handwashing top of mind. With all the excitement of Halloween and fall festivities, handwashing often gets forgotten, yet it’s one of the most effective ways to help prevent the spread of germs. Encourage kids to wash their hands for at least 20 seconds after coming inside, before eating, and after blowing their nose. Turning it into a song or a race can make the habit more fun and consistent.
Illness-causing germs don’t take a break for holidays, but with a few simple habits and Lysol by your side, your family can get ahead of them without missing a moment.
For more tips and information about Lysol disinfecting products, visit www.lysol.com.
National PTA does not endorse any commercial entity, product or service. No endorsement of Lysol is implied.
