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Friday, February 22, 2013

Cleaning: The Quarantine Sweep

Today I get to do the dreaded Quarantine Sweep clean.  You know the drill, you have a sick child that you have to keep home because he's vomiting or has some dreaded "gombu" (odd how you have these colloquial terms that you never know how to spell).  So I pull out the lysol and after going over pretty much every spot this child has been, I turn to the disinfectant wipes.  What a marvelous invention!  Here's a list of the things that feel the wrath of my wipes:
  • doorknobs
  • edges of doors (we all close a door by grabbing the actual door)
  • light switches
  • bannisters
  • newel posts
  • piano keys
  • instrument cases
  • every touchable surface in kitchen and bathroon
  • cabinet and drawer handles
  • fridge, dishwasher, and microwave handles
  • faucets and faucet handles
  • washing machine and dryer doors and controls
  • keyboards & mouse
  • game controllers
  • telephones
  • lamp switches
  • car door handles and seatbelts 
  • books possibly read in the past week
I think that just about covers it.  All the while the child is relegated to a bathroom of their own and their bedroom (and all offending linens are subsequently laundered) and all toothbrushes get a clorox soak (I do that weekly as well).  It's not a guarantee, but whether or not it protects us from catching and spreading the bug, it at least gives me a little peace of mind.  Paranoid?  Probably, but I'd rather be paranoid and healthy than lackadaisical and sick.  So what sick-day cleaning tips do you have?