Household Hints
Holiday Cleaning Tips from 'Dr. Mom'
By
Oct 27, 2007, 19:22

(ARA) - With all the joys of the holiday season approaching, keeping your home in top-notch shape can be quite a challenge with family, friends, colleagues and unexpected visitors stopping by.

“Dr. Mom,” – a.k.a. Kelly Reynolds, PhD, Microbiologist at The University of Arizona plus a mother to three children – offers the following tips to help you keep your house clean and germ-free this holiday season.

“During the holiday season, most family members spend time indoors and in close proximity, so spreading germs is very easy,” Reynolds says. “How easy? One single bacteria cell can become more than 8 million cells in less than 24 hours, so keeping your house clean is very important.”

Sweep It Away

* With all the holiday guests trampling dirt in and out of the home, a high-end vacuum is key to sweeping all your worries away. The new 2-in-1 Upright and Canister Vacuum from Germ Guardian can do just that.

Use the upright with non-stop suction power to deep clean your carpets, and then quickly convert it to a canister vacuum to clean floors and hard-to-reach areas like window treatments or under furniture.

Additional key features such as the nano silver technology in the dirt cup helps to fight the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold and mildew, and a HEPA filter captures up to 99.97 percent of dust and allergens in the air.

* Dr. Mom also suggests keeping a shoe rack by the front door so guests will leave their shoes in one place and not track dirt throughout the house.

Germ-Free Bathroom

* Another great cleaning option for the bathroom is a UV-C light wand. The product uses UV-C light to safely, naturally eliminate 99 percent of germs on surfaces from sink to shower to toilet seat. UV-C light has been proven to kill germs such as staph, strep and influenza.

* Dr. Mom suggests disposable hand towels for guests to use after washing hands because damp cloth hand towels can harbor and spread germs.

A Breath of Fresh Air

* Having to keep windows and doors closed in the cooler winter months can lead to poor ventilation and air quality that can breed odors and allergens in your home.

To help eliminate any unwanted odors and allergens try using a Germ Guardian pluggable UV-C air sanitizer that eliminates up to 99 percent of targeted airborne germs and also destroys odors and allergens like dust mites and mold spores.

Not only is it great for the kitchen and bathroom, parents also love it next to the diaper pail and pet owners keep the pluggable in pet areas to destroy germs and odors.

Keeping It Clean

* Whether preparing the kitchen to cook a holiday meal or cleaning up spills, keep disinfecting wipes on hand for a quick cleaning tool that will also help to kill 99 percent of surface germs.

Most disinfecting wipes, such as Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, can be used to sanitize other surface areas of the kitchen such as appliance exteriors, countertops, faucets, sinks and light switches.

* Dr. Mom also suggests having antibacterial soap and hand sanitizers for guests to use before and after eating or handling food.

Pleasant Dreams

* To give your guests a full-night’s rest after holiday celebrations, be sure to wash (in hot water) and change the bed linens every two weeks to get rid of accumulated dust and mold. If your mattress cover is more than a few years old, you may also want to invest in a new antimicrobial version - perhaps with added cushion for comfort.

* Dr. Mom also suggests using a UV-C light wand on mattresses and pillows to kill dust mites and mold spores.

For more information on Germ Guardian’s full line of products including price and availability, visit www.germguardian.com or call (866) 603-5900.

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