Tips for Post-Flu Clean Up

"Well I'll get calls and they'll say is there anyway you can come disinfect my house my whole family just got over the flu," said Demona Holland, owner of DDH Cleaning Services.

She says this year's highly contagious flu has been keeping her busy.

"They say we've all come down with the flu just that quick, it's going around so bad. I mean it even scares me to go into peoples houses," said Holland, who has been in the cleaning business for six years.

But Holland says cleaning common surfaces that you may not even think to clean is a good way to protect the rest of your family.

"Door handles that is a big one, light switches, even plugs when you plug in things because you can touch it you know," said Holland.

Nurse PJ Mann specializes in Infection Prevention at Covenant Hospital. She says flu patients start spreading the virus 24 hours before they show symptoms so cleaning at the first signs of flu is key to prevent the spread.  

"If I cough it can go out about 3 to 6 feet and it can stay on surfaces. Once it's on the surface it can remain viable for several hours," said Mann.

Both Mann and Holland say the products you use to get rid of the germs make all the difference.

"There is a difference between cleaning and disinfecting. Cleaning means that you are wiping a surface off and removing dirt for example but if you want to disinfect a surface you need to use something that is antimicrobial," said Mann.

"If it does not say will disinfect, it wont disinfect like some people think all the pine sols disinfect no they don't," said Holland.

Holland says when you are shopping for cleaning products make sure they are 98 to 99 percent effective in killing bacteria and germs. She also suggests using disposable paper towels to disinfect so you can throw them out and get the germs out of your house.