The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outline several tips to assist domestic cleaners slow the spread of the flu.
• First and foremost, domestic cleaners need to distinguish between cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing. Cleaning takes away dirt and grime from treated surfaces. Disinfecting kills germs on surfaces. Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on surfaces to safe levels set by public health standards.
• Second, house cleaners need to sanitize daily frequently touched surfaces, such as desks, countertops, doorknobs, computer keyboards and phones.
• Third, it's important to be clear about what types of germs you want to remove in order to match the appropriate cleaning and disinfecting treatments. Flu viruses are fragile, so standard cleaning and disinfecting activities should be enough to remove them.
• Fourth, correct use of cleaning products and disinfectants is important. Always adhere to label directions.
• Fifth, practice proper safety protocols. Make sure that house cleaners read and understand all instruction labels and use safely and properly cleaning and disinfectant products.
• Sixth, handle waste properly and wear gloves.
• Seventh, educate yourself about the flu viruses.