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How do I sanitize after family-wide stomach bug?


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Ok...I think we survived. The jury is still out on a couple of the family members, but others of us are moving in the right direction. I am absolutely exhausted. We have never been sicker in our lives. Between the five of us we have propably lost 20 pounds. So now I am completely paranoid in my home. How will I ever get my house disinfected? It is a disaster and I don't know where to start. I've got laundry going. Do I need to throw away things like stuffed animals and throw pillows? I am considering throwing away all pillows or is it enough just to wash pillow cases?

 

Walk me through this ladies. This is my first time dealing with this. Thanks. Thanks. Thanks.

 

 

Laurel T.

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This is just my $.02, but I would get some disinfecting wipes and wipe down commonly touched things - like doorknobs, faucets, and the TV remote. I would also get a big can of Lysol and go to town on things like sofas, beds and the stuffed animals. I wouldn't throw them out, just Lysol the ones that can't go in the wash. That should go a long way towards killing the germs. At least til you feel like doing a more thorough cleaning. Hope you all are better soon!

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Thanks so much. Some of us still have symptoms so I don't even know what I can accomplish at this point. I just don't want those who have recovered to get it again. There is no room in my house that I feel comfortable putting the baby down in at this point. It just feels like the germs are still in the air.

 

Let's just say this is not how I planned on celebrating Thanksgiving!

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OK - let's think this through. I'm going to assume this was viral.

If you've all had it, you've all been exposed and you've all either already built up some immunity (or are in the process of doing so) to THIS strain of whatever it was. (Noroviruses & similar have many strains so it's hard - impossible? - to build up immunity to all of them; but you'll get immunity to THIS one).

 

I think it's technically possible that a person may be re-infected if they only had a minor case in the first time & now gets a bigger viral load....but odds are, it won't happen.

 

SO I wouldn't go too crazy about this.

 

I'd wash all bedding in hot water & detergent & put through the dryer on hot.

 

I'd throw out toothbrushes & replace with fresh (I do this after all illness).

 

I'd wipe down the bathrooms with lysol.

 

I'd run all the dishes you used through the dishwasher on the highest heat setting. Wipe the kitchen counters with a disinfectant wipe.

 

& I'd do the doorknobs, lightswitches, telephones, remotes, game controllers etc.

 

That's it. If you're feeling better already, I'd start on this now, even if someone is still sick. The more you can reduce the viral load in the home, the better.

 

One other thing - everyone has to be absolutely obsessive about washing hands. I'd be having everyone using hand sanitizer after washing hands. Wash towels in hot water daily & add a bit of bleach if you can. It's best if people don't share towels.

 

best wishes. Hope you're all feeling 100% very soon.

 

 

(ETA - re-reading this, I think it actually sounds like a lot. Crazy almost. LOL. )

Edited by hornblower
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OK - let's think this through. I'm going to assume this was viral.

If you've all had it, you've all been exposed and you've all either already built up some immunity (or are in the process of doing so) to THIS strain of whatever it was. (Noroviruses & similar have many strains so it's hard - impossible? - to build up immunity to all of them; but you'll get immunity to THIS one).

 

I think it's technically possible that a person may be re-infected if they only had a minor case in the first time & now gets a bigger viral load....but odds are, it won't happen.

 

SO I wouldn't go too crazy about this.

 

I'd wash all bedding in hot water & detergent & put through the dryer on hot.

 

I'd throw out toothbrushes & replace with fresh (I do this after all illness).

 

I'd wipe down the bathrooms with lysol.

 

I'd run all the dishes you used through the dishwasher on the highest heat setting. Wipe the kitchen counters with a disinfectant wipe.

 

& I'd do the doorknobs, lightswitches, telephones, remotes, game controllers etc.

 

That's it. If you're feeling better already, I'd start on this now, even if someone is still sick. The more you can reduce the viral load in the home, the better.

 

One other thing - everyone has to be absolutely obsessive about washing hands. I'd be having everyone using hand sanitizer after washing hands. Wash towels in hot water daily & add a bit of bleach if you can. It's best if people don't share towels.

 

best wishes. Hope you're all feeling 100% very soon.

 

 

(ETA - re-reading this, I think it actually sounds like a lot. Crazy almost. LOL. )

 

you sound a lot like me...I am a lysol fiend when it comes to even possibily having germs in my home...every time someone visits, as soon as they're gone..the lysol can comes out and I am spraying every where they were....just incase they brought in a germ. Now that my daughter is feeling better, I have been spraying everywhere as welll...actually I started yesterday morning and I haven't stopped. I probably need to take stock out in the Lysol company.

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Thank you so much Hornblower. That makes me feel much better. I have been doing all of the sheets and pillowcases in hot water with detergent and added a little teatree oil (thats what I use for diapers so thought it might be nice to throw it in.) I cleaned bathrooms and floors with bleach (which I usually avoid, but was glad to have it tonight.) I sprayed mattresses and pillows with lysol and made everybody freeze because we had to open the widows. I wiped everything I could with diluted bleach water (knobs, light switches, etc.) I am closing the kitchen, except for disposable cups until I have the strength to tackle it. I am going to wipe the leather furniture with vinegar/water solution.

 

We did not have replacement toothbrushes so kiddos went to bed without brushing for the first time I can remember.

 

I am going to bed and praying for some sleep. Told the fam this is the last call for vomiting. Go do it now or hold your peace through the night. Kind of weird, but I feel like a REAL mom now!

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  • 2 years later...

I want to remind those of you who Lysol everything all the time to not overdue it. Certainly disinfect the heck out of your house after a stomach bug (I am about to start that fun process in a few minutes). But don't use Lysol or any other disinfectant every time someone touches anything in your house (when no one is sick). This is especially true for the poster who Lysols everything a visitor touches. Our bodies need to build up immunity to all different kinds of germs. If it doesn't have the chance to then you will be getting sick with one thing or another constantly. This is especially true for kids. Don't over use the hand sanitizers. The only time I use any kind of hand sanitizer is if we're at a public place (like the mall or something) and we've all been touching everything. Especially if we're going to eat (although I do still prefer to take everyone to the bathroom & wash hands before eating after playing at a public place). Don't use antibacterial soap. Regular soap does the job when everyone is healthy. I use to be paranoid about every little germ when I had my first son. He got one cold after another his first year of life. I finally relaxed some about all germs and he's been so much healthier. My second is now 13 months & just had his first cold & stomach bug, & he's been in daycare since 2 months old. I'm not saying don't worry about germs at all. I just want to remind people there are times when yes, you should spray that whole bottle of Lysol or use hand sanitizers in public settings. But when all are healthy don't over sanitize at home. We need that exposure to germs to stay healthy!

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I want to remind those of you who Lysol everything all the time to not overdue it. Certainly disinfect the heck out of your house after a stomach bug (I am about to start that fun process in a few minutes). But don't use Lysol or any other disinfectant every time someone touches anything in your house (when no one is sick). This is especially true for the poster who Lysols everything a visitor touches. Our bodies need to build up immunity to all different kinds of germs. If it doesn't have the chance to then you will be getting sick with one thing or another constantly. This is especially true for kids. Don't over use the hand sanitizers. The only time I use any kind of hand sanitizer is if we're at a public place (like the mall or something) and we've all been touching everything. Especially if we're going to eat (although I do still prefer to take everyone to the bathroom & wash hands before eating after playing at a public place). Don't use antibacterial soap. Regular soap does the job when everyone is healthy. I use to be paranoid about every little germ when I had my first son. He got one cold after another his first year of life. I finally relaxed some about all germs and he's been so much healthier. My second is now 13 months & just had his first cold & stomach bug, & he's been in daycare since 2 months old. I'm not saying don't worry about germs at all. I just want to remind people there are times when yes, you should spray that whole bottle of Lysol or use hand sanitizers in public settings. But when all are healthy don't over sanitize at home. We need that exposure to germs to stay healthy!

 

:iagree:

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Bleach is what kills norovirus, the stomach flu virus. You have to use diluted bleach. Lysol and such don't touch it. Wash anything you can wash on hot water and in the hot dryer, every solid surface gets sprayed with diluted bleach water. Pillows are ok unless they were vomited on. It is spread from the vomit and feces, not from breathing on things.

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