Do you want to go through your day with the worry of getting sick? The answer to the question is obvious, “Heck no!!” Yet, many of us do, especially during flu season and other outbreaks like coronavirus. Living in fear of the unknown is simply a waste of life. Here are some tips from Sweep about how to evade sickness and live a happy and healthy life.

#1 Wash your hands

Yea, this one is obvious..or at least it seems to be. Yet, according to HuffPost.com, only 66% of Americans wash their hands after the bathroom. Gross right! That only accounts for after the bathroom. That percentage is much lower for other tasks like coming home from work/school or general interaction in public. Hands are used for nearly every task in the day. All it takes is one eye or nose scratch, and suddenly everything you touched that day has a chance to cause sickness to you. Everything and everyone you touch could be affected by your neglect to wash your hands. With that being said, wash your hands as often as possible. It is a small price to pay for piece of mind.

#2 Disinfect your home

Just as washing hands is important, living in a clean environment is important. Think about all of the surfaces and door knobs that are touched every day by everyone in the house. Add pets into the mix, and there’s a lot of potential for sickness and/or allergies.

Disinfecting goes beyond standard tidying (vacuuming, dusting). The supplies and techniques used are vital. Using the right cleaning liquids is vital for killing bacteria. There are thousands of items to choose from which can be overwhelming. The main focus is to ensure that it is for the correct surface type, and that it is indeed a proven cleaning solution. Sweep, for example, uses kid/pet safe cleaning liquids. Although some of the harsh chemicals out there will kill bacteria with less effort, it can have devastating long term effects on health just by breathing in it’s aroma or ingesting it.

Use a generous amount of cleaning solution and a clean cloth/paper towel. This will ensure that the surface is fully in contact with the cleaning solution. Don’t miss the high traffic areas. Door knobs, toilet seat/handle, fridge door handle, table top, tv remote, and cell phones are some of the most touched places in our home, yet they are so often missed when cleaning.

#3 Hire a Professional Cleaner Occasionally

Should you have a professional clean your home? If you are comfortable with it, absolutely! Professional cleaners have seen every scenario, and they are able to see your home from a different perspective. This allows them to get past your home just looking clean, and actually make it clean. Most come equipped with their own supplies, and they know the proper techniques used to clean different surfaces.

Some people use cleaners regularly, but even using them a couple times a year can give your home the extra year round protection that it needs. Before hiring a cleaner, make sure that they are insured, bonded, and have a clean background check (like Sweep’s cleaners). Bonus points if they get along well with your kids and pup!

#4 Eating Habits

Although Sweep is not an expert on dietary habits, we recognize their importance. Fulfilling your bodies daily vitamin/nutritional requirements is a great defense against sickness. If your body is at full health, it will be able to fight any sickness at full strength. Even if you get sick, a person with healthy eating habits will typically be able to recover quicker. Find ways to make eating healthy a habit. You could set out multivitamins by the sink so you remember to take one every morning. Grab an apple every day for the ride to work in the morning. Fill your pantry with healthy options so that you don’t have the choice to eat junk food. There are many ways to build healthy habits, and making health habitual is the best way to maintain it.

#5 Exercise

This one goes right along with healthy eating. With proper exercise, your body will be able to hold its own against everyday germs because it strengthens your immune system. This can lessen the amount of times you get sick, or shorten the amount of time you are sick. You are not only building healthy and strong muscles, but strong vital organs. Fitness could be your ticket against sickness, plus you’ll feel great physically which is a plus!

Incorporate these healthy habits into your life and sickness wont strike fear into you anymore. Habits take time and consistency to form, so make it a point to do these things in consecutive days until it doesn’t take thought to act on them. Set an alarm, a reminder, or leave yourself a note. Make the world a healthier and cleaner place. Best of all, you will feel great and not even worry about the next big outbreak.