Household Hygiene Tips For Parents
Keeping your home in pristine condition is guaranteed to come with challenges at every stage of life. When you bring a new baby home, however, these efforts become all the more daunting still. Not only do you want the living environment to look nice, but you also want it to be free of harmful microorganisms and toxins that might have an impact on the indoor air quality. It can be a good idea to hire a carpet cleaning company to set a base of cleanliness, and then you can keep on top of things as you go on. Here are a few, simple household hygiene tips for new parents.
One of the most important things to consider when bringing an infant home is the fact that you will likely be exposing your little one to a sealed living environment. Most parents rely solely on climate control systems for keeping their youngsters suitably warm or cool. As such, you will probably be using your home heating and cooling system instead of opening the windows and letting the fresh air flow through. This means that any harmful chemicals that are introduced into the indoor air likely linger in the environment for some time.
One of the most important things to consider when bringing an infant home is the fact that you will likely be exposing your little one to a sealed living environment. Most parents rely solely on climate control systems for keeping their youngsters suitably warm or cool. As such, you will probably be using your home heating and cooling system instead of opening the windows and letting the fresh air flow through. This means that any harmful chemicals that are introduced into the indoor air likely linger in the environment for some time.
This should have a meaningful impact on the different types of cleaning supplies that you're willing to use. Avoid aerosol sprays and other chemicals that might have more drawbacks than benefits for your baby. Although some of these solutions are incredibly effective for killing off germs, they can also have a pretty detrimental impact on human health, particularly when seniors, infants and those with weakened immune systems are exposed to them. It is far better instead to use cleaning agents that you have made on your own.
It may be that most of your surfaces can be cleaned with mild soap and water solutions. For everything else, consider using white vinegar mixed with water to get a streak-free shine. For serious germs and messes, just dilute a few caps of chlorine bleach in warm water. This will lighten up stains on white surfaces while killing a vast array of viruses and bacteria.
Have a special pail for diapers. You don't want to have to dispose of these in your kitchen or any small-sized and relatively closed off environment, given the pungent odours that they can present. Some of the latest designs in diaper pails have their own, in-built odour control features for keeping the room optimally fresh. Also, make sure that this bucket is emptied into a trash receptacle outside of the home at least once per day.
Some parents think that they are doing their little ones a favour by putting talcum powder on their sheets. This gives linen a dry, clean and fragrant smell that does indeed seem pleasant. Unfortunately, however, this thick powder can become lodged in your baby's airways where it will create long-term breathing issues. This is why many hospitals advise people against using talcum powder on or around their babies. You might try a scented oil diffuser or other room fragrance disbursement unit instead, such as one that plugs into the wall. In reality, keeping an environment that has no artificial fragrances is far better for your baby's health.
Buy a vacuum cleaner that has an effective HEPA filter. This is especially important if you happen to have any long-haired pets in the house such as a cat, dog or rabbit. Cleaning problems with pets should not be allowed to develop, so you will need to be attentive and clean regularly. This unit will collect all of the dirt, dust and dander that pets track in and can significantly improve the overall indoor air quality. Best of all, many of the latest and most innovative units are designed to operate almost soundlessly. Due to this fact, parents can completely vacuum their homes without having to worry about waking their napping babies.
One vital thing to note about infants is that they grow fast. Within a very short period, a newborn baby will soon be ready to start crawling and scooting around. You want the floor to help create a clean and supportive environment, so take care of that red wine stain on the carpet, and ensure that dirt and dust does not get an opportunity to accumulate.
This is worth keeping in mind as you decide what type of flooring you wish to have installed in your home. Some homeowners find that hardwood is preferable to carpet given that it is a lot less likely to trap allergens, bacteria and dirt. Maintaining hardwood floors can be tough work for parents, though, particularly when their youngsters grow older and become more active in the house.
Having guests take off their shoes is always a good idea. You do not want people trecking things into your home that your baby might wind up crawling through or playing in. This is a good habit to get people into, even before your child is ready to crawl and explore. Your cleaning company will recommend that your guests can leave their shoes at the door, and your carpeting, or other flooring solution can maintain its fresh smell, cleanliness and overall aesthetic beauty.
It may be that most of your surfaces can be cleaned with mild soap and water solutions. For everything else, consider using white vinegar mixed with water to get a streak-free shine. For serious germs and messes, just dilute a few caps of chlorine bleach in warm water. This will lighten up stains on white surfaces while killing a vast array of viruses and bacteria.
Have a special pail for diapers. You don't want to have to dispose of these in your kitchen or any small-sized and relatively closed off environment, given the pungent odours that they can present. Some of the latest designs in diaper pails have their own, in-built odour control features for keeping the room optimally fresh. Also, make sure that this bucket is emptied into a trash receptacle outside of the home at least once per day.
Some parents think that they are doing their little ones a favour by putting talcum powder on their sheets. This gives linen a dry, clean and fragrant smell that does indeed seem pleasant. Unfortunately, however, this thick powder can become lodged in your baby's airways where it will create long-term breathing issues. This is why many hospitals advise people against using talcum powder on or around their babies. You might try a scented oil diffuser or other room fragrance disbursement unit instead, such as one that plugs into the wall. In reality, keeping an environment that has no artificial fragrances is far better for your baby's health.
Buy a vacuum cleaner that has an effective HEPA filter. This is especially important if you happen to have any long-haired pets in the house such as a cat, dog or rabbit. Cleaning problems with pets should not be allowed to develop, so you will need to be attentive and clean regularly. This unit will collect all of the dirt, dust and dander that pets track in and can significantly improve the overall indoor air quality. Best of all, many of the latest and most innovative units are designed to operate almost soundlessly. Due to this fact, parents can completely vacuum their homes without having to worry about waking their napping babies.
One vital thing to note about infants is that they grow fast. Within a very short period, a newborn baby will soon be ready to start crawling and scooting around. You want the floor to help create a clean and supportive environment, so take care of that red wine stain on the carpet, and ensure that dirt and dust does not get an opportunity to accumulate.
This is worth keeping in mind as you decide what type of flooring you wish to have installed in your home. Some homeowners find that hardwood is preferable to carpet given that it is a lot less likely to trap allergens, bacteria and dirt. Maintaining hardwood floors can be tough work for parents, though, particularly when their youngsters grow older and become more active in the house.
Having guests take off their shoes is always a good idea. You do not want people trecking things into your home that your baby might wind up crawling through or playing in. This is a good habit to get people into, even before your child is ready to crawl and explore. Your cleaning company will recommend that your guests can leave their shoes at the door, and your carpeting, or other flooring solution can maintain its fresh smell, cleanliness and overall aesthetic beauty.