Don't give germs a home

If you've been around small children, you know that they spend a lot of their time on the floor exploring. Not only will kids touch just about any item they can get their hands on, chances are they will also put it in their mouth. In fact children bring their hands to their mouth or nose about once every three minutes.

A good way to ensure that household germs are killed is to use a disinfectant mixture that you can make using one teaspoon of regular bleach for every two cups of water. Use this mixture to:

• rinse objects that you have cleaned with a good household cleaner;
• disinfect the diaper change table, toilets, toilet inserts and potty chairs, toys, counter tops and other surfaces including floors;
• clean well used objects such as board books, puzzles and games;
• clean around the bathroom sink, faucets and the bottom of the toilet seat where germs are most often found in the bathroom.

You can also use this mixture to spot clean the kitchen floor on a daily basis. For a more thorough cleaning, mop the kitchen floor three times a week with the disinfectant mixture and let it stand for five minutes before rinsing.