Dr Dawn Harper, of Channel 4’s ‘Embarrassing Bodies’ fame is supporting a new campaign giving practical advice on how mums and dads can improve hygiene at home especially for those who are expecting or are about to bring home a new baby.
She said: “Mums are naturally eager to do their best for their family, to keep them happy and healthy. But with our hectic lifestyles, standards may slip. How many of us mums know our kitchen floor or bathroom taps are not cleaned as often as we like or worry about harmful germs elsewhere in the home? Dettol’s Mission for Health helps mums take back control, by suggesting quick and easy ways to keep their homes hygienic, helping to protect their family’s health. And not to forget, good habits learned in the home will also give children the right start in taking these healthy habits into the classroom and use them throughout their lives.”
Here are some top hygiene tips to help you get started;
General Tips
Regularly disinfect commonly touched surfaces as some harmful germs can survive on surfaces for longer periods, which can then be transferred to other surfaces in sufficient numbers, representing a risk to catch them and develop an infection. Use a surface cleanser with proven efficacy to kill 99.9% of harmful germs including E.coli, Salmonella, MRSA and the flu virus. Practice good hand hygiene; wash hands regularly with an antibacterial hand wash and dry thoroughly. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer. There are many gel and foam varieties available for use while out and about. Practice good cough and sneezing etiquette - always cover your nose and mouth with a tissue and dispose of immediately. Avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes with your hands. This will reduce your chances of getting infected.
For Homes with Pets
Wash your hands after touching animals or their toys, dog leads, cages, blankets, bedding or other pet equipment. Provide pets with their own feeding dishes and utensils that you can clean separately from other household items. Clean and disinfect these regularly, and rinse them thoroughly before re-use as some cleaning products may be toxic to animals. (Always read the label.) Don’t clean pet cages or tanks in your kitchen sink. Use a bucket if necessary. Ideally, someone else should clean the cat litter tray, but if a pregnant woman has to do it, they should wear gloves and wash their hands thoroughly afterwards
Food Safety Tips
Do not use tea towels to dry your hands. You can decontaminate small items such as crockery, cutlery and pans by scrubbing them in hot water and detergent, then rinsing them thoroughly with clean running water. Large or fixed items, that you cannot rinse under a tap, such as work surfaces, taps and handles need to be cleaned and then disinfected using a kitchen disinfecting product. In the refrigerator: Keep washed salad items in the salad compartment, cooked and ready-to-eat food at the top, and raw meat covered at the bottom. Only reheat food once, and check food is steaming hot all the way through. Set the fridge at 5ºC or below and check the temperature regularly. Keep the freezer at or below minus 18ºC. If cooked food is not going to be eaten immediately, cool it and put it in the fridge within 2 hours. Use up any leftovers within 48 hours.
Cleaning and Disinfecting Surfaces in the Nursery
As in other areas of your home, surfaces in the nursery that you or your baby often touch, such as handles and toys, need cleaning and disinfecting frequently. Make sure you remove any vomit, faeces or other body fluids promptly, then clean and disinfect any contaminated surfaces or items. After each nappy change, clean and disinfect the nappy changing surfaces and any surface that may have become contaminated with faecal germs (e.g. taps, handles). If the surface, toy or other item that you are disinfecting will come in direct contact with your baby, you may need to rinse it well with clean water after you have disinfected it. Always read the product label. Germs on damp surfaces can survive and multiply rapidly. You can help stop germs growing by keeping surfaces as dry as possible. To learn more and get involved in Dettol's Mission for Health visit
