The hidden hotspots spreading colds through your home
A sniffle at the dinner table or a scratchy throat when your child returns from school can, within days, have the entire family suffering from coughs and shivering with fever.
When one family member gets ill, cold and flu viruses, especially during colder months, can easily spread through a family since everyone spends more time indoors and in close contact with one another.
“Although most families know that the virus can spread from person to person within the home, there are places and objects that are often overlooked as hotspots for germs,” explains Lindie Pretorius, brand manager for Linctagon. “Cold and flu viruses spread mainly through respiratory droplets released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks or even breathes heavily. These droplets can land on nearby surfaces or be inhaled by people nearby.”
These could be potential germ hotspots:
- TV remotes, gaming controllers and streaming devices are among the most frequently shared objects in a home. During illness, people often use them while resting, sneezing, coughing, or touching their face.
- Light switches and lamp buttons are in every room, andevery time someone enters or leaves a room, they touch a light switch, often without thinking. In shared bathrooms, hallways, and bedrooms, this creates a continuous chain of contact between multiple people.
- Fridge and microwave handles can carry the virus. Food is a major “movement point” in households. Sick individuals still open the fridge or heat drinks, leaving germs behind on handles that everyone else touches multiple times a day.
- Bedside tables and shared surfaces in bedrooms can be germ hotspots. When someone is sick, they tend to rest in bed for long periods, placing their phones, tissues, medication, cups, and remotes on bedside tables transferring germs.
- Phones and chargers are constantly handled, placed on surfaces, and used while eating, resting, or even during illness. Charging cables and plugs also pick up contamination but are rarely cleaned.
- Kitchen sponges and dishcloths areone of the biggest hidden culprits. Sponges stay damp, making them a perfect environment for germs to survive and transfer to plates, counters, and utensils.
- Stair railings and hallway touchpoints become shared “highway” surfaces especially when people are moving between rooms or carrying items like laundry or dishes.
- Shared towels and hand towels are often used by multiple people before being washed. During cold and flu season, this becomes a direct transfer point from hands to face.
- Car keys, handbags and everyday “grab items” arehandled after public exposure and then placed on kitchen counters, tables or beds spreading germs into clean spaces.
Completely avoiding colds and flu is nearly impossible, especially in busy family households, but small daily habits can significantly reduce the spread of illness such as regular handwashing, keeping indoor spaces ventilated, staying home when unwell and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
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