Cleaning up after the flu

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By JOLEEN FERRIS

Story Created: Oct 30, 2009 at 1:02 PM EDT

Story Updated: Oct 30, 2009 at 5:15 PM EDT

(WKTV) - Officials with the Oneida County Health Department are offering tips on how to clean house after everyone in it is getting over the flu.

They say cleaning horizontal surfaces with your usual cleanser is extremely important, as viruses can easily live for 18 hours on surfaces- - and as long as 10 days in some cases. Cathe Bullwinkle from the health department advises throwing used tissues away immediately-and not letting them pile up on the sofa or other surface.

Bullwinkle also recommends keeping hand sanitizer next to your computer and using it before you start typing.

"There's been one study that's actually shown that viruses can be detected up to one hour later after someone finishes using it on office equipment and also up to 18 hours afterwards on office equipment 33% of the times they've tested it," says Bullwinkle.

As for the tooth brush and pillow case- - change both once your symptoms subside. Other often-touched surfaces such as telephones and doorknobs also should be frequently wiped down.

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