There’s plenty you can do to support your child’s teacher in keeping his or her classroom clean. Reinforcing good hygiene habits at home and making a “Sick Plan”—and sticking to it—are two important ways you can help. Because many teachers provide cleaning supplies at their own expense, you could also donate a few canisters of Disinfecting Wipes to help make classroom clean-up fast and easy.

Although some germs don’t make you severely sick, flu and cold viruses, Salmonella, E. coli and Staphylococcus (staph) can. The best way to rid hard surfaces of these germs is to use an EPA-registered disinfectant. We can’t (and shouldn’t) kill all germs, but we can protect our families by reducing the number of germs that can make us sick.

Wiping a surface with soap and water or a cleaning product does not eliminate germs. Sanitizing reduces the number of bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. Disinfecting with an EPA-registered product has been shown to kill those bacteria—plus other potentially harmful germs including viruses such as influenza (the “flu” virus), rhinovirus (one of the causes of the common cold), Staphylococcus (staph), and rotavirus. Disinfecting hard, non-porous surfaces is one of the most reliable ways to lower the risk of spreading these germs by touch. To find products that effectively sanitize and disinfect, visit Clorox.com.

“Green” or “natural” cleaners may clean away surface dirt, but they often can’t kill certain harmful bacteria and viruses. These products aren’t tested for germ-kill efficacy by a government or health agency like traditional disinfecting products. Using an EPA-registered disinfectant is the best way to ensure you’re effectively killing germs on surfaces that can cause illness.

It’s almost impossible to control the germs that come into your home, but you can help stop those germs from spreading. By frequently washing your hands and regularly disinfecting frequently touched, hard, non-porous surfaces with an EPA-registered disinfectant, you may greatly reduce the number of illness causing germs in your home.

Disinfectants and sanitizers are examples of products that are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA regulates the ingredients found in these products and the manner in which these products can be used effectively. Registrations are granted if the Agency determines that the product will perform its intended function without unreasonable adverse effects on the environment or the public health. Check out our Simple Solutions for registered products that are approved to disinfect and sanitize, and can help reduce the spread of surface germs.

“Antibacterial” hand soap stops the growth of bacteria on a person’s skin. Most hand soaps kill one kind of bacteria and can require up to 10 minutes to work. They don’t kill cold and flu viruses and aren’t designed for surface cleaning. Because you can pick up germs from a hard surface even after washing your hands, it’s as important to disinfect countertops and refrigerator or microwave handles as it is to wash your hands. Hard surface disinfecting kills the germs that can cause colds and flu. For an easy-to-follow Quick Clean Routine that targets the germ hot spots in your home, click here.

It’s never too early to think about the health and wellness of your kids. Kids share a lot more than utensils, food, diaper changing tables and toys at daycare; they also share the germs these things carry (including Salmonella and E. coli that can lead to diarrhea). Young children, especially those under the age of five, have much less-developed immune systems and can be more susceptible to colds and flu—and more at risk for respiratory and digestive illnesses—than adults. That’s why it’s important to ask potential daycare providers about their cleaning routines and policies, which can be your child’s first defense against illness caused by germs. Here are the top 10 questions you should ask:

• Are children allowed to share food?
• Is someone responsible for making sure kids wash their hands before and after eating, and after using the bathroom?
• When are personnel required to wash their hands?
• Are eating tables disinfected before and after each use?
• Are children allowed to share food?
• Are bathrooms and kitchens disinfected every day? How about diaper changing areas and shared toys?
• What’s the sick policy? Is there a “sick room” for kids with minor illnesses (a slight temperature)—to separate them from healthy kids until their parents or guardians can pick them up?
• Are children required to get vaccinations before coming to daycare?
• What products are used to clean? Are they EPA-registered disinfectants and sanitizers?
• Are hand sanitizers available to students and staff?
• Is staff trained in how to help prevent the spread of illness?

For more information about cleaning effectiveness, visit Clorox.com.

You can help reduce the spread of influenza A viruses by regularly disinfecting the surfaces kids touch most with products that are EPA-registered as effective against influenza A. Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes are effective against the influenza A virus, including the 2009 H1N1 flu strain.*

*Ask school before donating. Adult delivery only. Use as directed on hard, nonporous surfaces.