New Moms

With a new baby, cleaning time will be crunched! Here are 4 simple steps to a healthier home for your baby.

• Let’s face it — babies like to stick germy, dirty things in their mouths. That means keeping your home as clean as possible in order to help reduce the surface germs that may make your baby sick. If that leaves your head swirling with questions about safety and how you’ll ever find time to clean, have no fear. Here are four simple tips to help keep a healthier home with a baby around.

  1. Make sure you clean and disinfect.

  While that remote control the baby just started playing with may look perfectly clean, it’s most likely teeming with germs — germs that could cause illness. And while you may be washing surfaces well with ordinary soap, those germs can still remain! The good news is that by using the right products to clean and disinfect (such as Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes for the remote), you can eliminate 99.9% of potentially harmful bacteria and viruses on surfaces.

  2. Clean as you go.

  With a new baby, time is of a premium. Make the most of every minute by spot cleaning and disinfecting throughout the day. Keep Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes around the house, so you can quickly clean and disinfect germy areas such as the changing table and diaper pail.

  3. Sanitize daily.

  When you don’t have a lot of time to clean, use new Clorox® Anywhere® Hard Surface™ Daily Sanitizing Spray. It’s effective enough to kill 99.9% of common household bacteria, yet is as gentle as water. So gentle you can use it around babies, pets and food. It leaves no harsh chemicals or fumes so you can just spray and walk away.

  4. Wash your hands frequently.

  The outside world is a virtual cornucopia of germs. To avoid passing those germs on to your little bundle of joy, make sure you wash your hands before picking your child up — and ask everyone else to do the same. Experts say this is the best way to get rid of germs. Using warm water and soap, scrub your hands together vigorously for at least 20 seconds.

Everything you need to know about creating your baby's nest.

• In this vulnerable stage of your child’s life, you’ll need to be especially attentive to germs in his bedroom. To begin with, focus your efforts on the changing table and crib.

  Your handy changing table

  The best changing tables are complete with drawers or shelves for extra diapers and supplies like quick clean-up products. You should have a locking diaper pail somewhere nearby for easy access and keep cleaning supplies like Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes and Clorox® Anywhere® Hard Surface™ Daily Sanitizing Spray, as you’ll want to clean the changing table after removing dirty diapers.

  Crib notes

  The hard, nonporous surfaces of your baby’s crib can be cleaned and disinfected with Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes, but you should also consider layering your baby's sheets for late night emergencies. A single layer can be made up of a waterproof cover and a sheet. With two layers, you can simply strip one away after a wetting episode to reveal a clean new layer. It’s easy to overlook areas like the teething bar along the rail of your baby's crib; remember to disinfect daily with a solution of Clorox® Regular-Bleach* and water for an effective remedy to germ buildup.

  Try to avoid curtains or drapes, which are dust magnets, and instead use blinds that are easily dusted. Make sure you vacuum and dust frequently — at least every few days — to reduce the levels of dust and dust mites.

  In the end, the most important thing is organization. If you have easy methods of disposal and cleaning, you'll be prepared to help keep the nursery a sanitary, healthier environment for your child.

  *Use as directed.

  Source www.thebabydepartment.com

If you don’t properly sanitize bottles, nipples, utensils and pacifiers, you may be feeding your little one microorganisms that can cause illness.

• When to Clean and Sanitize

  Wash all feeding items before the first use and after every use. Throw out pacifiers and nipples that are cracked and stained.

• How to Clean and Sanitize

  During baby’s first four weeks:

  Baby bottles, nipples and dishes can be easily sanitized using Clorox® Regular-Bleach.

  1

  Soak washed items for 2 minutes in a solution of 1 tablespoon of Clorox® Regular-Bleach per gallon of water.

  2

  Pour solution through nipples.

  3

  Drain dry.

  In the months that follow:

  1

  Use a special bottle brush or sterile cotton swab to get into hard-to-reach, small spots in nipples or breast pump parts.

  2

  Put them in the dishwasher, preferably in their own run.

  3

  When they come out of the washer, dry items thoroughly before putting them away. Moisture helps germs thrive.

  Always read and follow precautions and usage directions before using cleaning products. Store cleaning products out of the reach of children. Children may be sensitive to strong odors of cleaners like Clorox® Regular-Bleach. It’s best to deep clean when baby is out of the room.

Ever wonder how your attitude towards cleaning measures up? Now you can find out.

• In December 2006, BabyCenter.com, in partnership with Clorox, conducted a nation-wide online survey polling moms and their attitudes towards wellness, disinfecting, and cleaning.

  Here are the highlights of what we learned. Take a look — other moms might be more like you than you think!

  • Most respondents reported being more concerned about germs since having children or getting pregnant.
  • The toilet was the area of most concern regarding germs, followed closely by the kitchen counter and sink.
  • Items that go into children's mouths by design – pacifiers and cups/plates/bottles – were the moms' area of greatest concern regarding their children's potential exposure to germs.
  • Less than half of the respondents agreed they "cannot clean the house as well" since having children or getting pregnant and just over 1/3 agreed they spend more time cleaning since having children or getting pregnant.
  • While only a quarter agreed that keeping children's clothes clean will help prevent illness, respondents were still concerned about killing germs in the laundry – only a fifth agreed that they don't worry about killing germs.
  • Half of the respondents reported that they always wash their youngest child's laundry separately from their own.
  • 75% of the respondents used bleach on their children's laundry to improve the clothes appearance, while 50% did so to kill germs.

Source BabyCenter.com