Kids do not always see the point of keeping themselves clean, especially when they’re busy having fun. Cleanliness can sometimes even be quite a chore when you’re a young child with so many other things to do. However, with the recent spread of alarmingly dangerous diseases everywhere, good hygiene habits will definitely go a long way in keeping our loved ones well and free from harmful diseases. Here are some useful pointers to keep in mind when it comes to hygiene and cleanliness.

Forming and reinforcing good practices

Whether we realise it or not, we tend to form all sorts of habits from the time we are young. Some of these habits stick to us for a lifetime! As such, daily practices concerning hygiene and cleanliness, such as morning and night teeth-brushing, if taught from young, can become lifelong beneficial habits.

To make things enjoyable, you can try things like making bathtime a precursor to a relaxing bedtime story. As young kids take part in these actions daily, they will start to accept them as part of their daily lives. Who knows, if you were to forget now and then, they might just remind you that they have not brushed their teeth before bedtime!

When your toddler begins to attend pre-school, he or she will begin to pick up hygiene lessons at school and this can serve you if you know how to use it to your favour. At this age, since all their other friends are also doing the same, they find it fun and acceptable to wash their hands, use a hankie and so on and so forth.

Sometimes, all you will have to do is to reinforce good hygiene practices at every opportunity. For instance, you can remind your child to wash his or her hands for at least 20 seconds before every meal, after using the bathroom and after coming in from playing outside.

Cleanliness @ Home

As a parent, your household hygiene habits count too.

Be diligent about cleaning and disinfecting tables, countertops, and other frequently touched surfaces. Disinfect the hard surfaces that kids touch frequently, including doorknobs, tables, light switches and countertops. However, do remember that all food contact surfaces must be rinsed after disinfection. Sanitize soft surfaces like bookbags or backpacks. These practices will help you to stop the spread of germs your child may bring home from school or the playground.

Keeping hands germ-free

Disease-causing germs on your unwashed hands can enter your body when you touch your nose, mouth, and open wounds. These germs can also spread to others by handling shared items and touching common surfaces. Washing hands properly greatly reduces the risk of transmission. Teach your kids to:

Wash hands before:

• Eating
• Helping to prepare a meal
• Putting in contact lenses
• Tending to someone who is sick or treating a break in the skin

Wash hands after:

• Using the bathroom
• Taking out trash
• Playing with, touching, or cleaning up after pets
• Touching uncooked food
• Caring for a sick person
• Blowing the nose, coughing or sneezing

Routines within the family

Most households with school-going kids will find it a challenge to maintain a balance in chores within the household, and also when it comes to designating cleaning duties to the kids. This is especially when the school year is in full swing, where family schedules can be overtaken by after-school activities, special events, sports practices, and homework. However, it is still essential that important cleaning tasks be carried out within the household to prevent the spread of germs at home.

With some planning ahead, you can indeed turn cleaning into a daily habit for everyone and if done right, it’s possible for a family to fit some important tasks into their daily routines – and make cleaning quicker and easier, too.

Plan, assign & schedule!

Talk it out with the kiddos! Ask your child or children to help you come up with a chore assignment plan. By taking ownership, they will be more engaged and feel like a part of the solution to keep the house looking clean and staying germ-free!

Assign a family member to each specific cleaning task. Each person can hold multiple responsibilities, such as taking out the trash and doing the dishes. To keep things lively and also to beat boredom, tasks can be rotated either weekly or fortnightly.

Create a rotating weekly schedule or cleaning wheel to show which family member’s turn it is to help with a certain task, like sweeping, folding laundry or taking out the garbage.

Disinfect & protect

Anti-bacterial products can be found in almost every supermarket in Malaysia. They can be in the form of household cleaning products and even personal hygiene products. In its broadest definition, an antibacterial is an agent that interferes with the growth and reproduction of bacteria. Antibacterials are now most commonly described as agents used to disinfect surfaces and eliminate potentially harmful bacteria.

Kids Rooms. Make sure your child straightens up his or her room at a certain time every day, be it before bedtime or when they return from school.

Clean Bathrooms. Have a ruling where the last person out of the shower is to spray the bathroom with a daily cleanser and squeegee shower walls and doors. Using a disinfectant spray each day can help prevent the growth of mold and mildew in showers and tubs.

Kitchen Habits. Clean the kitchen sink every day. Don’t forget to clean cutting boards that are used to cut raw meats, poultry, and seafood.

Wipe Away! Wipe down kitchen and bathroom counters with a disinfecting wipe every night before bed — moist surfaces breed more germs than dry surfaces.

Debris-Free. Empty backpacks daily to get rid of debris.

Ready for Use. Replenish hand sanitizer and tissues as needed.

Donate Regularly. Set up a box or bin for “items to donate” and regularly add toys, clothes, and other items you are no longer using to keep clutter minimized.

Dust & Mold Busters

Bacteria and viruses aren’t the only things that can cause health problems.

Dust and mold are also concerns. Here’s how you can keep them under control:

• Vacuum carpets every week.
• Routinely use non-residue producing disinfectants for bathtubs, shower curtains, sinks, and other areas that are often wet.
• If you have a ventilation fan in your bathroom, make sure to turn it on whenever you use the shower, as it helps keep mold from growing.