Back to School with a #BackToClean Routine

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We are so excited for Miss Adelaide, as she is starting school for the first time! My sweet love has been asking to go to school in her tiny [Peppa Pig] British accent for months, and I’ve been on a mission to find the right one- for her and us. I’d actually found a great school, but it cost as much as our mortgage! I’ve found that doing what’s best for the child really does mean for the whole family- when we’re all in a healthy place, we can individually be happy!

So, we found a great part-time program, with a structure that is way more conducive to where Addie is, and there’s a fabulous aid to help guide Addie where she needs it, and we will be in a financially healthy place- couldn’t ask for anything more, right?

While financial health is important, I worry about this being the first school experience and our actual health. Addie, who has narrow airways and flat Eustachian tubes (her ears don’t drain) due to achondroplasia, has trouble fighting off colds, infections and excess fluids… and Millie is still a baby, so we are working hard to keep everyone healthy with a simple daily cleaning routine.

Addie has become such a great helper on the weekends, grabbing old rags from under the sink and dusting our baseboards, and making sure her toys are put away at the end of the night so her baby sister cannot get at them; I love that she knows the importance of a clean place to live, but when it comes to the deep grime, like the dirt that gathers around your doorknobs, I look to tackle the issue head-on. As we shopped in Target for some school supplies, I wanted to make myself a basket for cleaning- making my routine easier… turns out I only needed one product: Clorox Disinfecting Wipes.

I got a few containers- perfect for leaving under the sink in the bathroom, kitchen and in the porch- all high traffic places I want to keep clean. Having one container in each room makes it easy to wipe down and move on- no spray, no paper towel, no rinse needed. And when I’m done with it, I can recycle the container because regular Clorox Disinfecting Wipes canisters are made from recyclable number 2 class of HDPE.

Daily #BackToClean Routine:

In the kitchen, I am particularly careful. Using a sponge, dishrag or even paper towel to wipe down surfaces, you can actually spread bacteria from one surface to another, possibly increasing any contaminated areas. After the dishes are done and everything is sitting in the drying rack, I toss my dishrag into the laundry and I grab three Clorox Disinfecting Wipes- starting on the kitchen cabinet handles, I give each one a quick wipe- making sure I also get those small splashes from the day (inevitably there is some sauce or coffee spilled), then I wipe down the counter and toss. With my second wipe, I get all the parts of the high chair, besides the tray- which I clean in the sink. Using that same wipe, I give the floor around the trashcan a quick swipe to get the coffee grounds that spilled, then toss. And finally, I take a wipe to the stove to clean off all the spills from the night’s dinner, then toss. It’s easy and fast, and I know that whatever may be lurking is surely gone- helping me clean and disinfect at the same time!

In the bathroom, after the kids’ teeth are brushed, our faces all washed and we are heading to bed, I get a wipe and give the vanity and full wipe down from the mirror to the faucet, around the sink and then the inside of the sink. It literally sparkles. I also use one wipe for the toilet, which I try to keep as clean as possible because Millie loves to pull herself up on it (kids are gross!)- First I wipe the handle, then the top of the lid and around the outside of the bowl. Lifting the lid, I get the top of the seat, the underside of the seat and the rim of the bowl. Two wipes. Easily done just before bed- ready for another full day of three people using one bathroom! Not to brag, but you would never know three people use it… Clorox wipes make it easy to keep fresh and clean!

In my front porch, I keep wipes available for anything, and give the door knob, inside and out a wipe a few times a week. I also use a wipe on the front glass door to the porch and then in the windowpanes of the front door itself. Clorox Disinfecting Wipes get all the dirt off that comes in from the street without leaving streaks on the glass due to a unique clear drying formula!

With Addie headed to school, there isn’t much I can do about all the germs that will meet her there, but I can stop them at the front door knowing that Clorox Disinfecting Wipes kill 99.9% of germs including viruses that cause colds and flu. Coming into the “sick season”, I am glad that Addie is getting new tubes in her ears (Thursday!), which will help us stave off the duration of illnesses, but backing myself up with Clorox, proven to be effective against common bacteria such as Staph, Salmonella enterica, and E. coli, I am armed with the best defenses at home.

I’d love some tips on how you keep your family healthy during the school year! How are you fighting off what your kids bring home this year? Share in the comments!