Cold and flu season: a smart cleaning routine for your home
Windows closed, family indoors, guests arriving: which surfaces to clean, how to ventilate and when to disinfect during winter on the Costa del Sol.
· 2 min read
Why autumn and winter change how you clean
Even on the Costa del Sol, November brings cooler evenings, more time indoors and windows that stay shut. Colds, flu and other seasonal bugs circulate more easily when people share closed rooms, and a house full of visiting family or guests makes that more likely.
You do not need to turn your home into a laboratory. A steady routine that focuses on the right places does more than occasional heavy cleaning.
Focus on the surfaces hands touch
Door handles, light switches, remote controls, tablet and phone screens, kitchen cupboard handles, taps and the fridge door are touched dozens of times a day. Wiping them every day or two with a clean cloth is the most useful habit you can build.
Wash cloths and sponges often, and replace sponges regularly. A dirty cloth simply moves germs from one surface to another.
Cleaning versus disinfecting
Cleaning removes dirt and most germs with soap and water; disinfecting is an extra step that is mostly worth it when someone in the house is ill, or in the kitchen and bathroom after raw food or a stomach bug. Always clean first, as disinfectant works poorly on a dirty surface.
Follow the product label, including the contact time it needs, and never mix products, especially anything containing bleach. Test on a small hidden area first on marble, natural stone and wood, which many disinfectants can dull or stain.
Air, bedding and soft items
Open windows for ten minutes once or twice a day, even when it is cool. Fresh air renews the air in a room and also helps against the winter damp that Costa del Sol homes know well.
When someone has been unwell, wash their bed linen and towels at the warmest temperature the label allows, dry them fully and change them more often. Wipe tissue boxes, bedside tables and thermometers, and keep a separate towel for the person who is ill.
Getting help when the house is busy
Winter is also the season of Christmas visitors, school holidays and long to-do lists. If you would rather not spend your free time on it, Lavanda can take care of regular home cleaning with attention to the high-touch areas, using gentle products suited to delicate surfaces.
If someone in your household is ill, it is considerate to tell any cleaning team beforehand so the visit can be rescheduled or adapted.
