Community Chat

[noodleann]

You don't even need to toss your toothbrush. You can sanitize it with a hydrogen peroxide soak.

Personally, I think it's much more important to hit not only the door knobs in house and car, plus steering wheel, but also all of the phones and remotes. Remember light and lamp switches, faucet handles, and anything people touch routinely. Those wet wipes made by Lysol or Clorox should do the trick.

And I know this will sound a bit daffy, but I always think about the insides of gloves as a repository for germs. I have only washable knitted or fleece gloves and mittens, so I wash them after a bug. I also wash all of my cleaning gloves, turning them inside out and running them through the washer with clothes.

If you use sponges for cleanup, you can sanitize them by boiling them, according to the package of my Scotch-Brite sponges. If you used them just for dishes, they can go in the dishwasher, but I personally wouldn't put non-food sponges in with the dishes.

[Lovingq]

You can dip the lipstick into rubbing alcohol.  Sam's Club sells 91% Isopropyl, most stores sell 70%.  (Sam's sells it in a two pk)

• 91% Isopropyl Alcohol 
• First aid to help prevent risk of infection in minor cuts, scrapes, and burns
• Prepares skin prior to an injection

[Mmsfoxxie]

@noodleann, You're not by yourself.  I think about the gloves being a reservoir for germs, too.  But, I have serveral pairs of leather gloves with linings, too expensive to discard and can't be washed.  I figure the germs will only live so long and I try to not wear them while I have a cold unless it's absolutely necessary until the cold is over.

[Mominohio]

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

Nothing.

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Same here. I don't wear any makeup of any kind so that isn't even an issue for me.

Toothbrushes are simply bleached then heavily rinsed in boiling water. How wasteful to throw them away for simple cold/flu type germs. Some horrible strain of bacterial infection or something, I'd get more critical, but not for the usual illness things.

[Daisy Sunflower]

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@Shopchickie3 wrote:

I'm home now with the flu. Threw out the toothbrush and discarded the contact lenses I was wearing when I got home from the doctor!!!! 

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@Shopchickie3

Hope you're feeling better soon!

[shoekitty]

I change sheet, cases, etc.  replace toothbrushes.  You can scrape balms and lipsticks then put alcohol as suggested.  A very good point was brought up by cleaning and sanitizing door knobs and especially phones

some items like gloves could be treated like doctors suggest for children's toys, binkies and special stuffed toy.  Freeze it for 20 days .  I think if you go online there are instructions on how how to do this and for how long.  Live germs incubation is stymied and interupted, and most germs are killed by this process.  I might turn leather gloves inside out though.  

When i had a virus years ago, I made sure to wash or do the freeze method with a couple of scarfs I wore around my neck in the days before I became ill.  Boy, what ever I had has scarred me forever.  Shivers

[AnikaBrodie]

Replace tooth brush.

I am now retired.  However, our company infection control nurse informed us the best way to avoid flu or other illness is to wash hands thoroughly and often.  In employee infection control meetings/sessions she often told us to use the ABC song method, or say the ABCs from A to Z when washing your hands.

[suzyQ3]

We don't replace anything.

[proudlyfromNJ]

Nothing. I very rarely get sick.

[JaneMarple]

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@pggoody wrote:

After a relapse of the cold/ flu type virus circulating around the schools, I started thinking about the  makeup items  I continued to use and probably should have replaced or at a minimum should have sanitized the first time.    Yes, I come in contact with a lot of sick individuals working in a school, and I am conscience about washing my hands and not putting my hands to my face etc.  I realize I could have caught another strain  of the vitus   as this time I am feeling worse. In any case I started wondering if others throw lipsticks / glosses out after being sick. I always replace the head on my  toothbrush after being sick, and take care to wipe off handles and phones etc.   When I am sick I walk around the house with either a disposable surgical mask or one of those really wide and stretchy headbands that I pick up at the $.99 store.   I developed allergies a couple years ago and needed to find something I could wear while walking the dog on windy and high pollen days. I did not want to wear a surgical mask around the neighborhood. 😷 Found these cute headbands, bought half a dozen and have been wearing them ever since. Makes a big difference and I can wear once and throw in the wash.  They are more comfortable than the masks.  

So today, I tossed out all the lip glosses that I had used recently that had a wand that fit inside the barrel. I used alcohol to wipe everything else and I mean everything.   I washed my lipstick brush and all my other brushes.  Took a couple hours but my makeup drawer is sparkling and my counter is clean.  I will be more conscience of what products I am using and keep wiping them/ washing. 

Anyone else ? 

Always toothbrushes, they are pretty much disposable and easily replaced so why would I want to keep them? 

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