Tips for Protecting Against Colds and Flu

At Cascade Fresh we are committed to healthy cleaning practices.  Together we can remove germs and reduce the risk of flu in your household.  Sources: including cdc.gov, tesh.com, associated content.com and our home cleaning association ARCSI.

• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand cleaner if soap and water are not available. Be sure to wash your hands after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.


• The Journal of Applied Microbiology states "The greatest germ concentration is found in kitchen sponges and dishcloths." If you use a sponge and dishcloth, place it in your microwave for two minutes while damp or run it with your dishes in the dishwasher. Sponges should be replaced biweekly.


• Keep your refrigerator between 34 degrees and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Clean your refrigerator thoroughly every three months.


• Your toothbrush should be rinsed under hot water for 20 seconds after use and air-dried completely between uses. To disinfect your brush, soak it in a cup of Listerine or hydrogen peroxide. Replace your brushes every 3 months.


• At work, do not use other workers’ phones, desks, offices, or other work tools and equipment. If you need to use a co-worker’s phone, desk, or other equipment, clean it first.


• Anti-flu strategy:  Eat more apples, blueberries, broccoli, spinach, lettuce and  onions.  Why? Because they all contain a powerful antioxidant called quercetin and studies show it reduces the risk of flu.  Best of all are red onions, which have triple the quercetin of other fruits and vegetables.  Eat them raw or cooked.  In fact, cooking foods with quercetin makes antioxidants easier to absorb.


• Get plenty of nutrients.  Vitamin D helps produce chemicals that keep viruses from reproducing.  Doctors recommend 1,000 IU of Vitamin D per day.  Also get some Vitamin C and Echinacea.  Studies show that taking Echinacea alone reduces the risk of colds by 65% - but when you combine Echinacea with Vitamin C, you reduce risk of catching a cold by 86%.


• Take precautions with food preparation and storage: Wash all produce for 30 seconds and use a produce brush to scrub produce with skin. Wash each lettuce leaf individually under running water, even if you buy "prewashed" lettuce. Wash the outside of cantaloupe and the fruit after it has been cut. Cook all chicken, ground meat or turkey thoroughly. Do not eat moldy cheese. Cook eggs until the yolk is soft firm but not runny. Salmonella likes raw eggs.


• Handshakes with people who don’t look sick: Cold and flu are most contagious once symptoms start, but people are contagious up to three days before they show symptoms.  So assume that everyone you shake hands with is infected, and don’t touch your face. – especially your eyes, nose or mouth – until you have washed your hands thoroughly.


• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or cough and sneeze into your elbow. Dispose of tissues in no-touch trash receptacles.

Thank you on behalf of each of us at Cascade Fresh Cleaning Company.
We are grateful for your business.
November, 2009