1. Hygiene Definition: The science that deals with the promotion and preservation of health. Also called hygienics.
2. Conditions and practices that serve to promote or preserve health.
This word needed to be defined because it is a key factor in cancer, and other diseases where the immune system is compromised or suppressed. Our white blood cells fight off alien invaders (germs). In many treatments of cancer and other illnesses, the treatment intentionally suppresses the immune system so that there is nothing there to fight germs. Thus hygiene becomes incredibly important. I questioned a nurse at length regarding causes of relapse. Here is her personal observation that she thinks leads to relapse.
Not eating.
Not following the recommended medications.
Frequent infections/illness.
With the three things stated above, I now had something that I could focus upon and try to prevent from happening. Number three had to do with keeping my house as clean as possible and preventing infection. Unfortunately, the medical staff did not have much information on this subject. Instead I watched the hospital housekeeping staff clean the hospital room and got tips from other people. Below is all of the information found.
This product, Virex TB is a commercial hospital cleaner and is very strong. It is not used in our house daily. We used it quite a bit when we first got home from the hospital when we sanitized all surfaces in the house.
About Johnson Virex TB Germicidal Cleaner and Deodorant
Virex TB is a ready-to-use, Hospital Quality, formula that provides excellent, cost effective cleaning, disinfecting and deodorizing in one step. Cleans and deodorizes restrooms, garbage storage areas, cans, and bins.
Pack: 12/32 oz. Spray Bottles Ready-To-Use – EPA registered. Available by the case through www.Uclean.com
Virex TB’s patented quaternary formula kills Tb, HBV, HIV-1, and C-diff in its vegetative form so it meets OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogen clean-up standard. Much less corrosive then phenolics or bleach.
WHAT DO I USE VIREX TB ON? Virex TB is formulated to disinfect hard, non-porous, inanimate environmental surfaces such as walls, sink tops, tables, chairs, telephones, glazed ceramic tile in bathrooms, shower stalls, bathtubs and cabinets. May be used in the kitchen on counters, sinks, appliances, and stovetops.
HOW DO I USE VIREX TB? Spray area until it is covered with the solution. Allow product to penetrate and remain wet for 10 minutes. No scrubbing is necessary. Wipe off with a clean cloth, mop or sponge.
Virex TB meets government guidelines for killing blood born pathogens. This product kills; Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella choleraesius, Escherichia coli 0157-H7, Campylobacter jejuni, Streptococcus pyogenes, VRE, MRSA, MRSE, PRSP, Herpes Simplex Type 1, Herpes Simplex Type 2, Canine Parovirus. Kills HBV, HCV and HIV 1, when used as directed on non-porous inanimate surfaces with 1-minute contact time. There is more listed on the container. For a cost of around $49.95 you can purchase a case through www.Uclean.com
Inspection
Have you ever really inspected your house? We were stunned when we thoroughly cleaned everything and found out how dirty it all was! Virex TB as a product just made me feel better because it is government regulated and has to prove that it kills the germs it states that it kills. If a hospital uses it, then it is good enough for my home.
Avoiding infection is going to be a priority in your home! Virex TB was used in our first, very thorough home cleaning. Now I just use it occasionally because there is no need. Follow bottle directions, spray surface, and allow it to sit for a few minutes then wipe up. Wipe surface with clean water.
This product is not available in stores.
Steps to be taken
Purchase Virex TB and wash all hard surfaces per instructions on the bottle. All surfaces meaning, cabinet doors, entry doors and trim, doorknobs, telephones, walls, bed rails, etc. Once you are satisfied that all surfaces are clean, you now need to stock up on Clorox wipes. The bone marrow unit uses these products in the hospital. The Clorox wipes are used for daily sanitizing. Our bathrooms are done every day with these wipes. Especially the toilet, toilet handle, faucet handles, cabinet doors and doorknobs. This literally takes just a few minutes, when done on a daily basis.
Hand-washing
Stringent hand washing is the single most effective thing you can do to prevent illness. Every time someone enters the home ensure his or her hands are washed thoroughly. Get into the habit of washing your hands every couple of hours. Soapsuds lift the germs from the skin and they are washed away when you rinse. If you wear rings pay particular attention to the rings and under the rings. Take your rings off and wash or ensure that soap is getting underneath the rings as this has been proven to harbor bacteria.
Door Sign
Place a sign on your door asking anyone that comes in to wash and sanitize his or her hands. We have a sign on our door and it has made a huge difference with guests and you will have the added comfort that germs are not being brought into your home.
Hand Sanitizing
We have hand sanitizer all over our house. I also carry pocket versions of hand wipes for when we are out of the house. These are used in public bathrooms and in the car, etc. This way you are not bringing in germs into your home when you have been out.
Dusting
I use a damp towel to go over all furniture. The following furniture polish recipe is from the book Mrs. Dunwoody’s Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping, by Miriam Lukken. What I found is that store bought furniture polish does not give a lasting coating or polish. This recipe does a great and lasting job. “For some of your wood furniture you may wish to use a furniture polishing solution comprised of 1 pint of linseed oil and one wine glass of alcohol. Mix well together and apply to furniture with a linen rag. Rub dry with a soft cotton cloth, then polish with a silk cloth.” I found it easier to place this mixture in an old plastic bottle reserved for this purpose. The gloss from this recipe lasts for weeks. Once the furniture is polished, and needs to be dusted, I just run a slightly damp rag over all the furniture. The job ends up being very quick.
For cleaning blinds use a damp micro fiber cloth.
Carpets
Carpets happen to be a big no-no for allergies and illness. Too many particles get lodged in the fibers and you cannot really get it clean. If you cannot remove your carpets then make sure you have a good vacuum and use it regularly. I vacuum every other day. My vacuum has the HEPA air filter bags that contain all of the particles. This is a very important factor, in that you want to trap and contain whatever you are picking up. If you can afford it, replace wall-to-wall carpeting with tile or other flooring that does not trap particles. Wool area rugs are considered the best for cleanliness and allergies.
Linens
The pillows should have a special allergy pillow case enclosing the pillow. These have zippers and a very fine weave that does not allow dust mites the breed in the pillows. Your regular pillow case is placed on top of this covering. Sheets are washed in hot water. The standard is to wash sheets weekly but when Kayla was bed bound I washed them every couple of days and sometimes daily. This had to be done because she was eating in bed and lying in the bed 24 hours a day. Blankets were also washed frequently. One tip is to only use cotton sheets. Polyester sheets are very hot, and do not breath like natural fibers. I was able to find a mattress cover that was made of cloth yet also water proof.
Commodes/Toilets
If commodes are used they must be wiped with a disinfecting wipe after each use. Chemo is very toxic so the caregiver should wear gloves when cleaning the commode or changing diapers. This was advised by an oncology nurse. You might notice that the nurses at the hospital wear protective gowns and gloves when administering chemo.
Bathing
The body must be washed daily, especially the areas that release bodily functions as these are full of bacteria. Without daily bathing, the bacteria can grow. One hospital instituted bathing daily, finger nails and toe nails cleaned daily as well as brushing teeth. These actions cut down the infection rate by a whopping 85%
Septic Tanks
I have heard that septic tanks have to be emptied and cleaned far more often when a cancer patient is living in the home.
Dishes
This might be considered redundant, but cleanliness is very important, especially when it comes to food and food utensils. Everything should be thoroughly rinsed off before placing into the dishwasher. If there is no dishwasher the key is to wash and rinse very well. Ensure that everything is dry before placing into the cabinets as moisture allows bacteria to grow.
Food
Only fresh food should be consumed. All leftovers need to be refrigerated with in twenty minutes. Otherwise bacteria grows. The subject of food is quite lengthy. For more information a fantastic book is The Secret Life Of Germs by Philip M. Tierno, Jr. Ph.D. Available through Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743421884/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0743421876&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=057S6PWXHFGM7AWY1B59
Sponges
Get rid of sponges as they accumulate bacteria. Instead use cut up towels or shop rags. The key is to have the rag thoroughly dried out overnight so that bacteria are killed. I keep a rag basket under the sink and we change the rags we use daily. The old ones are thrown into the laundry and reused. Any items used to scrub dishes can be placed into the dishwasher for sanitizing.
Shopping
A fellow caregiver of a cancer patient gave this tip to me. She said that she wiped down products from the grocery store before she put them away because people touch things at the store.
Toothbrushes
Toothbrushes should be kept in a cabinet. One of those myth shows on TV proved that the spray from flushing toilets does get onto toothbrushes. We keep all of our toothbrushes in cabinets or containers. We also sterilize toothbrushes every couple of months by soaking them in peroxide.
Laundry
It is very common for the skin of cancer patients to become very sensitive. To rinse any detergent residue from clothes in the wash, use 1/3 cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle. This removes all soap residues, which can be irritating to the skin when the washed clothes are worn. Despite the strong smell of vinegar, it is completely gone once the clothes are dry. Vinegar also helps retain the color of cloth and helps remove minerals. Chemo also increases the sense of smell; avoid perfumed products around the patient, as one never knows what smell will affect the ill person.
Towels
Always have towels spread out so that they dry thoroughly after use. If they do not dry well they can help mould to grow.
Kitchen
All surfaces should be disinfected everyday, such as table, chairs, counters, etc. Every night the kitchen counter is wiped down with a Clorox wipe.
Pets
We have three dogs. I know it’s a bit nuts! I figured out how to bathe the dogs weekly without causing skin problems. Purchase Fresh N Clean scented Creme Rinse. All I do is rinse the dog, apply the creme rinse, brush it in, and rinse. No hot spots or irritated skin. The product is concentrated and 1 part of rinse to 16 parts water. My dogs no longer get hot spots or dry itchy skin since I started washing them this way. Available at thttp://www.jbpet.com/Lambert-Kay-Fresh-n-Clean-Creme-Rinse,961.html our dogs are also brushed daily to keep their shedding and dirt to a minimum. If I am not sure about them, I wipe them down with a sanitizing wipe.
Conclusion
There are many websites covering the subject of cleaning. The point here is that these efforts can go a long way in avoiding any additional illnesses.
Websites
www.foodfunandfacts.com/householdhints
www.allabouthome.com/directories/dir_cleaning.html
www.pioneerthinking.com/cleaningsolutions
Books
How Clean Is Your House?: Hundreds of Handy Tips to Make Your Home Sparkle (Paperback) by Aggie MacKenzie , Kim Woodburn
Mrs. Dunwoody’s Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping, By Miriam Lukken? Available for $9.99