[Vomitus Cleanup] Prevent Household Infection!
During the winter season, when norovirus and rotavirus are prevalent, it's essential to know how to properly handle vomit to prevent household infections.
It's crucial not only to protect yourself from infection but also to prevent spreading it to your older or younger children.
Mission 1: Prepare a Disinfectant Solution
In fact, alcohol-based disinfectants do not work against norovirus and rotavirus. Instead, chlorine-based disinfectants like sodium hypochlorite or soap are effective.
You can create your own chlorine-based disinfectant from household bleach (like products such as "chlorine-based bleach"). If you don't have any commercial products available, you can start by making the disinfectant solution.
For disinfecting areas or items contaminated by vomit or feces, use a 0.1% disinfectant solution.
How to Make Disinfectant Solution:
- Fill a 500ml plastic bottle halfway with water.
- Add 10ml of chlorine-based bleach.
- Add water to make up to 500ml, then shake well.
You should not store disinfectant solution, as its effectiveness diminishes over time. To prevent accidental ingestion, make a fresh batch each time.
Mission 2: Protect Yourself from Infection
To prevent secondary infections, wear a vinyl apron, gloves, and a mask.
If the virus stays on your clothes or hands and you touch your child, it can lead to secondary infections.
If you don't have a vinyl apron, you can use a garbage bag by cutting it and wearing it as a substitute.
Mission 3: Handling Vomit
- Cover the vomit with paper towels.
- Sprinkle disinfectant solution over the paper towels.
- Gather the paper towels and dispose of them in a garbage bag.
- Repeat steps 1-3 multiple times.
- Once everything is collected, leave it for 30 minutes in the disinfectant solution.
- Remove the apron, mask, and gloves in the order: apron → mask → gloves, without touching the dirty surfaces.
- Seal the garbage bag tightly without letting any air out.
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap.
If the vomit has soaked into bedding, soak it in disinfectant solution for over 10 minutes. Be aware that this may cause color fading. Additionally, for norovirus, heating to 85°C for at least one minute is an effective way to disinfect.
Since gastrointestinal infections can also spread through feces, extra caution is needed when changing diapers.