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Rather than relying on chemicals to kill bacteria, protect your family from infections with these easy steps:

1.  Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. It's not the type of soap that prevents the spread of bacteria and viruses, it's how you wash your hands and how often. Wash hands both before and after preparing food; before eating or handling contact lenses; after changing a diaper (wash the child's hands, too), petting animals, sneezing, coughing, or using the toilet; and, whenever hands came in contact with bodily fluids.

Here's how:

* Wet your hands, using comfortably warm water.
* Add soap (preferably plant-based) and lather up. If you use bar soap, rinse it after using and let dry.
* Rub hands together vigorously for 20 seconds. Don't forget the spaces between your fingers, your wrists, and under your nails.
* Rinse thoroughly.
* Dry hands well and launder hand towels often in hot water.

2.  Clean surfaces with hot, soapy water (with lots of suds). Scrub surfaces well to loosen microorganisms, which can form a slimy layer resistant to detergent alone.

3.  Wash sponges frequently. They can breed and spread germs, so wash regularly in soapy water. Rinse the sponges well, wringing them out well. Then let dry thoroughly, and replace often.

4.  Disinfect selectively:

* Objects that come into contact with raw meat, fish, or eggs, such as cutting boards, utensils and counters:

Use a dishwasher instead and be sure it reaches 171 degrees F, and choose an environmentally friendly detergent.

Spray cutting boards and counters with white vinegar and then with 3% hydrogen peroxide (available in drug stores). Keep the liquids handy in separate spray bottles. It doesn't matter which one your use first, but both are much more effective than either one alone.

See The Partnership for Food Safety Education for more tips on safe food handling practices.

* Diapers:

After rinsing out cloth diapers, keep them soaking in a solution of 1/2 cup borax per gallon of water until they go into the washing machine.

Wash diapers separately from other clothes. The heat of the dryer will fry germs.

* Sponges and rags:

Microwave for 30 seconds on high power if dry, longer if wet-sponges for one minute, and rags for three minutes.

* Bathrooms and kitchen hard surfaces:

Borax disinfects but is milder than bleach. It's also effective on mildew, especially combined with vinegar. Borax can found in the laundry detergent aisle in the supermarket, but keep it away from children. You can make a cleaning solution by adding 1/2 cup to each gallon of water.

Hydrogen peroxide will reduce microorganisms on surfaces. It's the active ingredient in Seventh Generation Kitchen Cleaner and Bathroom Cleaners, and other products found in Shop Healthy.

By selecting a variety of least-toxic supplies and mixing them into one all-purpose disinfectant, you can increase the efficacy of your cleaner. Use this recipe:

1 t. borax
2 T. white vinegar
2 c. hot water
1/4 t. lavender essential oil
3 drops tea tree essential oil

Mix all ingredients together and stir until dry ingredients dissolve. Pour into spray bottle for long-term storage and use. Spray as needed on any surface except glass. Scrub and rinse with a clean damp, cloth.

Keep surfaces dry and the humidity in your home low. Bacteria and fungi love moist, warm places.

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