Fight Cold & Flu Season with These 3 Essential Cleaning Steps

Do you feel helpless to the spread of viruses during cold and flu season, no matter how much you clean? While the spread of illness may seem unavoidable, Zep is here to help you fight back. By focusing on three essential steps—deep clean, disinfect, and maintain—you can take control and reduce the spread of germs during this season. 

Cold and flu season peaks during the fall and winter months as people gather indoors and the weather takes a toll on our immune systems. With the rise of viruses like the norovirus and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s more important than ever to understand what you can do to slow the spread. Let’s explore the key differences between deep cleaning, disinfecting, and maintaining, and how each step plays a crucial role in protecting you and those around you—especially during cold and flu season. 

The first step in preventing the spread of viruses is deep cleaning. Cleaning is a part of our everyday routine, but it can easily fall to the wayside when we get busy. If you’re planning on disinfecting, always clean first. This is essential because cleaning removes dirt and debris from surfaces, allowing disinfectants to work more effectively. Without this step, you’ll simply be spreading dirt, debris, and germs around your space. 

Products like Zep Heavy-Duty Citrus Cleaner help eliminate dirt and grime, leaving you with a clean slate to begin disinfecting. (See what we did there?) Don’t forget to clean high-touch areas like doorknobs, light switches, and remote controls. These spots can be breeding grounds for germs and are often overlooked. 

Pro Tip: Good ventilation means fewer viruses in the air. To improve airflow, try opening windows, using air purifiers with HEPA filters, and maintaining your HVAC systems and air filters. 

Disinfecting is a key step when it comes to stopping the spread of viruses. While cleaning removes dirt and debris, disinfecting ensures germs and viruses are effectively killed. 

So, what's the difference between a germ and a virus? 
A virus is a type of germ, but not all germs are viruses. "Germs" is a broad term that refers to any microorganism capable of causing illness, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. A virus, specifically, is a tiny particle that cannot replicate on its own and must invade a host cell (like human cells) to reproduce and spread. 

What about sanitizing? 

While disinfecting is a critical step in killing germs and viruses, sanitizing is another effective option for maintaining cleanliness in between deep cleaning and disinfecting. Sanitizing reduces the number of germs on a surface to a safe level, making it an excellent option for areas that don't need a full disinfectant treatment. 

Pro Tip: Germs can get trapped in soft surfaces, so it’s important to disinfect both hard and soft surfaces in your space. Disinfectants that can also be used on fabrics, like Zep Quick Clean Disinfectant, offer a convenient solution to this problem. 

While deep cleaning and disinfecting are vital for eliminating viruses, they must be maintained to be effective long term. Maintaining a regular cleaning routine is essential for keeping germs in check and preventing dirt and grime from building up. Cleaners like Zep All Around Oxy Cleaner are great for everyday use and help to cut down buildup. 

Pro Tip: A clean space isn’t just physically beneficial—it can also reduce stress and anxiety. Keeping your environment tidy creates a sense of calm and control, improving your mental well-being. 

By integrating deep cleaning and disinfecting, and maintaining a clean space into your routine, you’ll be better prepared to fight off viruses and stay healthy this season. Start today with the right products from Zep and keep your environment cleaner and safer for all. For more cleaning tips, stay tuned to our blogs! 

Check out our infographic [here] for a quick guide on How to Stop the Spread of Cold & Flu this Season.