Infection from objects brought into the house? Lunch bags, school bags etc?

[WhyNotMe40]

Can I ask if anyone had any knowledge on how to remove the virus from objects brought into the house? I'm thinking lunch boxes school bags, water bottles?
Obviously there is no way I can wash their coats every time they come home from school, but at the minute I am giving lunch boxes a wipe with the washing up cloth, and then just wiping the surface they sat on in the kitchen with the washing up cloth and washing up water - but that's probably not good enough?
Would anti bacterial multi surface wipes (say they are good for H1N1 virus so can do at least one virus) be any better? I don't want to start spraying bleach around all the time....

Use Milton and sterilise as you would bottles for babies.

I rather lamely put a pack of dettol wipes by the door but I've concluded that I am fighting a losing battle. The best to do is unpack stuff at the door, wipe door handles and keep up the hand hygiene .

I can't sterilise school bags!!

(From the World Health Organization)

Do Dettol wipes work better than antibacterial wipes?

Put them in the wash?

I am not worrying about this TBH. Wash hands when you get into the house, that's the most important thing.

You're overthinking this. Make sure the kids wash their hands when they come in. You can't clean everything.

Ah just looked it up. My own brand anti bacterial wipes have the same amount of the same chemical in as the Dettol ones, so I expect they will do!

Just greet the children like this at the door.

I am getting them to wash their hands, despite much eye rolling and sighing. I'm less successful with the 3 year old but I'm just going to keep him home more instead of taking him out, and try to get him to wear his gloves while it's cold.

Very helpful sandal

Disinfectant. Zofloral says it kills 99.9% of viruses. I have made up a large bottle of zoflora for the house. Plus a travel size spray bottle for my bag along with some kitchen roll. I read online you need to leave the surface wet for a couple of minutes.

I'd take off in orbit and nuke any infected areas.

Your kids hands are more likely to be germ carriers rather than their belongings.
Good hand washing technique and hot soapy water for lunch boxes and water bottles etc as you would do normally with washing up.

Surely even if the lunch bag was inflected, you'd only get "it" if you licked the bag?! Or are you thinking if you touched and then out your hand in your mouth?

You could hose the children down with Dettol.

I'm curious about this self-isolation - what if you, like most of us here, have young children? Do we cart ourselves off away from everyone?

@HeresMe just to be sure

soap & warm water is the most effective way.
lunch bags can go in the washer occasionally that's what the 20 quick cycle is for
coats, if it's not raining leave them outside?

The only risk with inanimate objects is if someone with the virus has sneezed on said objects or otherwise managed to get bodily fluids on them, you or your child would then have to touch those fluids and stick their fingers in their nose/mouth or rub their eyes so absolutely tiny risk. I am very thorough with cleanliness/handwashing as I am exposed to potential zoonotic diseases in my job every day but even I wouldn't go this far, not unless there had been a confirmed case in the school.

They should be fine as they’ll be exposed to the air and temperature changes whilst outside. I’m just washing my kids hands as they come inside etc. And keeping the house germ free as possible. (Not to ridiculous OCD standards though before anyone says anything. )

I have diagnosed OCD and although I was doing well I am struggling bit not to let it rear up gain.
I've always tried not to let my OCD affect the kids and now I have to police their handwashing....

Don't let your DC lick their lunch bags or book bags. Allow bags to dry out overnight. By the morning everything should be fine and they can lick away until they arrive at school.

Yikes - all these anti vac disposable wipes going in landfill because of this over the top worry :( your kids won’t have a future anyway when climate change hits massively in a few years if we don’t change our attitudes! These wipes are the worst!

If you must clean everything - then use a spray and a reusable cloth you can chuck in the washing machine ! Or maybe a steamer??

But seriously I wouldn’t worry about the virus sneaking into your house on your child’s coat :(

All my kids have been purely in cloth nappies, used washable wipes, flannels not baby wipes we have washable kitchen towel and breastfed no bottles. I generally only use detergent and vinegar for cleaning but have a few anti bacterial wipes for when we've had emergencies.
(We also rarely drive and cycle/walk/don't take planes even for holidays .)
I will get spray, but in the meantime I don't think one packet of anti bacterial wipes will make that much difference to climate change.