How to Clean and Disinfect Your Home After the Flu

Updated 5 November 2026 · Standard formula, shown below

Cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces can reduce the chance of flu viruses spreading around your home, though it cannot remove every risk or replace staying home while sick. Gather supplies first, check product labels, and ventilate the rooms you clean; ordinary cleaning is often enough for visibly dirty areas, followed by disinfection where appropriate.

What You’ll Need

Disposable or reusable cleaning cloths, or paper towels
Household detergent or an all-purpose cleaner
An EPA-registered disinfectant whose label includes influenza or the relevant surface and use directions; alternatively, unscented household bleach, if the product label permits the intended use
Disposable gloves, if desired or required by the product label
A laundry hamper or bag, and regular laundry detergent
Trash bags and hand soap

Do not mix bleach with ammonia, acids, vinegar, or any other cleaner. Use products exactly as labeled, including their dilution, contact time, ventilation, and surface restrictions. Keep cleaners away from children and pets.

Step-by-Step

Wait until you can clean safely. If the person with flu is still in the home, ask them to stay in one room as much as possible and avoid sharing towels, cups, or other personal items. If you are ill too, postpone a thorough clean until you feel able, or ask someone who is not sick to help. Open windows when practical and safe, and turn on an exhaust fan if available.
Wash your hands and prepare supplies. Wash with soap and water before starting. Read the cleaner and disinfectant labels, including any instructions about gloves, dilution, ventilation, and how long a surface must remain wet. Use separate cloths for bathrooms and food-contact areas, or wash them thoroughly between uses.
Remove rubbish and used tissues. Put tissues and disposable cleaning materials in a lined bin. Tie the bag when full and dispose of it with household rubbish. Avoid shaking tissues or other items that may have secretions on them. Wash your hands after handling rubbish, even if you wore gloves.
Clean visible dirt first. Wipe surfaces with detergent and water or an appropriate household cleaner, following its label. Dirt and residue can interfere with disinfection. Pay particular attention to bedside tables, bathroom counters, and any surfaces visibly soiled by respiratory secretions. Clean from less soiled areas toward more soiled areas, using a fresh cloth section as needed.
Disinfect high-touch hard surfaces. Focus on doorknobs, light switches, handles, faucet taps, toilet flush handles, remote controls, phones, keyboards, and shared tables. Choose a product labeled for the surface and for the intended germ. Apply it as directed and keep the surface visibly wet for the full contact time on the label; wiping it dry too soon can make disinfection less effective. Do not spray electronics directly. Use a wipe or cloth only if the device maker and disinfectant labels allow it.
Handle food-contact surfaces carefully. For counters, high chairs, or tables used for food, check that the product is suitable for food-contact surfaces. Follow the label on whether the area must be rinsed with potable water afterward. Keep disinfectant off food, dishes, and utensils; wash those items with dish soap and water or in a dishwasher.
Clean bathrooms and shared areas. Wipe high-touch bathroom surfaces, including taps, handles, and counters, with a suitable cleaner, then disinfect as directed. If the toilet is visibly soiled, clean it before disinfecting. Use a separate cloth for the toilet and bathroom floor. Do not flush wipes unless the packaging explicitly says they are flushable, and even then follow local plumbing guidance.
Wash laundry without shaking it. Handle used bedding, towels, and clothes gently; avoid snapping or shaking them. Wash with detergent using the warmest water setting safe for the fabric, and dry completely. Follow care labels and washer instructions. It is generally safe to wash a sick person’s laundry with other household laundry; wash your hands after loading it and clean the hamper if it is visibly dirty.
Clean reusable tools and finish up. Wash reusable cloths and mop heads according to their care instructions, and allow them to dry completely. If using gloves, remove them without touching the outside, discard or clean them as directed, then wash your hands. Wash hands again after finishing, and store products securely.
Repeat selectively, not constantly. While someone is sick, routinely clean frequently touched surfaces and clean anything visibly soiled. After recovery, do one thorough round of cleaning shared high-touch surfaces, bathroom areas, and used linens. You do not need to disinfect every wall, floor, or object repeatedly.

Common Mistakes

Skipping cleaning before disinfecting: Dust, grease, and visible residue may prevent the disinfectant from working as intended.
Wiping too soon: The product must stay wet for the label’s contact time. Reapply if it dries before that time, if the label allows.
Mixing cleaning products: Combining bleach with other chemicals can produce dangerous fumes. Use one product at a time and never improvise a mixture.
Using a product on the wrong surface: Disinfectants can damage electronics, fabrics, or food-contact surfaces. Check both the product and item instructions.
Over-cleaning soft items: Routine laundering is usually appropriate; spraying disinfectant onto bedding or clothing may be unsafe or damage the material unless its label specifically permits it.

Tips

Keep the sick person’s commonly used items in their room when practical, and avoid sharing personal towels and cups.
Use disposable gloves if you may touch bodily fluids or if the label calls for them, but do not treat gloves as a replacement for handwashing.
For a bleach solution, follow the bleach product’s label for the intended surface and use. Bleach strengths differ, so do not rely on a universal dilution recipe; prepare only what the label directs and never combine it with other cleaners.
Prioritize surfaces touched often by several people rather than spending time disinfecting low-touch areas.
Keep air moving during cleaning, but do not use a fan in a way that blows dust or droplets toward other people.

Troubleshooting

The surface dries before the contact time ends: Check that you used enough product and that the room is not causing rapid evaporation. Reapply as directed on the label, or choose a compatible product with a contact time you can follow.

You are unsure whether a product works against flu: Read the label for the relevant organism or approved use and follow its directions. If the label is unclear, use soap and water for routine cleaning and choose a disinfectant with clear directions rather than guessing.

A surface is damaged or discolored: Stop using the product there. Ventilate the area, follow the product’s spill or first-aid instructions, and check the surface maker’s care guidance before trying another cleaner.

Someone develops breathing irritation or the products were mixed: Leave the area for fresh air without attempting to clean up fumes. If symptoms are serious or persist, contact emergency services or a poison-control center. Follow the product label for exposure guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to disinfect the whole house?
No. Concentrate on frequently touched shared surfaces, bathroom areas, and anything visibly soiled. Routine cleaning and handwashing are more practical than repeatedly disinfecting every surface.

How often should I disinfect while someone has flu?
Clean high-touch surfaces regularly and whenever they are visibly dirty. Follow the disinfectant label each time; there is no need to disinfect all surfaces on a fixed schedule.

Can I use bleach to disinfect?
Only when the bleach label gives directions for the intended surface and use. Follow its dilution and contact-time instructions, ventilate, and never mix bleach with another product.

Should I throw away the sick person’s toothbrush or bedding?
Usually not. Wash bedding and towels with detergent and dry them completely. Replace a toothbrush only if it is damaged or you otherwise normally would; do not share it.

Can laundry from the sick person go in with everyone else’s?
Yes, it is generally fine to wash it with other laundry using detergent and the warmest setting safe for the fabric. Handle it without shaking, and wash your hands afterward.

Do I need to disinfect floors and carpets?
Ordinary vacuuming or cleaning is generally enough unless there is visible soil. Clean spills promptly using a method suitable for the flooring or fabric, and follow the product and care labels.

Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.