6 Common Germ Questions, Answered

Do I Need to Do Any Special Cleaning When My Child Is Ill?

If you have more than one child, disinfect their toys. Pay special attention to plastic and wooden ones, since viruses can survive on hard surfaces for hours, even weeks.

Also, wash a sick child's clothing and linens in the hottest water possible with bleach or bleach substitute, and then put them in the dryer for at least 45 minutes. In a University of Arizona study, viruses that cause respiratory and gastrointestinal infections easily survived a typical cold-water wash plus a 28-minute permanent-press dry cycle. And wash your child's things last so they don't end up cross-contaminating other family members' laundry.