The fall season brings colds and other viruses with it. Schools are notorious for children passing around bugs, and a co-worker with a sick child at home can share the wealth at the office as easily as their kids do in school. There's much talk about Ebola this fall, and while that's the stuff of nightmares, it is more difficult to pass from person to person than the cold and flu strains that become prevalent this time of year.

A particularly nasty respiratory infection is currently making the rounds this season: Enterovirus 68. It can be a vicious bug, and it's a good idea to be prepared for the regular round of fall germs anyway.

That's where we come in.

Viruses have a special love for hands, using them as human taxis to their next host. They can also lurk on doorknobs and other inanimate surfaces for quite a while. Ironically, the garden-variety cold, the one that usually does the least amount of damage in an otherwise healthy person (but seems to take an almost uncanny glee in messing up weekend plans), seems to have the longest "shelf-life" on things like desks and phones. Sanitizing wipes are a good part of what I call a "strafe and run" cleanup for frequently touched items. A quick wipe-down with one of these can make surfaces safer.

That cloth towel in the bathroom is only as clean as the person who touched it last. It's probably safer to have paper towels on hand along with your cache of soap. It's also more convenient – you can use the used, clean towel to turn off the faucet and open the bathroom door.

A strong disinfectant is great for cleaning up all kind of viral and bacterial carnage. These are key for killing germs on floors, walls, many surfaces. Some of these are broad spectrum and bloodborne pathogen compliant.
When you're in the grip of a bad stomach bug, it may be hard to run to the bathroom on time if your legs feel like ramen noodles. A good product to have on hand is something to absorb liquids. What's nice is that if you're fortunate and the viruses seem to stay out of your school or office, you can always use them to soak up spilled coffee, water, chicken soup poured with rubbery arms – other liquids.

We Fight Dirty!™  . . . and don't worry – we got your back.