Since the swine flu pandemic started some months ago, there has been an increase on the sales of soap and hand sanitizing products. Knowing that swine flu can spread quite easily, health organisations are stressing the importance of good hygiene habits.

We know that regular hand washing can prevent the spread of germs. But we cannot forget about cleaning; one of the key measures to prevent the spread of swine flu is the regular cleaning of hard surfaces such as tables or telephones.

We all have seen the official adverts asking us to through away the used tissues as soon as possible. But the virus only lives on them for about 30 minutes. However, the virus can live up to 2 days on hard surfaces (e.g. tables, cups or door handles). From this we can understand the importance of a thorough cleaning regime. keeping your house clean will help you boost your immune system, thus fighting swine flu on a much better way; this includes keeping dust and mold at bay.

What simple steps can you follow to fight swine flu at home?

1- Wash your hands. Wash them as soon as you enter your home, specially if you have been on a public place such as the office, gym or supermarket.

2- Clean frequently. Make sure your domestic cleaner incorporates the cleaning of door knobs, appliance handles, etc as part of her/his cleaning routine.

3- Eat healthy and wash your food before eating. It is all about boosting your immune system, so the same as you keep your house clean you need to keep your food clean, specially fruit and raw food.

Most of us think that the media coverage of swine flu is exaggerated; still, it does not hurt us to do a little bit of prevention job in regards to our health!