Audrey and I had the opportunity to host a back to school event for Lysol and we had so much FUN! I thought I knew a thing or two about germs, but apparently, I’ve been misinformed my entire life. It all started out with a pop quiz that I pretty much FAILED OMG. That’s ok. That’s what going to school is all about. You walk away being more informed, right?
We invited a handful of our favorite tri-state area bloggers and had them sit through the Lysol Germ School session. Here’s some of the great information they walked away with:
What Are Germs?
- Are found all over the world, in all kinds of places.
- Tiny organisms, or living things, that can cause disease and infections.
- Germs are so small that you need to use a microscope to see them.
Viruses:
- Viruses need to be inside living cells in order to grow and reproduce.
- Most viruses will not survive very long if they are not inside a living thing.
- When viruses enter a person, they can spread and cause illness.
Bacteria:
- One-celled organisms that receive nutrients from their environments in order to survive.
- Bacteria can reproduce both inside our outside the body as they cause infections.
How Are Germs Spread:
- Airborne:Droplets formed by sneezing, coughing or talking that are expelled into the air and then inhaled by another.
- Vector Born: Disease-causing germs carried by animals or insects such as rats, mosquitos, flies.
- Indirect Contact: Contact with contaminated surfaces and/or objects.
- Direct Contact: Physical contact between people.
- Contaminated food and water
The Cycle of Germ Spreading:
- The Patient: A person with a cold or flu touches his eyes or nose, picking up the virus on his hands.
- The Transfer: The person then touches an object like a phone, transferring the flu virus from hand to surfaces.
- The Spread: Later, another person touches the contaminated surface, picking up the virus on their hands.
- The Cycle: This person then touches his eyes or nose, transferring the virus to a site where it can cause an infection.
In the Classroom:
- Nearly 70% of Americans suffer from a cold or the flu each year
- Up to 59% of surfaces in a home can be infected during cold & flu season
- The flu virus can travel up to 12 feet through the air at 100 mph
- More than three-fourths of Americans had to take time off work or school due to an infection in the past year
Sounds familiar, right? My children absolutely get sick several times a year and the classroom is definitely a HOT SPOT for viruses. Viruses are spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. A person might also get flu by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own nose, eyes or mouth.
That’s why it’s so important to clean your surrounding area and to make sure you teach your children to avoid touching their faces throughout the year. Avoid eye, nose and mouth contact as much as possible. When they cough, encourage them to cough in their sleeve and not in their hand. This can also prevent further spreading of viruses.
It was so great to watch all the bloggers taking notes and tweeting along during the Lysol Germ School event. I was feverishly tweeting too!! Did you see what I did there with the word “feverishly”? Did you? Did you!?
You can use Lysol Disinfecting Wipes to maintain your household or you can send them into your child’s classroom to help your teacher stay on top of virus contamination in his/her neck of the woods. For on the go needs, consider Lysol To Go spray cans. I travel ALL THE TIME and do not go ANYWHERE without one of these in my bag. Hotels are … the WORST. But this is a post about back to school and not travel. Just know, those Lysol To Go cans are literally everything. 
So when should you use Lysol spray vs. Lysol wipes?
Lysol Disinfectant Spray
Kills 99.9% of Viruses and Bacteria, including: Influenza A Virus (H1N1), and Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)
For use on hard surfaces all around the house and classroom, including: Counter tops, sinks, door knobs, light switches.
Lysol Disinfecting Wipes
Kills 99.9% of Viruses and Bacteria, including: Influenza A Virus (H1N1), Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA), Salmonella enterica
For use on hard surfaces all around the house and classroom, including: desktops, telephones and toilet seats
Easy enough, right?!
And great news! Lysol and Box Tops for Education have just started an exclusive partnership to help promote healthy habits and support schools across the US. Be sure to look out for Box Tops on all of your Lysol supplies and clip them so your children can bring them to school!
Lysol® Disinfecting Wipes will help keep your family thriving and healthy year round by helping to prevent the spread of germs from one person to another. Lysol® Disinfecting Wipes are designed to kill 99.9% of viruses and bacteria throughout your home. Cleaning with soap and water removes dirt, however, disinfecting kills germs on hard surfaces, providing additional protection for your family.
For more photos from our Lysol Germ School event, see below!
*this is a sponsored post
Rebecca Bryant
Thursday 25th of August 2016
What a great event. I am a huge Lysol users. With son being in band germ spread like wildfire with all that air blowing through horns. I am that crazy band mom with wipes and hand sanitizer in her mom band bag.