A sniffle at the dinner table or a scratchy throat when your child returns from school can, within days, leave the entire family coughing and shivering with fever. “When one family member gets ill, cold and flu viruses, especially during colder months, can easily spread through a family since everyone spends more time indoors and in close contact with one another,” comments Lindie Pretorious, brand manager for Linctagon®.
Although most families know that the virus can spread from person to person within the home, some places and objects are often overlooked as hotspots for germs. Pretorius explains that cold and flu viruses spread mainly through respiratory droplets released when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, or even breathes heavily. These droplets can land on nearby surfaces or be inhaled by people nearby.
Once illness enters the home, it often circulates quickly, which is why many families also turn to immune-support products during the cold and flu season to help support the body’s natural defence system while managing exposure.
Shared bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, towels, remote controls and even snack bowls all create opportunities for viruses to move from one person to another. Children, especially younger ones, are often efficient spreaders because they touch surfaces frequently and may not consistently practise proper hygiene.
9 locations within your home that are overlooked as germ hotspots:
- TV remotes, gaming controllers and streaming devices are among the most frequently shared objects in a home. During illness, people often use them while resting, sneezing, coughing, or touching their face.
- Light switches and lamp buttons are in every room, and every time someone enters or leaves a room, they touch a light switch, often without thinking. In shared bathrooms, hallways, and bedrooms, this creates a continuous chain of contact between multiple people.
- Fridge and microwave handles can carry the virus. Food is a major “movement point” in households. Sick individuals still open the fridge or heat drinks, leaving germs behind on handles that everyone else touches multiple times a day.
- Bedside tables and shared surfaces in bedrooms can be germ hotspots. When someone is sick, they tend to rest in bed for long periods, placing their phones, tissues, medication, cups, and remotes on bedside tables, transferring germs.
- Phones and chargers are constantly handled, placed on surfaces, and used while eating, resting, or even during illness. Charging cables and plugs also pick up contamination but are rarely cleaned.
- Kitchen sponges and dishcloths are one of the biggest hidden culprits. Sponges stay damp, making them a perfect environment for germs to survive and transfer to plates, counters, and utensils.
- Stair railings and hallway touchpoints become shared “highway” surfaces, especially when people are moving between rooms or carrying items like laundry or dishes.
- Shared towels and hand towels are often used by multiple people before being washed. During cold and flu season, this becomes a direct transfer point from hands to face.
- Car keys, handbags, and everyday “grab items” are handled after public exposure and then placed on kitchen counters, tables, or beds, spreading germs into clean spaces.
Completely avoiding colds and flu is nearly impossible, especially in busy family households, but small daily habits can significantly reduce the spread of illness such as regular handwashing, keeping indoor spaces ventilated, staying home when unwell and cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
Ultimately, homes are built for connection and closeness, which also makes them ideal environments for viruses to spread. While no prevention method is perfect, understanding how illness moves through households can help families respond faster, protect vulnerable loved ones and hopefully avoid the domino effect of everyone getting sick at the same time.
