5 Ways to Avoid Germs When You Have a Toddler — That You Haven't Tried Yet!

Toddlers are lovable, cute, hilarious and all-around wonderful beings…but they’re also so germy! If you have a toddler, and have ever avoided a sneeze to the face, or watched them put their hands in their mouth after touching something atrocious…you know exactly what I mean.

As the flu season continues this year, and Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to linger in the back of our minds, I want to let you in on a few of my favorite tips, tricks and secrets when it comes to stopping the spread of germs in their tracks.

1. Keep their nails cut as short as possible. Most of us adults don’t take the time to scrub under our nails with a nail brush when we wash out hands — and we know our toddlers aren’t doing it at all. Their fingers end up in their mouths constantly, and lurking below their little nails are plenty of little germs. Invest in some toddler-sized nail trimmers, let them watch a a show for five minutes to help them hold still, and get to work!
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2. Wash their nose. Xlear makes a great, simple nasal spray (for kids!) that helps clear out their germ-harboring nose before infection can truly take root and spread to the rest of your body. Use it whenever you’ve been around groups of people, especially during travel.
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3. Change out bathroom hand towels and kitchen dish towels every other day. If your toddler washes their hands like mine does...the majority of germs are probably getting wiped off on the towel rather than getting rinsed down the drain.
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4. Keep hand-sanitizing WIPES in your car. Use them on your child every time you pick them up from a group setting (preschool, park, daycare, etc.). I’ve found wipes like Babyganics Alcohol-Free Hand Sanitizer Wipes to be more effective than just liquid hand sanitizer (which can just spread the grime around and isn’t as effective as good old soap and water). ⠀
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5. Use that air purifier! In California, many of us bought air purifiers to rid our homes of harmful smoke during all of the wildfires. But they can also remove the smallest microbes in the air, reducing airborne germs that not only include cold and flu viruses, but also particles that can aggravate allergies as well. I currently use a great one made by Coway. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Have any unconventional tips to avoiding germs with little kids? Share them in the comments below for others to benefit from!