Lysol's Healthing Initiative To Keep Families Healthy

3/28/2013

Disclosure: I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for LYSOL®. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.

I have 3 kids, 2 of which are toddlers, and the other is a teen boy. As all you parents know, toddlers like to put their fingers up their noses, in their mouths, and even into the pet bowls. (Yuck!) Teen boys are also pretty gross creatures at times, with their sweaty, smelly socks that just seem to the carelessly thrown in random places. (Sometimes ending up in the toddlers' mouths....Eww!)
On top of my not-so-tidy children, we also have 3 puppies and 3 cats in the house. This, too, adds to germs and bacteria being distributed around the home.

When I clean, it's not just about making things look nice. Let's face it: With toddlers in the house, there is always clutter because they take things out even as I am putting other things away. It's a vicious cycle of playing clean up time, and hoping that the house looks like we live here rather than a hurricane just ripped through it.

To me, the most important aspect of cleaning is actually making sure that dirt, grime, and germs are removed from our home. I can deal with toys all over, and I can deal with a little bit of chaos. But what I can't deal with are germs and filth taking over my home. After all, keeping germs at bay helps people stay healthy themselves, especially during cold and flu season.

That's why the folks over at Lysol are launching their brand new Healthing Initiative. Yes, I said "Healthing". Sure, it sounds weird. But think about it...When we clean, one of our main objectives is to keep our family healthy, right? By disinfecting our homes and taking care of germs and bacteria, we're not only cleaning, we're healthing! Make sense?

Here's some info about Lysol's Healthing Initiative:

About Healthing :

Healthing is the extension of LYSOL and its Mission for Health, the motivation behind the creation of their products that are centered on killing 99.9 percent of germs and providing solutions for the home that help promote good hygiene and disinfection.

To help spread the word about Healthing, LYSOL and television personality Giuliana Rancic have partnered together to visit YMCAs in select markets across the country to demonstrate Healthing in action. At each YMCA location, LYSOL will provide attendees with hands-on education about the products and steps required to practice improved hygiene habits in their own home, while making the idea fun and relatable to kids. LYSOL will also provide educational information and disinfecting products to the local YMCAs, along with the donation of a one-year membership to a deserving family.

One important way to integrate Healthing into your home is to understand the difference between cleaning and disinfecting, as both are important components of the Healthing process. While cleaning and organizing is certainly important, killing germs on commonly touched surfaces can lower the risk of spreading bacteria and viruses between family members.

Great Healthing Tips From Lysol :

Don’t let spring cleaning overwhelm you - take it one room at a time.
Know the difference between cleaning and disinfecting! While cleaning and organizing is certainly important, killing germs on commonly touched surfaces can lower the risk of spreading bacteria and viruses between members of the family.
Start with the basics – wipe down easy to reach surfaces and then move onto the little nooks and crannies.
Don’t forget to disinfect places that you don’t see or think about often, like the door knobs, cabinet handles, light switches or sink drains.
Make it a family activity and tailor tasks to specific age groups. Give younger children simpler, one-step tasks like dusting or picking toys up off the floor, and save the more complex jobs, such as vacuuming, scrubbing, and disinfecting for older members of the family.
Remember to practice proper hand washing as well after you clean, either with soap and water for 20 seconds or a hand sanitizer. Hand washing is the single most important thing you can do to prevent illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

How To Connect :

To learn more about Healthing and to get great tips from Lysol, please visit the following links:

Website: http://www.lysol.com/healthing
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Lysol
Guidebook: http://www.lysol.com/healthing/what-is-healthing

How do you keep your family healthy? Are there any tips or tricks you can share? I'd love to hear them!

5 Comments

Carolyn Kavarnos

3/28/2013 04:52:17 am

This is such an oxymoron campaign. Nothing that states clearly on the back of the can, "harmful to humans and domestic animals" is healthy for families. I am surprised you call yourself a crunchy mom and took part promoting this poison in exchange for money!!!

Brandy

3/28/2013 05:14:52 am

I personally have never had any issues using Lysol products.I have used them for years and grew up with my mother and grandma using them as well, and there have been no adverse reactions. Yes, I also use plenty of green options, mainly baking soda, vinegar, and citrus oil based products. But used in moderation and wiped down with a clean wet rag after, I do not think it's an issue. And of course I don't allow my kids to have access to any cleaning products. I do not claim to live a 100% green lifestyle, but I do make many eco-conscious choices for my family, and I am learning more every day. We cloth diaper, we are planting a huge fruit and veggie garden using non-GMO seeds, we recycle, reuse and repurpose as much as we can, and we eat mainly organic foods. We also choose almond or soy milk over traditional milk most of the time. I also use mostly organic or naturally based personal care products (bath, body, cosmetics) We even buy clothing made from organic, sustainable materials. But at the same time we do eat meat, we do drive gas powered vehicles, and yes, we do use some products that are not exclusively organic.I can understand your stance on this issue, but I do have to say that disninfecting your home does in fact help keep people healthy. I would never criticize anyone for making choices for their own family, even if my opinion differed. I respect all opinions and welcome discussions about them, as long as they're conducted in a calm, respectful manner. :)

3/29/2013 08:22:13 am

You can disinfect your home against all of the same things with safe products that your child can even drink without harm, that your children can handle and help you clean, that you do not need to wipe and that cost less than Lysol so why use it at all? It is a dangerous compound and we are lucky to have safer alternatives, it is not a matter of doing without but making a smarter choice. As a mother of son diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma without any risk factors or family history, I had my eyes opened that just because our moms may have used it does not mean it is safe, could it be my eggs that were affected by the stuff that contributed? It could be many related things and it is too soon to learn the ill effects. Truth is miscarriage, infertility, cancer and other diseases are rising to very high levels. We have to take a look at what we are being sold. These companies can produce chemicals in the lab for pennies, they are not having to go to the expense of harvesting plant oils and extracts that have disinfectant properties so they would rather keep creating an endless supply of cheap chemicals and passing them off to us. Please take a look at alternatives because these products are not safe. I used to use them too and then I had a 3 alarm wake up call.

Erin

3/28/2013 08:33:20 am

I love Lysol, it is what my doctor recommend to kill MRSA since I have it frequently, nothing organic will work sadly enough, and I'm like you where I do enjoy using some organic things and trying to be as creative as possible for recycling/reusing and I even coupon but only for the things I know we will use or donate ... I think as long as you are trying to help the world in any way shape for form you are doing a great job! Thanks for the information about Lysol ;)

3/29/2013 08:24:55 am

You are mistaken that nothing natural or organic will work because there is most certainly an alternative and what I use in my home, it will not only kill MRSA, it will kill blood born pathogens, salmonella, H1N1, Influenza and more, it is approved for hospitals and other institutions and is so safe it does not need a safety cap and your child could drink it without a problem.

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