This Common Household Item Could Stop the Flu in its Tracks

Flu season is in full-force, and it's likely to continue till May. The unfortunate truth is that most people don’t know how to keep their germs to themselves, especially kids. You can wash your hands and disinfect surfaces, but stray viruses can linger in the air, just waiting to be inhaled. Not to mention the germs you bring into your own home after you've been out and about for the day. Fortunately, you can eradicate most of those nasty buggers with this common household item.

Studies are showing humidity can have drastic effects on the length influenza viruses can remain airborne and infectious in a room. Using a humidifier during cold months, when indoor humidity is at its lowest, can reduce your chances of catching the flu and numerous other infections. See the full story for details on how to use humidity to stop the flu from spreading in your home.

Dust Off the Humidifier

A group of researchers recently tested the effects of humidity levels on airborne influenza A in the most clever of locations: preschool classrooms. The group collected air and object samples from 330 humidified classrooms and 320 control rooms. Only 23 of the humidified rooms contained the virus, compared to 99 of the control rooms. And the numbers of infectious viruses in the humidified rooms were fewer than half of those collected in the control rooms.

This may be due to the effect humidity has on droplet size in the air. The more humid the room, the larger and heavier the average droplet size. When someone coughs or sneezes, shed viruses become airborne in droplets made of mucus, proteins and water. The heavier those droplets become, the quicker they settle on a surface.

Viruses also prefer lower temperatures, which humidity can raise in some cases. The higher the temperature, the more molecularly unstable the virus becomes, which means it degrades quicker. That means a warm, humid room is less likely to have viruses in the air and samples of viruses settled on surfaces are less likely to be infectious. This is likely why seasonal colds and influenzas thrive so well during winter months. Add to this the fact that most people are stuck inside during this time, and you’ve got a ripe breeding ground for all sorts of nasty stuff.

Recommended Humidity Levels

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends you aim for a relative humidity of 30% to 50%, although some authorities recommend up to 60%. You can achieve this by adding a humidifier or two (or more, if your house is large) to your home and monitoring your environment with a humidity reader. Both are readily available online and at most retailers that carry pharmacy items. And, if you’re in the market for a new furnace, you can have a humidifier built right into it.

A Word of Caution

Before you run out and buy the first or cheapest humidifier you can find, be aware that not all humidifiers are equal, and some require more maintenance than others. Cool mist humidifiers are the most effective, but they also require the most maintenance. Left for too long, they can become breeding grounds for fungal spores, Legionella and other nasty organisms.

Ultrasonic humidifiers are extremely efficient, but they are most likely to produce water vapor particles small enough to reach the lungs. Evaporative humidifiers are a good alternative, but they use wicks that can mildew and calcify, needing regular replacing. Both must be emptied and refilled daily and sanitized weekly to remain safe for continuous use. Otherwise, you could be doing yourself more harm than good.

If a humidifier can dramatically reduce the virus levels in preschool classrooms, think of what one could do for your living room and bedrooms. It might be time to get yours running for the remainder of the winter and into early Spring. Not only will you be making your environment less hospitable to the flu and other viruses, but you’ll be protecting yourself against other effects like dry skin and irritated sinuses. It’ll be worth the effort when everyone else you know is coughing and sniffling and you’re happily going about your business.

~Here’s to Your Health and Wellness