The Secret to Caring for MRSA Victims at Home WITHOUT Getting Infected

As you well know MRSA is a highly contagious disease. It can be spread easily from person to person on the hands, and it can also live on inanimate objects for weeks or even months. There may come a time when you will have to care for a MRSA victim at home. It is critical that you learn how to do this without infecting yourself  and without letting others get infected.

There are methods you can implement that will reduce your risk of getting MRSA when caring for the MRSA victim in your own home. It is important that you follow these methods exactly as described. Not only will you be protecting yourself from MRSA, you will also be protecting others in your household.

How to Properly Care for MRSA Wounds

If the MRSA victim you are caring for has wounds that must be dressed you have to take the proper steps to protect yourself. First of all, make sure any cuts or scratches you have on your body are covered with a bandage. This is important because it closes the portal of entry for infection.

Make sure you have all of your supplies that you will need together before you start the dressing change. If the wound is draining a lot it is a good idea to wear a protective covering over your clothes so your clothes do not become contaminated. An old hospital gown or even a trash bag with holes cut in it for the arms works well.

Never ever touch the wound with your bare hand. Wear disposable gloves when you remove the soiled dressing. Place the soiled bandages along with the dirty gloves in a zip-lock bag or small trash bag for disposal. Apply the clean bandage per doctors instructions after donning a clean pair of gloves.

It is critical that you never let your clothes come into contact with the open wound. Wash your hands thoroughly after the dressing change is done. Make sure you scrub all areas of the hands to remove any bacteria. Dry your hands completely.

Dispose of all soiled bandages and materials used in the dressing change. Keep supplies together in a plastic tote somewhere in the MRSA victim’s rooms to prevent spreading MRSA to other areas of the home.

How to Clean a MRSA Victim’s Room

An individual who is infected with MRSA should have his or her own living area to prevent infecting the other parts of the home. They should have a chair all their own and a bed all their own. If possible, a bathroom of their own is also a good idea.

The MRSA victim’s room should be cleaned daily. Do not allow the room to get cluttered. Vacuum daily and wipe down all hard surfaces with disinfecting wipes or an equivalent antibacterial hard surface cleaner. If the weather permits, open the windows to allow fresh air in.

When changing the linens on the bed, be careful not to shake the dirty linens out and spread the bacteria around. Place dirty linens and soiled clothing in a separate laundry hamper from the other household clothing. It is a good idea to put a plastic mattress cover on the mattress to keep if from becoming contaminated.

Always wear disposable gloves when cleaning. Clean the bathroom the MRSA victim uses daily. Clean the sink, faucet and light switches with a diluted bleach solution. The showers and bathtub should be cleaned with a bleach solution daily. Use liquid hand soap instead of bar soap. The automatic soap dispensers are the best because the MRSA victim never have to touch the soap dispenser with his hands.

How to Launder a MRSA Victim’s Clothing

Laundry can become a challenge when you are caring for a MRSA victim. The laundry of a MRSA victim should be handled separately from the other household laundry. The MRSA victim should have their own laundry hamper. Always wear disposable gloves when handling the MRSA victim’s laundry. Be careful not to hold the dirty laundry against your clothes when loading it into the washer.

The MRSA victim’s laundry must be washed separately from the other household laundry. It should be washed in hot water and bleach when possible. Dry the laundry on the hottest setting possible to help kill off bacteria. Make sure the clothing and linens are completely dry before you put them back into the MRSA victim’s room.

General Housecleaning Tips When You Have a MRSA Victim in the Home

When you have someone with MRSA living in your home, everyone is at risk for coming into contact with these bacteria. It is extremely important that you keep your home clean to prevent the spread of this disease.

The entire house should be cleaned thoroughly at least twice per week. Dusting and vacuuming should be done every day or every other day. As you clean, think about the things you normally don’t clean. Some of these items get touched by others hundreds of times in a week. For example, light switches and door knobs are touched frequently but rarely get wiped down. Use a bleach solution to wipe off everything you can think of to reduce exposure to MRSA.

Carpets should be shampooed once or twice a month. You can rent a machine or have them cleaned professionally. However, this could become expensive. You may want to consider buying a carpet cleaner. When cleaning the carpets you should use the hottest water possible.

Dishes should be cleaned in a dishwasher at tall times. The heat from the dishwasher can kill bacteria. Counter tops should be wiped down often with a bleach solution. Kitchen floors should be mopped frequently.

The temperature of the home should be kept cool. Bacteria flourish in warm temperatures. By keeping your home cool, you can slow down bacteria growth. Keep sanitizing hand wipes available for convenience to decrease the spread of MRSA. It is very important the whole family knows how to wash their hands properly. Good hand washing techniques will be your best defense against spreading MRSA to others.