If you are caring for a loved one with cancer, you’re dealing with a lot already. It can be easy to fall behind on some of the everyday tasks like cleaning. However, cleaning plays an important role in health. If a patient is undergoing chemotherapy, it can weaken the body’s immune system and make them more susceptible to other illnesses. A clean space can also provide a place of calm and control during a chaotic time. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Focus Where it Matters: This doesn’t need to be the time for a deep clean. Make sure you have good hand hygiene habits and know the key times to wash them. Then focus on cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, where harmful germs are most likely to spread.

Choose the Right Products: Because of new considerations, you may want to make different choices when it comes to the products you’re bringing into the home. Picking up some disinfectant wipes can make the extra step of disinfecting key areas after cleaning them quicker. Also, consider that chemotherapy can cause odor sensitivity and you may want to choose a product that is unscented.

Take Your Laundry to the Next Level: When a loved one is immunocompromised, there are changes you can make to your laundry routine to help keep them healthier. One is to wash laundry on a hotter temperature and another is to add a bleach (if safe for the fabric) or laundry sanitizer to the wash. Let clothes fully dry before folding them to put away.

Enlist Help: If bringing in additional help is an option, whether you hire a service or enlist friends, cleaning can be a good task to delegate. It can even be something to schedule while you’re away at appointments, so you come back to a clean space for rest and recovery.