How to Keep Your Home Clean When Living With Cancer

If you have cancer or are living with someone who has cancer, it’s important to keep your home as clean as possible. This is one way to help keep order in your home and can help prevent you and your loved ones from getting sick.

People with cancer often have weakened immune systems from the cancer itself or as a side effect of cancer treatment. This can put them at higher risk for illness and infection, which can be harder for them to fight off.

“For people with cancer undergoing treatment, many are at increased risk for infections due to their weakened immune system. These infections include those from viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Fortunately, following some simple suggestions on keeping your home clean can help to reduce the risk of infections for everyone in the home,” said Richard T. Lee, MD, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) expert and Cherng Family Director’s Chair of the Center for Integrative Oncology at City of Hope.

While some organizations provide free house cleaning for people with cancer, there are also steps you can take to help keep your shared home safe for you and your loved ones.

Cleaning precautions during chemotherapy

Certain types of chemotherapy, or chemo, need special handling because they are classified as hazardous drugs. When someone gets a hazardous drug as part of their cancer treatment, their body fluids can be hazardous for a few days after treatment. This is because the body often clears chemotherapy waste through fluids such as urine, stool. and vomit.

Be sure to ask your or your loved one’s cancer care team if any special handling or cleaning procedures are needed at home. If so, it’s  a good idea to use these chemotherapy precautions when cleaning to prevent exposure:

• Wear 2 pairs of disposable gloves.
• Wash clothes, sheets, or towels with body fluids on them in the washing machine using warm water. Do not wash them with other laundry.
• If you come into contact with body fluids, wash the area thoroughly with soap and warm water. Then, ask your doctor if additional steps are needed.
• Wash your hands with soap and warm water after cleaning.

Tips for house cleaning when living with cancer

1: The kitchen. The kitchen can have germs like bacteria and viruses that can cause food poisoning. Some food, such as raw meat, may already contain bacteria when you purchase it. Other times, bacteria can spread from your hands to the food during preparation. 

It’s best to wash all kitchen surfaces in warm, soapy water before and after preparing food. Then, clean surfaces with a sanitizing cleaner after you prepare food to help kill leftover germs. One of the most effective sanitizers is bleach, but distilled white vinegar also works well.

Remember to clean all kitchen surfaces (the refrigerator, microwave, faucets, etc.), not just the countertops. Wash dish towels every day or two. Mop the floor regularly. Bacteria can live in kitchen sponges, too, so replace them regularly.

2: The bathroom. You can share a bathroom and toilet with someone getting treatment, including chemo. But it’s important to regularly clean areas well to keep the bathroom safe for everyone. Use these tips to help make your bathroom chores as effective as possible:

• Clean the toilet with toilet cleaner or bleach.
• Wash all surfaces, including the sink, countertops, shower, and bathtub.
• Mop the floor.
• Wash bathroom towels, rugs, and mats in warm water.

3: High-touch or high-traffic areas. It is important to wash your hands with warm, soapy water frequently to avoid bringing germs into the home. Wash hands as soon as you’re done with house cleaning tasks. Wash hands when returning home from shopping, visiting people, appointments, etc. Ask children, visitors, and home health care workers to do the same. Keep hand sanitizer readily available.

Vacuum or clean floors in high traffic areas frequently Regularly wipe down high-touch areas, such as phones, tablets, remote controls, doorknobs, and light switches. Most of the time, you can use regular soap and water or household disinfecting wipes. However, make sure to follow the cleaning instructions for specific devices.

Remember that by helping to keep your home clean, you are making a big difference in keeping yourself and your loved one safe throughout the cancer experience.

Dr. Lee is an Associate Editor on ASCO’s Patient Information Editorial Board.