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Disinfecting and when to relax

Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 10:26 pm
by Gaconch
At what point of recovery can I stop freaking out and stop bleaching everything? I have been bleaching the bathroom after using it. At what point should I feel safe? My dr will not retest, she only goes by symptoms.

Re: Disinfecting and when to relax

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 12:51 am
by AllisS
You can stop bleaching everything "yesterday." It's not necessary to carry out tedious sanitizing procedures, other than on items/surfaces that may have actually been soiled. Not sure what you've been bleaching, but in general, if you continue to follow thorough hand-washing procedures the chances of your transmitting C. diff to someone else are very slim. Unfortunately one is never assured of total safety from reinfection with C. diff -- but were that to happen, the culprit won't have been failure to keep bleaching everything.

Your doctor is correct to go by symptoms vs. test results.

Re: Disinfecting and when to relax

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 3:24 am
by roy
In hospital contact precautions are relaxed 48 hours after D stops and a "normal" BM is produced.
Normal cleaning in the home should include occasional use of bleach products even if you never heard of c.diff.

The meticulous daily sanitation you read about applies more to hospitals where c.diff can spread quickly because the inmates are already sick and often taking antibiotics, not to family homes.

Re: Disinfecting and when to relax

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 7:19 am
by Gaconch
I’ve been bleaching the toilet and shower after use. I know that bleach is the only thing that will kill the spores and they live a very long time on hard surfaces. I’m trying to protect myself from relapse.

Re: Disinfecting and when to relax

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 7:39 am
by roy
Do whatever your comfortable with.
Remember though that the spores have to get into your mouth to reinfect you.
If you wash them off your hands they are not a problem.

Re: Disinfecting and when to relax

Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 10:11 am
by Machaon
Gaconch: Hi! I was finally cured of C-diff on Sept 12, 2017 after six long month's of misery.

I can't use bleach or most other chemicals because of extremely sensitive allergies/asthma. My wife and I became hand washing maniacs, constantly washing our hands, especially prior to eating or preparing foods. We washed my soiled undies in boiling water, and cleaned the toilet wearing vinyl gloves. Other than that, we lived our "normal" lives, and continue to wash our hands at suitable times.

Not saying our C-diff regimen would be good for other C-diff sufferers, but we managed to win the battle over C-diff (for now) without bleach.

Regards, and best wished, Bob