C. diff Cleanup: How to Prevent the Spread of C. diff at Home

Disinfecting your house can help in C. diff prevention. Follow these C. diff prevention procedures to learn how to help prevent the spread of C. diff at home.

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How to Help Prevent the Spread of C. diff

Clostridium difficile, also called C. difficile or C. diff, is a bacterium that causes inflammation of the colon known as colitis. C. diff is a hospital-acquired infection (or HAI) that patients can contract during hospital stays as a result of unclean devices, procedures or environmental landscapes where infections can spread. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 500,000 C. diff infections are estimated per year in the U.S.1

Symptoms of C. diff include watery diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal pain/tenderness.1

After patients with C. diff are discharged, it is important to take steps to help reduce the spread of C. diff at home.2

Tips at Home

  • Wash hands with an antibacterial soap after each visit to the toilet as well as before and after handling food.
  • Disinfect hard, nonporous surfaces using an EPA-registered disinfectant, such as Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach, with a focus on the bathroom:
    • Pre-clean hard, nonporous surfaces by removing visible filth (loose dirt,
      debris, blood/bodily fluids, etc.)
    • Add 1 cup of Clorox® Disinfecting Bleach to 7 cups of water
    • Wipe area with bleach solution and let solution stand for 5 minutes
    • Rinse well and air dry
  1. https://www.cdc.gov/cdiff/what-is.html