How do you keep the germs at bay this time of year? The new school year started a little over one month ago, and both of my kids have already been sick. A nasty cold was going around my son's school, and sure enough- he got it... and then his toddler sister got it, and then low and behold, I got it, too. It's miserable when the whole family is sick, and I'm not ready for my kids to be missing school so early on in the year.

I thought that I was doing a really good job of making sure that we were washing and sanitizing hands, and that I was wiping down belongings and surfaces, in hopes to keep those nasty cold and flu germs away from my family. The truth is, I can do everything right at home, but once the kids are out the door, I can't control what or who they touch. It occurred to me that I should be taking measures to keep germs out of my car because as soon as I pick my kids up from school, the first thing they touch is my car... a perfect place for germs to linger and be shared with the whole family.

Here are my top tips for keeping germs out of the car...

Keep a germ-fighting supply in the car

Yes, that means keeping things like tissues, hand sanitizer, trash bags, etc, in the car. I know it's extra stuff to keep in the car, but trust me- you will be better off if you have these items stocked! I keep both tissues and clean hankies in the car. In fact, I made a little car kit with tissues, hand sanitizer, wipes, Mentholatum, and cough drops. I keep this out of reach from the kids, but I can quickly access it if and when I need to. I do keep a small box of tissues in the back seat for the kids so they can wipe their own noses.

Wipes, wipes, wipes!

Traditional sanitizer can be a little too messy for kids to use in the car. My son loves to pump and pump until he winds up with overflowing hands. I love Purell wipes because the kids can grab them and sanitize or clean their hands with them. I also use them to wipe down door handles and parts of the car's interior to kill germs that they might be bringing in from school.

Boogie Wipes

Have you ever heard of these? They are handy little moist saline wipes for little noses. They're much softer than tissues, and help kiddos get the yucky crusties off of their noses with little to no effort. They come in convenient little pouches, and you can easily transfer them from the car to a backpack, purse or diaper bag.

Extra clothes

I know, I know- more stuff to keep in the car, but I have been that mom whose kid lost their lunch in the car, and had to wash them down in a McDonald's restroom. Ugh! What was worse- not having clean clothes to put back on my kids! I have gotten into the habit of putting extra clothes into a Ziplock bag... one for each child, and just sliding it into the backseat pocket or underneath their seat. That way, we always have extra clothes if we need to make an emergency wardrobe change.

Vacuum the car and take out the trash

Just by keeping your car seemingly clean inside, you'll reduce the amount of germs that might be lurking and waiting to be picked up.

Cold and flu season is just about here. What steps will you be taking to keep germs out of your car?

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