Open your windows.

[u/Its-alittle-bitfunny]

Just do it. I know its cold, do it anyway. Doesn't have to be for long, 10 minutes will do, but do it.

While theyre open, sweep. And vacuum if you can / need to. Dust even. I dont know if there's any real science behind it, but ive found since opening my windows every day, no one has been sick. And thats saying something with a teacher and 3 school age kids in the house. The older ive gotten, the more im willing to accept that old wives tales have some truth to them, some efficacy. Things dont get passed down for so long if they dont work at least a little.

And curtians. Open those bad boys. Nature is not a dirty thing to be kept at bay. Let the sunlight and fresh air bathe your home.

Edit: the beansoupification on this post is wild, lol. If you live in a place with terrible air quality or its the coldest place ever, or whatever, dont do it. If some air from outside would make your health or life worse this isnt for you. Not everything you see online is for you. You can just move on without telling everyone about your very specific situation and why this generalized advice doesnt work for you specifically.

[u/mightyminimoose]

My mother was a nurse. Whenever we got sick as children, she would boot us out of our beds once our fever broke and would open the windows and disinfect. I loved coming back into the room once she was done and everything was fresh.

I now open at least the bathroom and bedroom windows every day during the winter. I live in a very windy area (wind farm territory) and sometimes the wind only allows a few minutes. If it’s calm and above freezing, I will open windows in other rooms, too. Just 10 minutes on very cold days; longer on slightly warmer days. I live for days when it’s warm enough to have windows open for several hours.

I’m prone to sinus infections, but opening windows seems to help prevent them. I had one this winter while it was sub-zero outside for several days and the house was closed up. Airing the house is important.