*This post is sponsored by Staples and their new Perk line of hand sanitizer, paper towels, toilet paper, and other essentials that bring some humor to your home and office and help protect your family this flu season.

Jobs are gross. Pretty much all of them. When I was a teenager I worked in something we Idahoans call “spud harvest.” For two weeks I sorted out rotten potatoes on a conveyor belt so that you could enjoy those nice mashed potatoes. It was dirty and sometimes mice would scamper up the conveyor belt and we’d have to toss them off. 

I’ve been a babysitter and seen kids take bites out of a whole brick of cheese and then put it back in the fridge. In adulthood, I’ve worked as a substitute teacher and have lost track of all the boogers I’ve seen kids eat, and later a high school teacher where you’d expect better hygiene, but high schoolers really just little kids in bigger bodies. Currently, the pinnacle of my career (and my favorite job of all) is as a parent—a rewarding, but very gross job in and of itself. Every year around this time, I brace myself for the slew of bugs going around. Colds, stomach bugs, and different flu strains are heading our way and no matter where you work…jobs are a breeding ground for germs.

So how do you protect yourself and your family from the flu and other seasonal sickness? Here are some handy tips.

Tips To Protect Your Family This Flu Season

Your job may be in an office where germs can hide on computer keys and communal door knobs. Maybe your job is at school where sneezes and coughs echo through the hallways. And perhaps your job is at home as a full-time parent or you work from home. In all cases, Staples knows the dirty side of your job and is there to help protect and serve!

The new Perk line of paper towels, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, paper plates, plastic dinnerware, garbage sacks and more is cheeky, fun, affordable, and such great quality. I’m a total snob when it comes to toilet paper and paper towels—I won’t buy the cheap stuff because there is absolutely nothing worse than paper supplies that can’t hold up. (It’s not a pretty picture.)

Perk toilet paper is baby soft and 2-ply strong and this direct quote from my husband says it all: “You splurged on the good stuff!” And I didn’t even splurge! The Perk paper towels are just as good and you’re going to love the clever Perk packaging!

Shop Perk right now and get everything delivered right to your door at an amazing price!

1. Watch what you lick!

It’s mind-boggling the words that come out of your mouth as a parent.

“Don’t lick that bowling shoe!”

“Stop licking the door knob!”

“Why are you licking your toes??” 

Really, it’s all fun and games until someone starts throwing up in the middle of the night. Because kids will be kids, you’ve got to be like a ninja about sanitizing. During flu season especially, keep Perk disinfecting wipes handy and wipe down all surfaces that kids could even dream of licking.

Keep a mondo bottle of Perk hand sanitizer at attention during flu season!

2. Karate chop germ-ridden towels.

This goes without saying, but washing your hands regularly, and especially before eating is one of the best ways to stay healthy during flu season.

You know that hand towel that everyone and the dog uses? The one I just saw my kid blow his nose into? Yep, those towels can be a breeding ground for germs. Give that towel a nice roundhouse kick to the laundry bin and start using Perk paper towels which can be tossed in the recycling bin where they can’t give you the sniffles.

3. Don’t keep lizards in your pocket.

Remember, animals carry germs just like people do. If you or your kids have been around pets or other animals, always sanitize after touching them.

I keep a bottle of Perk hand sanitizer in my purse at all times. (You never know when your kid is going to try and pick up a chicken or put a lizard in her pocket!)

4. Become a toilet paper advocate.

Funny story, when we were kids, my dad was notorious for his frugality. There is a long-standing joke my siblings have of my dad being cagey with the toilet paper. “Don’t use too much; Dad’s counting the squares!”

Maybe because of this, I’m a huge toilet paper advocate. I encourage my kids to use plenty of it because the more they use, the more their fingers are protected, right?

I love the packaging on the Perk toilet paper…makes me smile. And more importantly the quality is outstanding. This is not your thin, scratchy stuff. Not even close. as I mentioned before, I’m a toilet paper snob and I LOVE this stuff! Perk toilet paper is excellent quality and a great value.

AND it’s husband-approved.

With four kids of my own, and the dozens of kids between us all at HowDoesShe, we know exactly what germs parents deal with on a daily basis. Believe me, we talk about how gross our kids are all the time! From kids licking doorknobs (disgusting but true), to sneezing in their hands and then giving mom or dad a big hug…yep, protecting our family from sickness this flu season is pretty important!

Stock up now on all the Perk products needed to protect your family this flu season. You don’t even need to leave your home—have it shipped right to your door. Consider Perk your arsenal against germs!