PARSIPPANY, N.J., April 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Spring is here, which means that families across the country are faced with the task of cleaning their homes after a long winter. With an endless number of areas throughout the house to sweep, dust, disinfect, mop, de-clutter and reorganize, getting every nook and cranny clean can feel like an overwhelming endeavor. This is why LYSOL®, an RB brand, has partnered with organization expert Justin Klosky to make this year's spring cleaning feel more attainable by arming families with the tips and tools they need to tackle the task in the most effective manner. The key to success is identifying hot spots for clutter and germs around the home and ensuring that these areas are both cleaned and disinfected to prevent the spread of harmful germs that can make families sick.

"When it comes to spring cleaning, getting the home in order to create a livable space and disinfecting to kill germs are the two key elements needed for a fresh start," said Justin Klosky, author of Organize & Create Discipline: An A-to-Z Guide to an Organized Existence and founder of the O.C.D. Experience, a company committed to providing solutions for all organizational needs. "I developed a spring cleaning checklist that families can follow to take on this project with ease and effectiveness."

A recent survey by the Global Hygiene Council (GHC) [1] found that while three-fourths of families clean their homes to remove dirt and to kill germs, nearly half (43 percent) do not use a disinfecting product like LYSOL to effectively kill 99.9% of germs on hard surfaces.[2] LYSOL, a trusted leader in the field of hygiene for more than 100 years, supports families aiming to give their homes a fresh and healthy start by offering a wide range of products that help reduce germs, including LYSOL Clean & Fresh Multi-Surface Cleaner Pour, LYSOL Power & Free™ Multi-Purpose Cleaner Trigger, LYSOL Power & Free™ Toilet Bowl Cleaner, LYSOL Disinfectant Spray and LYSOL Disinfecting Wipes.

"It is LYSOL's mission to give families the knowledge and tools they need to help stay healthy all year long," said Gregory Chabidon, marketing director, LYSOL. "This is why we go beyond cleaning in everything we do to make sure disinfection is also top of mind. Our Power & Free line of products go a step further by helping families accomplish a powerful clean and disinfect without leaving behind harsh chemical residue, making the products safer for every member of the family during spring cleaning – and beyond."

Justin Klosky's Spring Cleaning Checklist:

• Date Yourself: Set time in your smartphone calendar to hold yourself accountable for cleaning and reorganizing. This amount of time will be different for everyone depending on how much there is to get done, but book at least 15-30 minutes a day to start. Hold yourself accountable for the spring cleaning tasks you want to accomplish and get them done!
• Touchy Feely: Most of us don't think of all of the things we are touching on a regular basis and yet seldom clean. Disinfect commonly touched surfaces like doorknobs, computer keyboards, remote controls and light switches, with LYSOL Disinfecting Wipes to remove 99.9% of germs.
• Donate: Start a donation bag and throw items in as a way to cut down on clutter around the home. Consider rewarding your children when they donate as a way to teach them responsibility with a great outcome.
• Down and Dirty: Hone in on the quick, small chores that you've been brushing aside all year, saying, "I'll get to that later!" Examples include cleaning underneath heavy furniture to get rid of dust and lost bits of food, and wiping down the outdoor grill.
• Tidy Tubs: Prevent the reappearance of mildew and soap scum in the bathroom by wiping down the tub and glass doors after every use, or replace your basic showerhead with a detachable handle so you can easily spray it down. For the wipe down, a microfiber cloth works wonders! Just keep it nearby and wipe. The 20 seconds it takes to do this will save hours of deep scrubbing later.
• Trash the Trash: Make sure you throw out anything that could count as trash to start making room for the important things you want in your home. You should be throwing away trash every day and not letting it build up. Make it a habit to spray and wipe down your trash bin with LYSOL Power & Free Multi-Purpose Cleaner Trigger every time you take the trash out to prevent mildew and smells.
• Look Down: How are those floors looking? A little grimy? To maintain spotless floors, instil a "no shoes" policy in your home. Passing a small vacuum over your floors daily will prevent dust bunnies from multiplying – and don't forget about those hard to reach places where dust, germs and hair collect.

To get more spring cleaning tips from Justin Klosky, visit LYSOL on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Lysol.

For further information on keeping your family healthy, please visit the following resources:

• LYSOL website: www.lysol.com;  
• Global Hygiene Council: www.hygienecouncil.com  

About Reckitt Benckiser

Reckitt Benckiser (RB) is a global consumer goods leader in health, hygiene and home. With a purpose of delivering innovative solutions for healthier lives and happier homes, RB is in the top 25 of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange. Since 2000 net revenues have doubled and the market cap has quadrupled. Today, it is the global No. 1 or No. 2 in the majority of its fast-growing categories, driven by an exceptional rate of innovation. Its health, hygiene and home portfolio is led by 19 global powerbrands including Nurofen, StrepsilsGaviscon, Mucinex, Durex, Scholl, Lysol, Dettol, Clearasil, Veet, Harpic, Bang, Mortein, Finish, Vanish, Woolite, Calgon, Airwick,  and French's, and they account for 70 percent of net revenue.

RB people are at the heart of the company's success. They have an intense drive for action and a desire to outperform wherever they focus, including in CSR where the company is reducing its carbon footprint by 20 percent by 2020 and has a global partnership with Save the Children.

The company has operations in over 60 countries, with headquarters in the UK, Singapore, Dubai and Amsterdam, and sales in almost 200 countries. The company employs about 32,000 people worldwide.

For more information, visit www.rb.com

[1] Global Hygiene Council, "Dettol / Lysol Hygiene Home Truths: An International Study Conducted by the Hygiene Council"

[2]  When used as directed

SOURCE LYSOL