Care of the Home

Healthy Practices — Home Science (Age 9, Kenya)

Hello! These notes will help you learn simple and safe ways to keep your home clean and healthy. They are easy to follow and fit life in Kenya — for example using jerrycans, pit latrines, kitchen gardens and rainy/dry seasons.

What you will learn

• Why a clean home is healthy
• Daily habits to keep home clean
• Safe water and toilet care
• How to manage waste and pests
• Simple chores you can do

Why a clean home matters

• Fewer germs — less sickness like tummy bugs and coughs.
• No mosquitoes — less malaria if we remove standing water.
• Food stays safe — fewer flies and rats.
• Happy home — it is nicer to live and play in a clean house.

Daily healthy habits

(Short and easy steps you can do every day)

• 🧼 Wash hands with soap and clean water:
  • Before eating, after using latrine, and after touching trash.
• 🧹 Sweep the house:
  • Sweep inside and the compound every morning. Gather dirt into a dustpan and put in a bin.
• 🍽️ Wash dishes right after eating:
  • Use hot water and soap if you can. Keep drying rack clean.
• 💨 Open windows in the morning:
  • Fresh air helps reduce smells and germs.

Cleaning chores (how to do them)

Sweeping: Hold the broom at a comfortable height. Sweep from one corner to the door so dust leaves the room. Use a small brush to get under beds.

Mopping the floor: Use clean water and a little soap or disinfectant. Change water if it gets very dirty. Let floor dry fully before walking.

Dusting: Use a dry cloth or duster. Dust surfaces from top to bottom so dust falls to the floor and can be swept up.

Keeping the latrine/toilet clean: Add a little disinfectant or ash, sweep the floor, and close the toilet lid when not in use. Wash hands after.

Water and sanitation (Kenya notes)

• Keep jerrycans covered. Use a small dipper to take water — do not put dirty hands in stored water.
• If water is from a river, lake or open source, boil it or treat with chlorine before drinking.
• Fix leaking taps and pipes quickly to save water and stop puddles.
• Clean gutters and drains during rainy season to avoid standing water that breeds mosquitoes.

Waste management

• Separate waste if you can:
  • Organic (vegetable peels) — make compost for the kitchen garden.
  • Plastic and cans — keep in a bag for recycling or take to collection points.
  • Hazardous (batteries, medicines, chemicals) — keep locked and give to adults for safe disposal.
• Do not throw rubbish into rivers or farm fields where people get water.
• If you burn rubbish, avoid burning plastic (it makes bad smoke). Better to take plastic to a recycling centre.

Pest control and safety

• Cover food and keep it in clean containers to stop flies and rats.
• Keep cooking area clean — wipe oil and food spills right away.
• Use mosquito nets and remove standing water from buckets or tyres.
• Store cleaning chemicals and medicines up high and locked away from children.

Family chores — a simple chart

You can use this as a daily checklist. Tick when done.

• ☐ Sweep the house
• ☐ Wash dishes after meals
• ☐ Empty dustbin to outside bin
• ☐ Fill and cover jerrycan with clean water
• ☐ Clean toilet seat and floor
• ☐ Help tend kitchen garden / compost

3 Easy activities for you

1. Make a small compost box with banana peels and vegetable scraps. Watch it change and use it on plants after a few weeks.
2. Count how many times today someone washed hands with soap at home. Tell your family why it matters.
3. Check gutters and remove leaves with an adult so water can flow away from the house.

Quick quiz (try to answer!)

1. Q: Why should we cover stored water?
   Answer

   To keep dirt and insects out and keep the water clean for drinking and cooking.
2. Q: Name one thing you should not burn because the smoke is bad.
   Answer

   Plastic. It makes harmful smoke.
3. Q: What should you do after playing outside and before eating?
   Answer

   Wash your hands with soap and water.

Remember: Small daily actions keep your home healthy. Ask an adult to help when something is risky (chemicals, climbing to clean gutters, or fixing pipes). You can make your home cleaner and safer — one small task at a time! 🏡🌿