Your transplant center will give you specific guidelines on how to prepare your home so that is it safe for your return. Friends and family are often happy to help with this chore if they know what is required in advance.
Preventing infection after transplant is important. To help reduce your exposure to infectious agents, your transplant team may ask that your family take some or all of the following steps before you return home:
- shampoo the rugs and wash floors
- scrub tiled areas, such as bathrooms, to eliminate mold and mildew
- clean drapes, blinds, and upholstered furniture
- change furnace and air conditioning filters
- remove live plants from the living area
- keep doors and windows closed, if possible
If you have pets, your transplant team may require you to:
- find a temporary home for your pets
- place litter boxes and dog or cat beds in a different part of the house than where you will be
Be sure to let your transplant team know if there has been any recent remodeling or reconstruction in your home. A fungus called aspergillus often occurs around construction sites and remodeling projects and can cause a serious infection in patients with a weak immune system. You may need to avoid these areas until your immune system fully recovers.
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Next Page: Preventing Infection
Updated June 2024
