If you’re continuing to play club bridge, remember to think of your health (and by extension, the health of everyone else at the event).

Sanitization remains just as important.

According to the CDC, between 3% to 11% of people in the United States will develop flu or its related symptoms every year.

Now, what do you imagine the risk of potential infection is for your bridge club as a whole – and considering there are more infectious conditions than just the flu?

Sanitization can save lives. Here are some quick sanitization tips for club games.

Step 1 (Is Quality Sanitization Stuff)

The first step is to make sure that you have high-quality sanitization stuff to carry to your club. Check the ingredients and stick to medical grade cleaning chemicals where possible; usually alcohol-based is best.

It’s worth buying in bulk as a club. It’s also worth carrying smaller ones around for daily use.

Simple sanitization goes a long way.

Step 2: Scrubbing The Deck

Always clean the deck.

At a bridge game, it’s the most frequently touched and handled item. (Shouldn’t that tell you enough?)

A card deck can be cleaned by gently wiping, but a deck can also be zipped into a Ziplock bag together with antibacterial powder (or talc) and stuck in the freezer. This takes care of any residual oils that remain on the cards, and sub-zero temperatures can eliminate anything that’s left after that.

Step 3: Sanitize Everything Else

Take a moment to observe the average club game – or just people at your nearest supermarket while they move through to do their shopping.

The first thing you’ll notice is this: people touch everything.

Hands move from card decks, to snacks, to bannisters, to tables…

It’s always a good idea to sanitize everything else at the club.