Stomach Bug Basket and Other Supplies
Stomach bug basket is more PC, but I call it our barf basket. The barf basket resides on a shelf in our laundry room. I keep it stocked with supplies we use whenever a kid is taken out by a stomach virus.
Having mostly everything we’ll need in one place is helpful because the vibes usually aren’t very chill when a kid vomits on themselves, their bedding, and carpet in the middle of the night.
The barf basket is also handy if you’re a single parent, parenting solo, or other people are watching your kid when they fall victim to a stomach bug. Mostly everything is in one place so no one has to run around trying to find things.


Barf Bags

Why do I love emesis bags aka barf bags? Let me count the ways.
- Emesis bags are compact. They’re easy to store and easy to travel with. I keep a couple in our cars just in case.
- Little to no vomit splash back.
- Easy vomit clean up. Twist the bag, sealing the vomit inside, and throw it in the trash.
- Minimal contact with vomit, reducing the potential spread of the virus to others.
When the boys have had stomach viruses, I’ve placed 2-3 barf bags in their beds with them along with one on their nightstand. I usually also deploy a double bagged trash can (two trash bags inside the trash can in case one bag has a hole) right by their bed, for added reinforcement.
Clean Up Supplies

I keep a roll of paper towels, DIY bleach spray (more info below), plastic drop cloths, kitchen garbage bags, and disposable gloves in our barf basket. The bleach sits on the laundry shelf by the barf basket.
The plastic drop cloth is when there’s identified puker, and I don’t want to risk them vomiting on the rug in their room. Some may say this is going too far, but I’d rather throw away a plastic drop cloth than clean a wool rug.
The kitchen trash bags are for disposal of used clean-up paper towels and for bagging up clothing that will need to be laundered. Bagging the soiled clothing contains the vomit-laced clothing, minimizing the spread of the virus.
The disposable gloves are to wear for clean-up and laundering soiled clothing. Because who likes touching vomit?
Speaking of laundering soiled clothing, wash the items with detergent and hot water at the maximum cycle length. Machine dry at the highest heat setting.
Bleach Spray

Chlorine bleach is the gold standard norovirus killer. Make sure you get a chlorine bleach that’s 5% to 8% sodium hypochlorite. No-splash bleach is typically 4.5%, so it’s not the best option.
I use a 24 ounce spray bottle that I fill with 3 cups water and 3 teaspoons of bleach. Make sure you label the bottle.
Leave bleach disinfectant on the affected area for at least 5 minutes. Then, clean the entire area again with soap and hot water.
Antiemetics

Antiemetics are used to treat nausea and vomiting. Benadryl and Dramamine are OTC antiemetics. They can help relieve nausea and vomiting. Here are links to Target in case you want to do a Target pick-up order: Benadryl, Dramamine, and alcohol prep pads.
Studies have shown that inhaling isopropyl alcohol in the form of alcohol prep pads improves mild to moderate nausea and vomiting symptoms. One study even showed that sniffing alcohol prep pads had a greater and faster impact than prescription-only Zofran. I can attest that when I feel nauseous and sniffed an alcohol prep pad for 15-30 seconds, the nausea symptoms immediately subside. I keep these in the barf basket, our kitchen first aid cabinet, our upstairs first aid kit, and my purse.
I’m obviously not a doctor, so consult with your doctor about the use of these OTC methods.
Mattress Protectors and Underpads

I keep extra mattress protectors in the barf basket. Mattress protectors aren’t only for mattresses. You can use them on furniture, like a couch or chair, upholstered headboards, and rugs or carpeting.
I keep one king size mattress protector in the barf basket. It fits on our bed should an identified puker request to sleep in our bed. I’ve also used this mattress cover on a living room couch when the puker wants to watch TV. I’ve also used it on the floor instead of a plastic drop cloth.
I also keep at least one full size mattress protector in the basket. I’ve used this one to cover Emmett’s upholstered headboard in the past. We have more mattress protectors in our hallway linen closet.
One thing I learned when Owen was a baby was to double layer his crib with mattress protector, fitted sheet, mattress protector, fitted sheet. This makes it easier to change the bedding in the middle of the night if needed. I’ve done the same with their beds whenever they’ve had a stomach bug.
Two reusable underpads may have made their way home with me after giving birth to my children. (Healthcare is a racket, don’t give me shit.) I use the reusable underpads as double protection on top of the mattress protector under the puker.
Old Towels
Old towels are kept in the stomach bug basket. These are for clean up.
When the kids were younger, I kept more old, regular sized towels in the barf basket. I don’t know about your infant and toddler, but mine would flip out if I shoved something like a trash can in their face to puke in. Someone once suggested having them vomit on a towel. This method worked well for us. You position the towel in front of them and let them yack. Clean up is obviously less than ideal but at least they aren’t puking all over your carpet or furniture. We used old white towels so it didn’t matter when we bleached them.
Electrolyte Powder Packets

Hydration is key when the stomach bug is obliterating your house. I’ve found that electrolyte powder packs have a longer shelf life than regular Pedialyte. The powder packs also take up less space and are easier to travel with.
Smart Thermometer
I swear by our smart thermometer. It connects to an app on your phone. So when you take your kid’s temperature with the smart thermometer, the temp automatically loads into the app with the time you took the temp. You can also add the temp manually if it’s having issues syncing. I like how it shows the time you took their temp and the temp so you can track the fever.
You can add when you gave meds so you can keep track of what med you gave and at what time. This is helpful when you’re alternating ibuprofen and acetaminophen.
You can also add multiple people to your smart thermometer app account in the app. This is helpful when multiple people are caring for a sick kid (partner, grandparent, caregiver, etc.). That way they can download the app onto their phones and also see and enter temp and when meds are given.
Other things you can add: notes, reminders (to check temp, give meds), symptoms. I like how I can have everything in one app. The app also tells you local illness data (e.g. high cases of flu, etc.).
Want more info on kid’s fevers? Check out this informative Instagram Reel.
Best of Luck
This concludes my stomach bug basket tour. Godspeed.