Spring-Cleaning for Coronavirus
It's time for spring cleaning. With COVID-19, we're also thinking about disinfecting the home. The good news is that coronavirus is easily destroyed by most disinfectants. But what is the best "disinfectant"—and what is not (e.g., vinegar)? Here are some facts to dispel the confusion—plus helpful tips on cleaning.
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Much of the COVID-19 “information” making the rounds seems abstract and confusing. How much do we really need to disinfect and how? Let's first review what we mean by "disinfecting."
What Is Disinfecting?
Did you know? There are actually different levels of cleaning defined by the CDC. It's all about the level of germs and microbial organisms left behind.
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Cleaning: Removing visible debris, dirt, and dust. You may or may not kill bacteria.
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Sanitizing: Reducing, not killing, the number and growth of bacteria, viruses, and fungi. We should regularly sanitize food preparation areas, doorknobs, light switches, computer services, mobile phones, faucets, stair rails, and bed linens.
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Disinfecting: Killing viruses and germs and microscopic organisms. Stopping the spread of infectious microbes. We don't always need a disinfectant. Overusing disinfectant products can create resistant microbes. However, we DO need a disinfectant when there is someone ill in the house or someone has a compromised immune system.
Tip: For both sanitizing and disinfecting, all cleaners (including wipes) must remain on a surface for 4 to 10 minutes to effectively kill germs and bacteria. A quick wipe is NOT enough.
Disinfecting Your House
Since we're dealing with COVID-19, let's talk about disinfecting. What we know right now:
- COVID-19 can remain on hard surfaces for days.
- Disinfect all hard surfaces.
- Use only EPA-approved disinfecting agents.
- When disinfecting, wear disposable gloves and discard them after use.
Do you really need to disinfect all of your counters and tabletops, bedside tables, appliances, door handles, and faucets?
Maybe not, as long as nobody in the household is sick or feeling sick, and as long as no one has come into the house or left the house for work, shopping, or errands and returned. Consider setting up an outdoor hand-washing station (bucket of water, soap, paper towels or hand towels) for household members returning.
If someone does show symptoms, clean the surfaces several times a day with a product that kills viruses.
Which Products Kill Viruses?
The encouraging news is that coronaviruses are some of the easiest types of viruses to kill. They are not hardy and are easily destroyed by good disinfecting products. According to the EPA, disinfectants break a protective coating around the coronavirus so that it can't spread to another cell.
- Soap and water
- Bleach [Wear gloves! Use 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) of bleach in 1 gallon of water or 4 teaspoons of bleach in 1 quart of water.]
- Isopropyl alcohol (Don't dilute.)
- Hydrogen peroxide (Don't dilute.)
Of course, if you don't use the products correctly, you defeat the entire purpose. Consult this detailed information site developed by Consumer Reports. It tells you when and how to disinfect, which products to use, and, importantly, which products won’t work. Make sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for all disinfection products.
Important! Don't mix common household disinfectants. The following combinations may create toxic vapors that can damage organs, and cause nerve damage, breathing difficulties and/or throat burns.
- Bleach and vinegar
- Windex and vinegar
- Bleach and ammonia
- Bleach and rubbing alcohol
- Hydrogen peroxide and vinegar, bleach, or ammonia
- Bleach and toilet bowl cleaner
Check labels on all cleaning products to avoid accidental mixing. Some products may contain more than one ingredient.
Best practice: When disinfecting, even though you may prefer different products for difference cleaning jobs, never mix them. Stick with a single product for each cleaning job.
Which Products Do Not Kill Coronavirus?
Here are a few products that some folks think help but in reality do very little:
- White distilled vinegar. We all know that vinegar has many wonderful household uses, but it's not a disinfectant that kills coronavirus.
- Vodka
- Homemade hand sanitizers
If you have companion animals at home, check out, "Quarantine the cat? Disinfect the dog? The latest advice about the coronavirus and your pets"
Hand-washing Is Still the Best Defense
One more reminder: Hand-washing is still your best defense against COVID-19. It may not sound fancy, but it works when done right. See how to properly wash your hands.
If your hands start to feel dried out, be sure to moisturize! You don't want cracked skin that exposes your body to germs. See our tips on relief for dry hands and skin.
Keep up your hand-washing practice, stay home, keep talking the positive self-talk, and comfort your loved ones—at home or remotely.
More Helpful Information
Approved Disinfectants for Use Against Novel Coronavirus (EPA)
Recommendations for Households With Suspected Coronavirus (CDC)
See my previous posts: "COVID-19: The Facts" and "Social Distancing vs. Self-Quarantine."
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what about dry vapor steam cleaners?
Is it advisable for people to wear disposable gloves when food shopping, or is that over reacting? Thanks.
You're not overreacting. While there's no evidence that people have contracted the virus from food, or from food packaging, many experts suggest wearing disposable gloves for (any kind of) shopping.
This is out of an abundance of caution, since research has shown that infective virus particles may persist on hard surfaces for several days. Please remember: there's still so much we don't know about this new virus, how and who it infects, how long the pandemic will last, and just which kinds of precautions best work to keep us safe from infection.
When you return to your car after shopping, remove the gloves carefully and place them in a trash bag before driving home. When you get home, put on a fresh pair to remove items from your grocery bags. Wipe down items stored in hard plastic, glass, or metal (butter and yogurt tubs, glass jars, containers of nuts, etc) with a freshly made 10% household bleach solution, and let them dry before tucking them away in your fridge (or otherwise storing them). Then wash your hands and disinfect any surfaces where you set down your newly purchased food.
Some people separate non-perishable items like coffee, canned foods, and boxed foods in a cardboard box and leave them in the garage or on the porch for a few days before storing in their cupboards. If you have the space, that seems like a good idea.
For all my disinfection purposes, I've cut up a few absorbent cotton rags, placed them into a gallon zip-lock bag, and poured fresh bleach solution (after squeezing out the older liquid) into the bag to saturate the rags each time I need to disinfect surfaces or items. (Note: I've already produced a few tied-dyed shirts & pants using this method. But hey, it's cheap and it works!)
If you can't find a box of disposable gloves, look for chemical-resistant nitrile gloves, available from many agricultural and industrial suppliers. Don't get the ones with fabric backs; make sure the nitrile coating covers the entire hand and fingers. Many of these are sturdy enough to scrub and reuse. Lather thoroughly with soap while wearing them, and scrub under running water as you would your hands.
Thank you for this practical advice. I like how it's framed. After all, it *is* Spring cleaning time, when some deeper-than-usual cleaning would be warranted anyway; hand washing is always the best defense; and positive self-talk and staying in touch with loved ones is always good for the immune system. :)
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