Government agencies have been making sure everyone knows some of the best cleaners to kill coronavirus on surfaces, but just as important is knowing how to use them effectively.
Many have to stay wet on a surface for a period of time to actually work correctly.
The Environmental Protection Agency has an 11-page list of items that meet its requirements. And it explains how to use them effectively.
For example, Clorox:
The website says you only have to leave Clorox Multi-Surface Cleaner with Bleach on a surface for one minute for it to kill germs, but diluted Clorox’s Disinfecting Bleach needs to stay wet for at least 10 minutes for it to kill the same amount of germs.
That means it needs to dry on its own. You shouldn’t dry the surface right after you apply it.
And Clorox disinfecting wipes residue needs to stay wet for four minutes to work.
It all has to do with each product’s active ingredients.
One of the most asked questions is how does the EPA know that these products work when it can’t actually test this strain of coronavirus because it’s so new?
The EPA looks at how these products kill other hard to kill viruses and how it works on similar strains.
And another common question the EPA gets: Can you use some of its suggested products in different ways --like maybe not diluting liquid bleach and using it at full strength.
The EPA says that is not recommended and all of the items should be used as recommended.
One thing that’s not on the list is hand sanitizer because it’s regulated by the FDA
With a run on typical household disinfectants, you might be able to use something else in your home, like hydrogen peroxide, to disinfect.
For a full, searchable list of the EPA’s recommended cleaners, click here.