CLEANING FOR CORONAVIRUS
WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some of which already circulate among humans and cause mild illness, like the common cold. The virus causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new strain first identified in China. Health experts continue to learn more about this new strain. The virus has symptoms associated with respiratory illnesses, including fever, cough and shortness of breath. It seems to spread like other respiratory illnesses as well, primarily through person-to-person contact.
Thankfully coronaviruses are some of the easiest types of viruses to kill with the appropriate product, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. We’ve composed a list of targeted and simple hygiene practices that can go a long way to help keep you safe.
WASH YOUR HANDS
20 seconds is the rule! Scrub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before rinsing and drying. Here are a few catchy songs to sing while you get those hands nice and clean!
DISINFECT LIKE GRANDMA USED TO!
Here are a few household cleaning products that have been labeled effective against COVID-19:
Soap and Water
Just the friction from scrubbing with soap and water can render COVID-19 powerless. “Scrub like you’ve got sticky stuff on the surface and you really need to get it off,” says Richard Sachleben, an organic chemist and member of the American Chemical Society. He says, “discard the towel or leave it in a bowl of soapy water for a while to destroy any virus particles that may have survived.”
Bleach
Grandma’s wisdom (and penchant for bleach) prevails! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a diluted bleach solution (⅓ cup bleach per 1 gallon of water or 4 teaspoons bleach per 1 quart of water) for virus disinfection. Wear gloves while using bleach, and never mix it with anything except water. (The only exception is when doing laundry with detergent.).
Isopropyl Alcohol
Alcohol solutions with at least 70 percent alcohol are effective against coronavirus. Don’t dilute the alcohol solution, pour it into a spray bottle to keep in high traffic areas and spray away!
Hydrogen Peroxide
According to the CDC, household (3 percent) hydrogen peroxide is effective in deactivating rhinovirus, the virus that causes the common cold, within 6 to 8 minutes of exposure. Rhinovirus is more difficult to destroy than coronaviruses, so hydrogen peroxide should be able to break down coronavirus in less time. Pour it undiluted into a spray bottle and spray it on the surface to be cleaned, but let it sit on the surface for several minutes.
DON’TS
Homemade Hand Sanitizer
You’ve probably seen multiple hand sanitizer recipes online but this is potentially unsafe. Stephen Thomas, M.D., chief of infectious diseases and director of global health at Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, advises against making your own. He says, “People don’t know the right ratios to use, and the internet won’t give you the right answer,” he warns. “Not only can you hurt yourself, but it could give you a false sense of security.”
Vodka
There are widely circulated recipes on the internet using vodka to combat coronavirus. A couple of vodka makers, including Tito’s and Smirnoff, have already come out with statements telling their customers that their 80-proof product does not contain enough ethyl alcohol (40 percent compared with the 70 percent required) to kill the coronavirus.
Distilled White Vinegar
White vinegar is great for a lot of things but protecting against COVID-19 is not one of them. Disinfection recommendations using vinegar are popular online, but there is no evidence that they are effective against coronavirus.