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Consumer Reports: These Common Household Products Can Destroy the Novel Coronavirus
https://www.consumerreports.org/cleaning/common-household-products-that-can-destroy-novel-coronavirus/These Common Household Products Can Destroy the Novel Coronavirus
CR shows you how to use them and tells you which products to stay away from
By Perry Santanachote
Last updated: March 17, 2020
(...)
Cleaning Products That Destroy Coronavirus
Soap and Water
Just the friction from scrubbing with soap and water can break the coronavirus’s protective envelope. “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. 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
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 ammonia or anything, in fact, except water. (The only exception is when doing laundry with detergent.) Once mixed, don't keep the solution for longer than a day because bleach will degrade certain plastic containers.
"Always clean the surface with water and detergent first, since many materials can react with bleach and deactivate it," Sachleben says. "Dry the surface then apply the bleach solution and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before wiping it off."
Bleach can corrode metal over time, so Sachleben recommends that people not get into the habit of cleaning their faucets and stainless steel products with it. Because bleach is harsh for many countertops as well, you should rinse surfaces with water after disinfecting to prevent discoloration or damage to the surface.
Isopropyl Alcohol
Alcohol solutions with at least 70 percent alcohol are effective against coronavirus on hard surfaces. First, clean the surface with water and detergent. Apply the alcohol solution (do not dilute it) and let it sit on the surface for at least 30 seconds to disinfect. Alcohol is generally safe for all surfaces but can discolor some plastics, Sachleben says.
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 at least 1 minute.
Hydrogen peroxide is not corrosive, so it’s okay to use it on metal surfaces. But similar to bleach, it can discolor fabrics if you accidentally get in on your clothes. “It’s great for getting into hard-to-reach crevices,” Sachleben says. “You can pour it on the area and you don’t have to wipe it off because it essentially decomposes into oxygen and water.”
What Not to Use Against Coronavirus
Homemade Hand Sanitizer
You’re probably seeing all sorts of hand sanitizer recipes floating around your social media and the internet, but Thomas, at Upstate Medical in Syracuse, advises against making your own. “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.”
Sachleben seconds that advice. “I’m a professional chemist, and I don’t mix my own disinfectant products at home,” he says. “Companies spend a bunch of time and money to pay chemists specifically to formulate hand sanitizers that work and that are safe. If you make it yourself, how can you know if it’s stable or if it works?”
Vodka
There are widely circulated recipes on the internet using vodka to combat coronavirus. A couple of vodka makers, including Tito’s, 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
Disinfection recommendations using vinegar are popular online, but there is no evidence that they are effective against coronavirus. (Read about the 9 things you should never clean with vinegar.)
When Retailers Expect More Supplies
Wondering when you’ll be able to get your hands on hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes, Clorox sprays, etc., at your local store? CR spoke to major chains, including Costco, CVS, Kroger, Stop & Shop, and Walgreens. They said that they are seeing temporary shortages and are restocking as quickly as their suppliers allow (though CVS says it is not seeing a shortage of disinfectant wipes and sprays). Kroger and Stop & Shop have instituted purchase limits.
But your best bet, says Burt Flickinger, managing director at Strategic Resource Group, a retail and consumer goods consulting firm, is to go to the warehouse stores and large grocery chains.
"They have their own distribution warehouses and constantly replenish their stock," he explains. He adds that Walmart has one of the best distribution chains in the country and is prepared for natural disasters like tornadoes or hurricanes. In other words, their system is already in place, so they don't have to scramble to meet demand.
Flickinger says the best time to shop is 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., because the shelves are typically restocked overnight. He anticipates that supplies from Clorox, 3M, and Procter & Gamble will be replenished the soonest.
CR shows you how to use them and tells you which products to stay away from
By Perry Santanachote
Last updated: March 17, 2020
(...)
Cleaning Products That Destroy Coronavirus
Soap and Water
Just the friction from scrubbing with soap and water can break the coronavirus’s protective envelope. “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. 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
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 ammonia or anything, in fact, except water. (The only exception is when doing laundry with detergent.) Once mixed, don't keep the solution for longer than a day because bleach will degrade certain plastic containers.
"Always clean the surface with water and detergent first, since many materials can react with bleach and deactivate it," Sachleben says. "Dry the surface then apply the bleach solution and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before wiping it off."
Bleach can corrode metal over time, so Sachleben recommends that people not get into the habit of cleaning their faucets and stainless steel products with it. Because bleach is harsh for many countertops as well, you should rinse surfaces with water after disinfecting to prevent discoloration or damage to the surface.
Isopropyl Alcohol
Alcohol solutions with at least 70 percent alcohol are effective against coronavirus on hard surfaces. First, clean the surface with water and detergent. Apply the alcohol solution (do not dilute it) and let it sit on the surface for at least 30 seconds to disinfect. Alcohol is generally safe for all surfaces but can discolor some plastics, Sachleben says.
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 at least 1 minute.
Hydrogen peroxide is not corrosive, so it’s okay to use it on metal surfaces. But similar to bleach, it can discolor fabrics if you accidentally get in on your clothes. “It’s great for getting into hard-to-reach crevices,” Sachleben says. “You can pour it on the area and you don’t have to wipe it off because it essentially decomposes into oxygen and water.”
What Not to Use Against Coronavirus
Homemade Hand Sanitizer
You’re probably seeing all sorts of hand sanitizer recipes floating around your social media and the internet, but Thomas, at Upstate Medical in Syracuse, advises against making your own. “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.”
Sachleben seconds that advice. “I’m a professional chemist, and I don’t mix my own disinfectant products at home,” he says. “Companies spend a bunch of time and money to pay chemists specifically to formulate hand sanitizers that work and that are safe. If you make it yourself, how can you know if it’s stable or if it works?”
Vodka
There are widely circulated recipes on the internet using vodka to combat coronavirus. A couple of vodka makers, including Tito’s, 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
Disinfection recommendations using vinegar are popular online, but there is no evidence that they are effective against coronavirus. (Read about the 9 things you should never clean with vinegar.)
When Retailers Expect More Supplies
Wondering when you’ll be able to get your hands on hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes, Clorox sprays, etc., at your local store? CR spoke to major chains, including Costco, CVS, Kroger, Stop & Shop, and Walgreens. They said that they are seeing temporary shortages and are restocking as quickly as their suppliers allow (though CVS says it is not seeing a shortage of disinfectant wipes and sprays). Kroger and Stop & Shop have instituted purchase limits.
But your best bet, says Burt Flickinger, managing director at Strategic Resource Group, a retail and consumer goods consulting firm, is to go to the warehouse stores and large grocery chains.
"They have their own distribution warehouses and constantly replenish their stock," he explains. He adds that Walmart has one of the best distribution chains in the country and is prepared for natural disasters like tornadoes or hurricanes. In other words, their system is already in place, so they don't have to scramble to meet demand.
Flickinger says the best time to shop is 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., because the shelves are typically restocked overnight. He anticipates that supplies from Clorox, 3M, and Procter & Gamble will be replenished the soonest.
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