A few things we know about the coronavirus: (1) it can live on surfaces for days (viable on cardboard for 24 hours and on plastic and stainless steel for 3-4 days). So if your store is out of cleaning products, look to the old stand-by stuff you have at home, primary among them — bleach.
According to Consumer Reports, bleach is a great defense against viruses, and it has been a cleaning staple inside as well as outside the laundry room for many moons. However, Reader’s Digest’s Danielle Braff warns, “Don’t use it straight from the bottle though as that would be way too strong. Instead, mix a solution of ½ cup of bleach to a gallon of water.” She says to use this to disinfect everything in your kitchen from the sink to the floor and even soak your child’s toys in the mixture of 2 teaspoons bleach to 1 gallon of water, soak them for two minutes, then rinse. Gloves are in order, as bleach can irritate and dry your hands. Another warning: don’t keep the bleach solution for more than a few days as it can degrade.
Did you know that common 3 percent hydrogen peroxide can deactivate the rhinovirus (that which causes the common cold)? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it “produces destructive hydroxyl free radicals that can attack membrane lipids, DNA and essential cell components.” And since the rhinovirus is thought to be more difficult to eliminate than the coronavirus, it’s believed that hydrogen peroxide will work for this as well. “Simply pop it into a spray bottle and spray it onto a surface and let it sit for a few minutes before wiping it away,” says Branff.
Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol contains at least 70 percent alcohol. Experts say there is no need to dilute it, as it’s safe for cleaning every surface. Watch out for plastics, however, as it may cause discoloration.
Good old fashioned soap and water? Yup. Believe it or not, soap works better than disinfectants if you’re attempting to destroy viruses as long as you do more than a cursory job of it. Wash your hands thoroughly, with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Soap dissolves the fat membrane so the virus becomes inactive. And make sure to use a clean towel to dry with.
You may be seeing posts on social media about making homemade hand sanitizer, but Branff’s research says it may not work as well as those posting about it believe. “The types you purchase in the store are correctly formulated with more science than simply mixing a little water, aloe, and essential oils,” she says. “If you can’t get your hands on the real stuff, then simply wash your hands with soap and water.
Source: Consumer Reports | TBWS
