Do Household Cleaning Products Work on Coronavirus?

Do household cleaning products work on coronavirus?

Check out this answer from Consensus:

Common household cleaning products, including alcohol-based disinfectants, bleach, and certain detergents, are effective in inactivating coronaviruses when used correctly. However, public education on the safe use of these products is essential to prevent misuse and associated health risks. Further research is needed to evaluate the efficacy of some disinfectants, such as quaternary ammonium compounds, against SARS-CoV-2.

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased focus on hygiene and disinfection practices to prevent the spread of the virus. This article explores the effectiveness of common household cleaning products in inactivating the coronavirus, based on recent research findings.

Effectiveness of Household Cleaning Products

Several studies have investigated the efficacy of various household cleaning agents against coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.

Alcohol-Based Disinfectants

Alcohol-based disinfectants, particularly those containing ethanol, have been shown to be highly effective in inactivating coronaviruses. A systematic review identified that 70% alcohol demonstrated efficient immediate activity against the virus1. Another study confirmed that ethanol could inactivate SARS-CoV-2 at dilutions as low as 40% v/v4.

Bleach and Sodium Hypochlorite

Household bleach, which contains sodium hypochlorite, is another potent disinfectant. Research has shown that bleach is fully effective against SARS-CoV-2 at a concentration of 0.21 g/L sodium hypochlorite after a 30-second exposure4. Sodium hypochlorite was also found to be more effective than chlorine dioxide in treating sewage contaminated with the virus1.

Detergents and Other Compounds

Detergents, including those containing iodine, have also been effective in inactivating coronaviruses. Studies have demonstrated that common household disinfectants containing compounds like triclosan, PCMX, pine oil, and quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) can achieve a significant reduction in virus titers2 6. However, the efficacy of QACs, such as benzalkonium chloride, has been debated, highlighting the need for further evaluation7.

Ineffective Agents

Not all household cleaning agents are effective against coronaviruses. For instance, vinegar and its active ingredient, acetic acid, were found to be completely ineffective at virus inactivation, even at high concentrations4.

Safe Practices and Public Health Implications

While household cleaning products can be effective in inactivating coronaviruses, it is crucial to use them safely. A survey conducted in the United States revealed that many individuals engaged in high-risk practices, such as washing food products with bleach or applying disinfectants to bare skin, which led to adverse health effects3. Public health messaging should emphasize safe and evidence-based practices to prevent transmission of SARS-CoV-2 while avoiding harmful behaviors3 8.

Do household cleaning products work on coronavirus?

Lena Ciric has answered Near Certain

An expert from University College London in Environmental Engineering, Microbiology

Soap and Water

Soap and water are your first line of defence to remove the virus from surfaces. Soap interferes with the fats in the virus shell and lift the virus from surfaces and this is then rinsed off by water. Of course, you also need to wash your hands when you come in from the shops and wash your food as normal.

Bleach

The active ingredient in bleach – sodium hypochlorite – is very effective at killing the virus. Make sure you leave the bleach to work for 10-15 minutes then give the surface a wipe with a clean cloth. The bleach works by destroying the protein and what’s known as the ribonucleic acid (RNA) of the virus – this is the substance that gives the blueprint for making more virus particles when you become infected. Be sure to use the bleach as directed on the bottle.

Surgical spirit

Surgical spirit is mostly made up of the alcohol ethanol. Ethanol has been shown to kill coronaviruses in as little as 30 seconds. Like bleach, the alcohol destroys the protein and RNA that the virus is made up of. Moisten a cloth with some neat surgical spirit and rub it over a surface. This will evaporate and you will not need to wipe it off.

Surface wipes

The active ingredient in surface wipes in an antiseptic –- usually benzalkonium chloride. The wipes work by physically removing germs through the pressure you apply when you use them, and the germs then attach to the wipe.

They also leave a layer of the antiseptic on the surface that works to kill germs. The antiseptic works well on bacteria as well as on coronaviruses that infect mice and dogs – but it seems to make no difference to the spread of human coronavirus. Antiseptics work by disrupting the fats in pathogen cells, but SARS-CoV-2 does not contain many fats. So far, there is no evidence that antiseptics can kill human coronaviruses.

Hand sanitisers

A word of warning though about hand sanitisers. The main ingredient in hand sanitisers that will kill SARS-CoV-2 is ethanol, the alcohol in surgical spirit. But its concentration in the sanitiser is very important –- it has to be over 70 % or it will not kill the virus effectively.

One thing you can also do is make sure you air out the spaces you are spending time in regularly. An infected person will produce thousands of tiny droplets which contain the virus every time they cough. SARS-CoV-2 can survive in the air for up to three hours. So by opening the window, you can remove and disperse the droplets and reduce the amount of virus in the air – which will reduce the risk of infection for others.

We are living in uncertain times but it’s reassuring to know that we have some weapons we can use to fight COVID-19 in our homes. The bottom line: keep washing your hands, use 70% hand sanitiser, dust off the bleach and open a window to let in the spring air.

This answer was adapted from my original article published in The Conversation.