Deep cleaning and killing the covid virus

I am afraid that very little has been said about cleaning effectively. You still read on here about gransnetters using antibacterial sprays.

First you clean and then you sanitise according to health and hygiene standards. You definitely do not use the same cloth. A lot of establishments are deep cleaning using steam. I don’t know why we aren’t using the special chlorine spray that other countries use instead of bleach and much cheaper. You can even fine mist people with it walking through an arch like they have at airports for metal detection.

I have read that only bleach solutions kill virus's. This surely means that spraying tables and chairs with disinfectant is useless.

But maybe it is enough.

It's difficult to find good information about what exactly will destroy the virus despite the 'riches' of the internet..

As far as I can see the destructive agents are
soap (including detergents) which destroys the oily surface layer of the virus,

alcohol at a higher than 60% concentration (some sites say 70%)

bleach (sodium hypochlorite). (A 'safe' bleach is sanitising fluid used to sterilise baby equipment, it doesn't contain the toxic nasties found in common household bleach)

Soap presumably works quite instantly, also alcohol
Bleach needs at least 5 minutes to be effective (probably 10 is safer)

I'm not at all convinced by the constant antibacterial spraying of everything, but at least it will be protecting us from bacterial infections.

I go for the baby sterilising stuff for our domestic use. Handwashing and gels as needed.

Quarantining of some items if practicable.

Soap kills Covid19 but I have no idea how long it takes.

I was only thinking today that we haven’t really moved forward much with our knowledge of how to live with this virus other than the realisation that masks help.

Dettol spray says it kills 99% of bacteria and viruses.

However, is COVID one if the 1% it doesn't destroy?
How do we know?

Really disappointed to hear that it’s the Americans that are training dogs to sniff out the virus. I really thought we were doing it here.

Maizie
Snap! We also use the baby sterilising stuff to clean surfaces and products we bring home from the shops. Also we quarantine some things. You’ve outlined the various things which will kill the virus. As you say, all soap and detergents, so hot water and washing up liquid does the job, washing powder kills the virus with no need to wash at 60 or 90 degrees because the detergent dissolves the fatty layer around the virus, alcohol, bleach and disinfectants kill the virus.
The main way the virus spreads is still thought to be droplets or in the air. Touch is far less important in the spread of the virus, but it’s not impossible. Scientists are now saying it’s unlikely that anyone will catch Covid19 from their post, parcels, or shopping. But we still clean and quarantine.

Scientists are also saying, and have for a good while, that the amount of viral load is key to people becoming infected, and how ill they become. This true also of other viruses and bacteria. So you can be exposed to a small viral load and not get ill at all, or just mildly ill, but if you are exposed to a greater viral load, you are more likely to become quite ill or very ill. So any cleaning will presumably keep the possible viral load lower.

Does anyone have a link to instructions on effective cleaning? For example I wipe down my kitchen work surface with a soapy mild bleach solution. Do I need to leave it on for a particular time or is wiping with a damp cloth enough?

This is so weird. DH has just been to the dentist and had to rinse his mouth with some sort of solution: and now an advert has popped up on my Facebook page for mouthwash. I wondered right from the start if mouthwashes/nasal sprays could be used to stop people catching/spreading the virus.

Shouldn't this sort of thing be done on a regular basis anyway, even without the virus ??

I seem to remember reading or hearing about fat dissolving liquids work, because they attack the fat content of the virus. So fairy liquid for example, or just plain soaps are actually better than these anti bac solutions which supposedly only work on bacteria. Any sort of cleaning must be better than nothing, and as someone pointed out, it’s about the loading.

Toadinthehole

I seem to remember reading or hearing about fat dissolving liquids work, because they attack the fat content of the virus. So fairy liquid for example, or just plain soaps are actually better than these anti bac solutions which supposedly only work on bacteria. Any sort of cleaning must be better than nothing, and as someone pointed out, it’s about the loading.

The soap molecules penetrate the oily covered molecules of the virus which then disperse when you rinse your hands.

Ah, ok, thank you. I didn’t dream it then?🤪

SpringyChicken, but they aren’t wiping the cleaner off are they? They wipe the tables and presumably the cleaning fluid gets left behind?
As has been said already it may not be anything more than an antibacterial spray but I use a product that kills viruses too. I dilute it and put it in a plain bottle. It has to be left on the surface for 10mins.
I clean surfaces that aren’t touched by clients with a soapy solution.
Until Boris put paid to my client list this week I seemed to do more cleaning than working.

Toadinthehole

Ah, ok, thank you. I didn’t dream it then?🤪

No.
They stab the offending virus molecules which deflate and get washed away.

I do have some hand gel but don't use it often, only if I go out and can't wash my hands with soap and water.
We use tablet soap, various makes.

Scientists are now saying it’s unlikely that anyone will catch Covid19 from their post, parcels, or shopping. But we still clean and quarantine.

There is so much contradictory stuff out there that I like to use the precautionary principle, maddyone

(We now have to fight the 'mask' battle...so many people seem to be denying what seems to me to be bl**ding obvious; that masks hugely reduce the transmission of the virus in aerosols...)

Oh, Callistomen. How lovely. All those soap molecules having a stab with their little swords...

I shall think about them while I sing Happy Birthday. Twice.

I need to find a new song.

Any suggestions, anyone?

The kidney dialysis unit I worked on had an excellent record for keeping patients infection free. To clean the units we used spray bottles with a couple of tablespoons of Milton, ONE drop of fairy liquid then half fill with hot water. Probably cheaper than other cleaners as a bonus! Too much washing up liquid and you would be battling the froth and bubbles, as I found to my cost.

Would “For he’s a jolly good fellow” be an option or would it get you lynched?