![]() ![]() ![]() With increased handwashing and sanitizing, your hands may get dry and start to crack. That's why it's important to wash with soap and water. Remember: Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are not as effective when our hands are visibly dirty or greasy. ![]() “People may be fooling themselves into thinking that they’re using something that will help, when it won’t.” “I’m concerned people will not prepare it with the correct percentage of alcohol,” he said. Swartzberg believes that doing something is ultimately better than doing nothing, but he worries that DIY hand sanitizers might give people a false sense of security. “You’ll never know what you’re doing is as good as what you can buy at the store,” he said. He’s a chemist and even he said he doesn’t mix his own disinfectant products at home. Sachleben also has concerns about DIY hand sanitizer recipes. And if your solution doesn't have a high enough concentration of alcohol, it won't be doing you any good.” “You may not get the concentrations right. “Most of the experts that we've talked to have said this is not the best idea,” Roberts said. The antiseptic agent is the additional measure of security that any virus left behind will be killed.” You've got to physically wipe away the grime. “The elbow grease and force that you put into the cleaning process can really pay dividends. ![]() “To decontaminate a surface, you can’t just swipe it, you’ve got to scrub it, really scrub it until the entire surface is wet, and then let it dry on its own,” Pottinger said. NEXT: Staying in due to the coronavirus? Here's what to stock in your fridge and pantry Proper technique: A quick swipe isn’t good enough Tito’s Handmade Vodka tweeted a warning that its vodka is only 40 percent alcohol, and therefore, “does not meet the current recommendation of the CDC” that hand sanitizer needs to contain at least 60 percent alcohol. “The concentration of alcohol in vodka is not high enough to kill viruses.” “Please, do not use vodka to clean your surfaces,” Roberts said. So be cautious if you use it, Sachleben told NBC News BETTER.ĭespite what you may have seen on social media, vodka is not effective at sanitizing, nor are any other types of distilled spirits. Bleach can also damage some paint, and over time, it can corrode metal. Be careful not to let it splash onto anything else. So if you go this route, do a little test before you clean an entire surface with your homemade bleach solution. Keep in mind that bleach is a harsh cleaner. This solution will lose its effectiveness in about 24 hours, so you’ll have to make a new batch every day. Here’s the CDC formula for making a diluted bleach solution: Use 5 tablespoons (1/3 cup) of bleach in one gallon of water or 4 teaspoons of bleach in one quart of water. To protect your skin, you should wear gloves when using bleach - and don’t mix the bleach with anything but water. “The problem is, it’s stinky, it’s hard to use and it can damage what you’re trying to clean.” Paul Pottinger, a professor of infectious diseases at the University of Washington Medical Center. “Bleach is very effective at killing the coronavirus, as well as virtually every other germ on the face of the planet,” said Dr. Lifestyle Worried about the coronavirus? Wash your hands and use sanitizer the right way Bleach solution The CDC website also has recommendations for households with suspected or confirmed coronavirus cases. The Environmental Protection Agency has a list of those that meet its criteria for use against the novel coronavirus. In fact, you may already have some of them at home. The demand for disinfecting wipes may be outstripping supply right now, but there are many other products you can use. “They're actually EPA registered pesticides, so as much as you can, try to use them when kids are not around because they can trigger asthma.” But commercial disinfecting products contain “pretty serious chemicals,” she warned. Roberts suggests making a checklist of all the places you want to clean, so you don’t forget any of them. “Focus on high-touch areas - that’s faucet handles, doorknobs, stair rails and countertops - the things that you have your hands on all the time.”īest practice is to disinfect these surfaces several times a day. “Regular cleaning with normal cleaning supplies does a great job of removing all kinds of germs, not just coronavirus, from surfaces,” said Catherine Roberts, associate health editor at Consumer Reports. Politics 'It's irresponsible and it's dangerous': Experts rip Trump's idea of injecting disinfectant to treat COVID-19 ![]()
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