Anxiety about the spread of the COVID-19 virus has led households to significantly increase their use of cleaning and disinfecting chemicals throughout the pandemic. Though well-intentioned, these habits can expose households to toxic chemicals, ultimately causing more harm than good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the virus primarily spreads via person-to-person transmission, covering the surfaces in your home with chemicals won\u2019t necessarily help prevent the spread of COVID; however, it could lead to significant health risks for your family. By learning how to choose safer products and understanding when disinfecting is appropriate, you can guard against viruses and other germs while also protecting your home\u2019s indoor air quality and the health and safety of your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cleaning Your House is Usually Enough<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The science has long been clear that coronaviruses, including the COVID-19 virus, are relatively easy to kill on surfaces because they are surrounded by a protective lipid envelope that easily breaks apart with plain soap and water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, we also know that the risk of surface-to-person transmission of COVID is extremely low. In fact, research<\/a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found there is less than a 1 in 10,000 chance of being infected with COVID-19 from touching a contaminated surface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When to Disinfect Your Home<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While regular cleaning is typically effective at removing most virus particles on surfaces, targeted disinfection is sometimes appropriate \u2014 such as when someone confirmed or suspected to be infected with COVID has been in your house within the past 24 hours. Otherwise, cleaning regularly is sufficient<\/a>, so you don\u2019t have to worry about cleaning every time you touch a surface in your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Importantly, even when disinfecting is appropriate, you should always clean first. Cleaning removes dirt and grime that viruses can hide under.<\/p>\n\n\n\n