Quote:
Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal
It probably takes me 5 years to go through the standard bottle of bleach. I rarely use it for cleaning, particularly not on granite counters (I use a food-safe sealer on granite and bleach will destroy the sealer).
"Sanitizing" is for hospitals, not homes. where hot water and soap are good enough for cleaning.
Don't get me started on those stupid "hand sanitizers" which don't do what most people think they do.
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Some definitions:
What is the difference between disinfection, sanitation and sterilization? - eXtension
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Disinfection uses antimicrobial agents on non-living objects or surfaces to destroy or inactivate microorganisms. Disinfectants may not kill all bacteria, viruses, fungi and spores. Most disinfectants are weakened or inactivated by organic matter such as dirt and feces.
Sanitation uses an antimicrobial agent on objects, surfaces or living tissue to reduce the number of disease-causing organisms to non-threatening levels. Sanitizing does not affect some spores and viruses. A practical method of sanitizing hands is to wash them with soap under running hot water for at least 20 seconds.
Sterilization is using chemicals, temperature, gas and/or pressure to kill or inactivate all disease-causing bacteria, spores, fungi and viruses.
As you can see, sanitation with soap and water physically removes dirt and reduces the number of organisms. Those organisms will regrow. That is why you need to wash hands frequently, especially if they are visibly dirty.
Alcohol based hand rubs should not be used if the hands are visibly soiled. At times when you do not have easy access to soap and water, they provide a useful option. They do not kill some organisms, such as
Norovirus and
Clostridium Difficile, but fortunately contact with those is not a daily occurrence for most of us. Hospital staff will use a combination of washing and use of rubs.
For cleaning household surfaces, sanitation is again what we need. Disinfection is not needed every time you clean; plain soap and water is sufficient. For surfaces that come in contact with food, you can take it a step further, by disinfecting. As explained in this link, the difference may be in how long you leave the product on the surface you want to disinfect:
Dear TMH: How Do You Clean Your Home After Recovering From a Cold? | The Manly Housekeeper
"Most home cleaners can both sanitize and disinfect – it just depends on how long you let the cleaner sit on the dirty area. If it sits long enough, the area becomes disinfected. A couple things to keep in mind, however. The cleaner often needs to sit for significant lengths of time until a surface can be considered disinfected. Take the common Clorox or Lysol Disinfecting Wipes. A close study of the label reveals that a dirty countertop needs to remain “visibly wet†for 30 seconds until it is sanitized and 4 minutes until it is disinfected. If using the environmentally friendly Seventh Generation Disinfecting Wipes the area needs to sit visibly wet for 10 minutes until the area is considered disinfected. The best part about those wipes is that they don’t leave too much liquid behind and counters dry quickly. This means you aren’t disinfecting anything.
This isn’t just disposable wipes. Counters wiped with a bleach solution (1 cup bleach in 1 gallon of water) need to stand visibly wet for 5 minutes until considered disinfected."
From the CDC:
How To Clean and Disinfect Schools To Help Slow the Spread of Flu | Seasonal Influenza (Flu) | CDC
"Always follow label directions on cleaning products and disinfectants. Wash surfaces with a general household cleaner to remove germs. Rinse with water, and follow with an EPA-registered disinfectant to kill germs. Read the label to make sure it states that EPA has approved the product for effectiveness against influenza A virus.
If an EPA-registered disinfectant is not available, use a fresh chlorine bleach solution. To make and use the solution:
Add 1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 quart (4 cups) of water. For a larger supply of disinfectant, add ¼ cup of bleach to 1 gallon (16 cups) of water.
Apply the solution to the surface with a cloth.
Let it stand for 3 to 5 minutes.
Rinse the surface with clean water."
For those who prefer vinegar or other natural products:
Commercial Disinfectants Protect Best Against Disease
"For people seeking the best protection against disease-causing organisms in home kitchens and bathrooms, commercial disinfectants do a better job at eliminating them than do natural, environmentally friendly products. According to research in the North Carolina Statewide Program for Infection Control and Epidemiology (NC-SPICE), the commercial disinfectants tested killed 99.9% of bugs, including Salmonella, Escherichia coli(E. coli), and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE). The natural products eliminated only 90% of the bugs.
'We found the natural products were far less effective than commercial household disinfectants,' lead researcher William A. Rutala, MD, tells WebMD."
Vinegar is not as effective as bleach. Commercial products contain ingredients to help remove dirt and disinfect at the same time. Bleach is a cheap alternative. Just be sure that if you are looking for disinfection you leave the product on the surface long enough to accomplish that.
There is seldom a need to
sterilize anything in your home. It is not possible to sterilize the environment anyway. Even operating rooms are not sterilized. They are disinfected. Instruments used during surgery are sterilized. In the home, canning jars are perhaps one exception. If your water is chlorinated, you may wash baby bottles and nipples by hand in hot soapy water. If the water is not chlorinated, you may use the dishwasher or boil them on the stove top.
https://patienteducation.osumc.edu/d...s/steriliz.pdf
If someone in the family is ill, use of a "sick room" can help confine contaminated items like soiled tissues and keep them from being spread all over the house. Dishes go in the dishwasher with the rest of the load, and linens can be washed in hot water. Disinfect hard surfaces and the bathroom daily.
There is no reason to avoid bleach.
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