How to Kill a Virus

[science_spot]

Due to the recent concerns about swine flu, I have been doing a little research on how to kill a virus.  Because you are more likely to encounter a virus outside your home than in it, I am not sure how helpful this will be to anyone who frequents facilities outside of thier home.  BUT if one family member catches influenza (H1N1 or not), and you have concerns for keeping your home clear of the virus so no one else gets infected, here are some methods to kill a virus.  Everything here can be obtained at the grocery store, and it doesn't hurt to keep some of these things on hand, just in case.  Notice you do not need to buy any fancy products - the cheap stuff works excellent!

1.  A solution of 70-80% ethanol.  In the store, this is called rubbing alcohol and you can buy it already diluted to this concentration range.  You can use this directly on your hands - rub it in until it dries (which is pretty quick).  You can use it on kids too, but don't overdose them on it.  You don't need very much, maybe 1 tablespoon, max.  Most of it is evaporating, not getting absorded into the skin, but don't like them ingest any of the liquid by mouth.  You can also clean solid surfaces and soak cloth in it, if needed.

2. Heat between 165 - 212 degrees F for more than 15 minutes.  You can sterilize solid items in boiling water or in your oven, including food if you think it is contaminated.  Your dishwasher and washing machine may also reach this temperature, depending on the setting of your hot water tank.

3.  A dilute bleach solution. Mix bleach with 20x more water (approximately 3/4 cups bleach with 1 gallon water).  If making more than a few cups, do this with a window open.  Be careful not to breathe in the bleach solution or get much of it on your hands.  Use this to wipe down solid surfaces.

4. Hydrogen peroxide can be used straight from the bottle in the same way as the ethanol in #1.  Again, do not let kids ingest it.

5.  Soapy water (including in the dishwasher and washing machine).  A good foamy solution works best at 98-130 degrees F.  Use this to wash fabrics, hands/skin, carpets and solid surfaces.

6.  Product labeled as a "disinfectant", such as lysol and bleach wipes, when used according to the package instructions (which vary widely so make sure you read them).  It is interesting to note that most of these use one of the above ingredients to do their cleaning!  A few people have asked me to review some products, which I will post about in a separate journal later this week.  I am waiting on email answers from the manufacturers.

7. Distilled white vinegar, used straight from the bottle will kill virus on surfaces within 20 minutes.  Spray it on, let it sit wet for 20 minutes and then allow to air dry. 

 

Remember virus can only live 1-48 hours outside of a host, such as humans or pets.  Keeping living areas clean when you have a sick person in the house, coupled with keeping distance from the person will reduce the spred of sickness to other family members.

These solutions above will also kill 99% of bacteria on the surface as well!

EDIT TO ADD - clarification onthe word "kill".  A virus is not technically "alive" because it cannot replicate itself outside of a host cell, so in the world of science we call viral "death" inactivation.  I left it simple, knowing the target audience would likely understand the term kill without an explanation ;)  but someone called me out on it so I feel the need to clarify! 

EDITED GAIN TO ADD - I made an error in the bleach dilution so it is now corrected.

 

Tonya

AKA sunmoonstars

The Science Spot

 

[RanaAurora]

Sep. 3, 2009 at 5:57 PM

Run Malware Bytes!
Oh... not THAT kind of virus...

I'm going to show my husband that in soapy water, I don't have to BURN MY HANDS to get stuff clean!  He and my best friend think that if it's not hot enough to hurt and turn your skin red, it's not doing any good.

[Momforhealth]

Sep. 3, 2009 at 9:55 PM

Bleach scares me as it is a registered pesticide and just not something I want to use regularly around my kids.  So I use something else that is safe.  Besides I have not been around it in so long it makes me sick to my stomach to smell it..bla   A green disinfectant sure to kill germs would be to clean with vinegar and then pray peroxide.

I use a botanical disinfectant made with Thyme to clean my house and if we are sick I will add a little to my wash  (its an environmental thing and safety thing for me)..but I have read that you can also disinfect your clothes with a cup of vinegar in the rinse load.  I have found that it is just as important to clean the laundry baskets too. 

We always will change our toothbrush too once we feel better.  

[Liansmommie]

Sep. 4, 2009 at 4:38 AM

Awesome post Tonya. I am looking foreward to the next journal.

[science_spot]

Sep. 4, 2009 at 6:18 AM

Momforhealth - great tip!  I forgot about vinegar, so I went to do some reading and will update the post now to include this information.  Thank You :)

(Original Poster)

[My_4_cuties_08]

Sep. 4, 2009 at 8:54 AM

Thank you for the information.

[bootiecall]

Sep. 4, 2009 at 10:13 AM

Thanks for this info! It's good to know = }

[doodlebug814]

Sep. 4, 2009 at 10:17 AM

Bleach works wonders!

[chinavic]

Sep. 4, 2009 at 10:35 AM

love your post science =0)

[yogapantz]

Sep. 4, 2009 at 12:36 PM

I keep a purse pack of Clorox disinfectant wipes in my diaper bag to clean surfaces of shopping carts, restaurant tables, and high chairs & booster seats when I'm out and about. This has saved us from untold amounts of doctor bills since one of my daughters catches every single thing that's out there. She's already sick enough to stay home from school, and we're only in week 2 of school.

[RaiderMommy]

Sep. 4, 2009 at 3:07 PM

These are good but you cant kill a virus you can only damage it. A virus isnt a living thing because it cant reproduce without help from a host cell.  So you cant kill something that isnt living. You can kill the host cell.

I would be extremely careful with the rubbing alcohol. It can cause alcohol poisoning as it is absorbed in the skin quickly and the vapors from it arent good either.

My husband was raised with the old remedy of rubbing alcohol to break a fever. I have had to show him how that is dangerous as hell.