The Shortages
During the past few years, and more specifically during the pandemic, we all know how difficult it was to find cleaning products. At many points during the peak of the pandemic, you could walk into any store, and the cleaning product shelves and the paper product shelves would be clear. What is interesting is how most individuals that were eager to find all the cleaning supplies lack the knowledge of how effective they really are. Today I am going to discuss a cleaning product that is under my sink in my dorm room. The product we have is called Comet Ultra. Comet Ultra is a standard disinfectant that costs roughly $3 at your local Walmart or other grocery stores.
Comet Ultra
Like most disinfectants, Comet Ultra claims that it kills 99.9% of viruses and bacteria. The antimicrobial agent that is present in this disinfectant is Sodium Hypochlorite, which it only contains 2.0%. Sodium Hypochlorite is a chlorine compound used in most bleaching agents. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sodium hypochlorite is one of the best antimicrobial agents to use. Sodium hypochlorite is commonly used in households and other hospital settings, but it has been proven safe. Although it is mostly harmless in household use, it can cause irritations to the skin and eyes. With that being said if this chemical is used beyond topical use it can be very harmful. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, if the body comes in contact with sodium hypochlorite beyond topical use, some symptoms that may occur include vomiting, burns, and respiratory failure.
Sodium hypochlorite appears to offer the best mix of low cost, ease of use, safety, and effectiveness.
Quote from CDC
Are You Really Killing 99.9% of Viruses and Bacteria?
The interesting part about cleaning supplies that many people do not know is that there are instructions on how to use them properly to achieve the best results. On the back of the Comet Ultra disinfecting bottle, it says that you must spray the chemical on the hard surface and let it stand for 1 minute before wiping it clean. Also, for heavily soiled surfaces you must pre-clean the surface before using the disinfectant spray to fully disinfect the surface. With this knowledge, I now know that I have only been sanitizing, and not correctly disinfecting the surfaces that I am cleaning.
Homemade Anti-microbial Products
The New York Times offers tips on how to make your household cleaning products to use against the COVID-19 virus. The New York Times gets their information from the CDC explaining that a bleach solution should have a 1:48 ratio, meaning 1⁄3 cup of bleach for 1 gallon of water, but this ratio could be increased for better results. I believe this solution would be effective against most viruses and bacteria because it is very similar to the solution that you would find in most name brand products like Clorox. Another solution that is commonly found in homemade cleaners is a vinegar. According to Old House to New Home, you can mix 3 cups of water with ½ cup of vinegar to make an anti-microbial solution. I believe that this solution is less effective against harmful viruses and bacteria, but would still provide some sort of cleaning to hard surfaces. In other words, it would sanitize to an effective level in the home, but would not completely disinfect the surface.
Whether you are using a name-brand cleaning product or an anti-microbial spray that you made yourself, the New York Times article suggests that you understand how to use it properly. Personally, as long as it is effectively killing viruses and bacteria I would not be opposed to using cleaning products that I made myself.
Whatever you use, it’s crucial to know how to use a disinfectant properly — that means allowing enough time for a disinfectant to do its job, which can be as much as 10 minutes.
All Things Microbiology 